Invalid and Old-Age Pensions Office

Set up in 1909 within the Department of the Treasury to administer the Invalid and Old-age Pensions Act 1908, with a Commissioner of Pensions and deputy commissioners in each state. Commonwealth age pensions became payable on 1 July 1909, replacing the state age pension schemes of New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland; it was a new office of the Treasury rather than a continuation of any earlier Commonwealth body.

Legislation: Invalid and Old-age Pensions Act 1908; Maternity Allowance Act 1912

1. 15 December 1910Began paying invalid pensions under the invalid pension provisions of the Invalid and Old-age Pensions Act 1908.
2. October 1912The Maternity Allowance Act 1912 gave the Commissioner of Pensions the administration of a payment of five pounds on the birth of a child.
3. 1920Administration of war pensions passed to the Repatriation Commission under the Australian Soldiers' Repatriation Act 1920.

In 1941 the pensions administration and its staff were transferred from the Treasury to the Department of Social Services, which had been created in 1939 but became fully operative only then.

• Age pensions (from 1 July 1909)
• Invalid pensions (from 15 December 1910)
• Maternity allowance (from October 1912)
• War pensions under the War Pensions Act 1914 (until about 1920)
• Means testing and assessment of pension claims

Last in the portfolio of Department of the Treasury.

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Some dates or links for this organisation are uncertain. Corrections are welcome.