I thought this might interest a few, There would be a lot of Australians claiming an old age pension in Thailand
A HOMELESS nomad who spends most of the year wandering overseas has won the right to keep his welfare payment after arguing his pension goes further in South-East Asia than in Australia.
The 62-year-old's disability pension was initially cancelled in March because he did not have a fixed address in Australia, did not meet the residential requirements needed for the payment and spent two-thirds of the year overseas.
The man, who suffers from schizophrenia, has lived a nomadic lifestyle for decades and has been receiving the pension since April 1984.
For the past 10 years he has spent most of his time roaming Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Laos, China and Vietnam; countries where he is able to survive on his pension.
Now, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal has overturned the departmental decision to cut his pension, ruling he needed to travel overseas because of his dire poverty.
"His travel overseas is linked to the difficulties he has faced as a homeless person in Australia and his current lack of assets," the AAT ruled
"He does not travel to one country in South-East Asia but moves around. The applicant says he travels to South-East Asia mainly because this enables him to get a room with a TV and airconditioning together with three meals a day and some beer money within the tight parameters of the pension payment.
"The applicant is unable to afford accommodation in Australia on his pension."
When he is in Australia he moves around frequently but considers campsites around Darwin his home base and avoids Melbourne and Sydney because of the cooler weather.
He told the tribunal he hoped an inheritance from his 100-year-old mother would enable him to buy a caravan.
"The applicant considers Australia his home. Although the applicant's home base is a series of sites on Aboriginal land and a number of informal arrangements (including staying with friends, family or camping) and although he is homeless, this does not mean he has no connection with Australia," the AAT ruled.
http://www.news.com....t-1226546318384
A HOMELESS nomad who spends most of the year wandering overseas has won the right to keep his welfare payment after arguing his pension goes further in South-East Asia than in Australia.
The 62-year-old's disability pension was initially cancelled in March because he did not have a fixed address in Australia, did not meet the residential requirements needed for the payment and spent two-thirds of the year overseas.
The man, who suffers from schizophrenia, has lived a nomadic lifestyle for decades and has been receiving the pension since April 1984.
For the past 10 years he has spent most of his time roaming Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Laos, China and Vietnam; countries where he is able to survive on his pension.
Now, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal has overturned the departmental decision to cut his pension, ruling he needed to travel overseas because of his dire poverty.
"His travel overseas is linked to the difficulties he has faced as a homeless person in Australia and his current lack of assets," the AAT ruled
"He does not travel to one country in South-East Asia but moves around. The applicant says he travels to South-East Asia mainly because this enables him to get a room with a TV and airconditioning together with three meals a day and some beer money within the tight parameters of the pension payment.
"The applicant is unable to afford accommodation in Australia on his pension."
When he is in Australia he moves around frequently but considers campsites around Darwin his home base and avoids Melbourne and Sydney because of the cooler weather.
He told the tribunal he hoped an inheritance from his 100-year-old mother would enable him to buy a caravan.
"The applicant considers Australia his home. Although the applicant's home base is a series of sites on Aboriginal land and a number of informal arrangements (including staying with friends, family or camping) and although he is homeless, this does not mean he has no connection with Australia," the AAT ruled.
http://www.news.com....t-1226546318384