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THE BAPA FEDERAL ALP CAMPAIGN

Subsequent to our previous pre-election Senator campaign, we have now canvassed all of the current ALP members seeking their support for a new reciprocal agreement which would include indexation. I have received a very positive commitment from Jenny Macklin MP, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs who recognises the injustice and unfairness of the current situation and has stated that seeking a new reciprocal agreement would be given priority, and that the government is considering the most appropriate action to address this issue. BAPA has currently been invited to attend a meeting with the Minister to discuss all of the aspects which can be developed to overcome the intransigence of the UK government to end this immoral and discriminatory anomaly.

Furthermore, due to our campaign, Amanda Rishworth, the Member for Kingston intends to introduce into the House of Representatives a Private Members Bill seeking the support from the HoR members for a new reciprocal agreement to be placed before the UK government The National Insurance money is there, all that is needed is the will to end this long suffering saga of denial imposed upon expatriate pensioners.

Jack Stoner Hon Secretary

Action by Mal Washer

More good news from West Australian's Federal Member for Moore Dr. Mal Washer. A strong supporter of UK pensioners living in Australia, Dr Washer, a Liberal, wrote to UK's Prime Minister Gordon Brown asking him to personally explain why he refuses to uprate the SERP (State Earnings Related Pension) that remains frozen to many ex-pats since arriving in Australia. Dr Washer has for many years been critical of the UKs past intrasigence and we offer him our heartfelt thanks in his endeavours.

Derrick Prance BAPA Committee member

Useful Publicity

This one from Montreal is worth a visit Frozen British Pensions Still On Their Way To The European Court Of Human Rights. Apart from the excellence of the material it includes a reference to our video on YouTube.

Public Sector Pensions

If you have a pension from the public sector derived from employment between 1978 and 1997, you may be getting less pension than you should - and you will not be aware of it.

Public sector covers civil service, local government service, armed forces, police and other emergency services, National Health Service, teaching service, and of course, MPs and judges.

To enquire about your own public sector pension, email to Public sector pension enquiry

Another Victory.

A retired teacher has finally got the indexation of the GMP. Back pay with interest!

See Public Sector Pensions

More and more people are writing to us regarding their own public sector pension, not only from Australia but also pensioners in Canada and Argentina. In one case the DWP agreed that the mistake - a recent one - was due to an "oversight". One wonders who is "overseeing" the system. DWP claim that the system is working; we know that it is not. Pensioners learn about their rights only when they read about them from British pensioner associations.

Discuss this with your pensioner friends; there may be a lot more people whom we can help.

New Rules for Basic Pension

See New UK Pension Rules

These rules do not come into effect until April 2010. So if you are already retired or will reach pension age before that date, you are not affected by the change. These changes are, at present, of most interest to people who will reach state pension age in April 2010 or later, and who are considering voluntary contributions.

Adopt an MP

BAPA is running a campaign which will make every UK MP more aware of our situation. This can only be done by members and supporters. If you want to help, see Adopt an MP

If you have adopted an MP and would like to take part in an email group to share your successes (and failures), then send an email to adoptmp discussion group <<== Just click here. Leave the text blank if you like, but just send the email.

Tracking Your MP

This is something worth doing.

You can track your MP using http://www.theyworkforyou.com/

Log on and click on the third item - "Sign up....."

You can then register with them. You need to specify what you want. There is a long drop down list of current MPs so you will have to eyeball for the one you want to track.

Once you are accepted you will receive an email after every parliament sitting day giving you a brief extract from Hansard. If your MP has said nothing, there will be no entry for him/her. Even that is worth knowing.

You can then click to the Theyworkforyou web site, and from there to the Hansard record if you wish. The Theyworkforyou web site gives you the opportunity to make a comment, in the hope that it will be passed on to the MP concerned.

More important than the comment is that you will find out what makes your MP tick. Tack him/her regularly, and be ready to include appropriate comments in your next letter.

The National Insurance Fund

Is there a National Insurance Fund, or is it just "paper money"? See National Insurance Fund

Educating MPs A quick summary of the true facts about the frozen pension regime. Use it to inform your friends, and also to inform your MP - both UK and Australian MPs.

If you do not receive a copy of our newsletter in the post, this may be because you are not on our mailing list, or have not advised us of a change of address.
In either case, use the form at Mailing List Form

To take part in informal discussions with other frozen pensioners, send email to:
Bep discussion group

If you have a visa class 410 or similar, you would be welcomed to the Beria discussion group.
See 410 sub visas