XN000022-1979-01-01 — Page 2

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MONDAY, JANUARY 1, 1979

D.S.W. REVIEWS WELFARE IMPROVEMENTS OF 1978

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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. THOMAS LEE, TODAY (MONDAY) DESCRIBED 1978 AS A YEAR OF EXPANSION AND IMPROVEMENT IN THE SOCIAL WELFARE SCENE AND FELT CONFIDENT A LOT MORE WOULD CONTINUE TO HAPPEN IN THE NEW YEAR.

HE SAID A COMPREHENSIVE WHITE PAPER ON SOCIAL WELFARE WOULD BE PUBLISHED SHORTLY AND THIS WOULD SET OUT GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ON FURTHER DEVELOPMENT IN VARIOUS WELFARE SERVICES IN THE YEARS AHEAD.

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AND BY APRIL THIS YEAR HE SAID, THE OPERATION OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT WILL HAVE BECOME FULLY REGIONALISED TO IMPROVE DIRECT SERVICES TO THE NEEDY.

REVIEWING THE WELFARE ACHIEVEMENTS OF 1978, MR. LEE SAID THEY COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MADE WITHOUT THE CONTINUED CO-OPERATION AND EFFORTS BY THE COMMUNITY AND THE VOLUNTARY WELFARE SECTOR.

HE SAID DEVELOPMENT WAS PARTICULARLY APPARENT IN THE FIELD OF SOCIAL SECURITY, WITH FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS MADE IN PUBLIC ASSISTANCE, OLD AGE ALLOWANCES AND DISABILITY ALLOWANCE DIRECTLY BENEFITING 300,000 PEOPLE.

TO BEGIN WITH, HE SAID, THE SCALE RATES OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE AND WELFARE ALLOWANCES WERE RAISED BY ABOUT 11 PER CENT IN FEBRUARY, MEANING MORE MONEY FOR THOSE LEAST ABLE TO HELP THEMSELVES.

IN APRIL, THE GOVERNMENT INTRODUCED A SERIES OF MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS INTO THE SOCIAL SECURITY SCHEMES PROVIDING NEW OR INCREASED BENEFITS, HE ADDED.

THESE INCLUDED AN ANNUAL LONG-TERM SUPPLEMENT FOR PEOPLE WHO WERE ON PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FOR MORE THAN A YEAR A MONTHLY OLD AGE SUPPLEMENT FOR THOSE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE RECIPIENTS AGED 60 YEARS OR OVER, AND AN INCOME DISREGARD PROVISION IN WORKING OUT THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC ASSISTANCE FOR THOSE WHO ARE OLD BUT WORKING PART-TIME, HE SAID.

IN ADDITION, MR. LEE SAID WELFARE ALLOWANCES WERE EXTENDED TO PEOPLE LIVING IN INSTITUTIONS, AND AN INDEPENDENT APPEAL BOARD CONSISTING OF UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS WAS SET UP TO HEAR APPEALS AGAINST GOVERNMENT DECISIONS ON SOCIAL SECURITY CASES.

+IN OCTOBER, WE MADE YET ANOTHER MAJOR IMPROVEMENT IN THE OLD AGE ALLOWANCE SCHEME, WITH THE QUALIFYING AGE REDUCED FROM 75 TO 70,+ HE SAID,

SO FAR, HE SAID, THE DEPARTMENT RECEIVED 58,000 APPLICATIONS FROM PEOPLE IN THE 70-74 AGE GROUP, WHICH ADDED CONSIDERABLY TO THE PREVIOUS CASELOAD OF 66,000.

IN OTHER FIELDS OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR. LEE SAID THE RATE OF PROGRESS WAS ALSO IMPRESSIVE.

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