C02/2002 BI-ANNUAL REASSESSMENT OF COMSUPER AND DFRDB SUPERANNUATION - PROCESSING ARRANGEMENTS - JANUARY 2002,

Purpose of Instruction

The purpose of this Departmental Instruction is to provide information about the processing arrangements to reflect the January 2002 bi-annual CPI increase to Comsuper and DFRDB superannuation pensions and to inform you of changes to the arrangements for mailing the advice letters produced from this exercise.

Introduction

Comsuper and DFRDB superannuation pensions were previously reassessed annually in July of each year.  In the May 2001 Budget, the Government announced that Comsuper and DFRDB pensions would be subject to twice yearly adjustments in January and July commencing January 2002.

Date of Processing Run - 26 January 2002

Processing to reflect the January 2002 bi-annual CPI increase to Comsuper and DFRDB in pension assessments will be undertaken on 26 January 2002.

CPI Increase - 1.1%

Comsuper and DFRDB pension payments have increased by 1.1%.

Date of Effect  - 22 January 2002

The effective date of the re-assessment will be 22 January 2002.

On pension payday 7 February 2002, pensioners will receive a full installment at the new assessed rate.

Previous Arrangements for Mailing Comsuper/

DFRDB Letters

Approximately, 20,000 advice letters (nationally), are produced following this exercise, advising clients of the reassessment.  These letters have previously been printed by IBMGSA's Daily Printstream and forwarded to each State Office for checking, enveloping and posting.

New Arrangements for Mailing Letters

The advice letters generated from this exercise are to be printed and mailed through the Department's bulk mailing house Security Mailing Services (SMS) in Sydney.  SMS will print, fold and insert advice letters in the week Tuesday 29 January thru till Friday 1 February 2002.  This change was requested by staff from several State Offices, who had expressed their concerns at the difficulties created in processing the volume of advices produced from the run.  These changes have been designed to reduce those workloads.

Lodgement of Letters with Australia Post

All letters will be lodged with Australia Post by COB on Friday 1st February 2002.

Advice Letter Target Audience

A letter will be produced for those Income Support pensioners in receipt of Commonwealth Superannuation and/or DFRDB and who following the reassessment have a variation to their pension payment.

Advice Content

There are no changes to the advice content from that which has been sent in previous years.  The Income and Assets listings and Obligations will be suppressed for all letters produced.

The signature block will contain the signature of the Deputy Commissioner for each State.

Special Register, Overseas, Reduction to Nil Cases, Cases with Multiple Paydays  & Enclosures

Special Register, Overseas, Reduction to Nil, cases which result in multiple payment boxes (ie., Payment Information Attachment) and Enclosure (treatment changes) advice letters will be printed by IBMGSA Printstream and sent via courier to each State Office.  These should be checked for accuracy, and reconciled against the reports received by each State Office.  This arrangement is the same as for daily advice letters.

'HELD' Advices to be Forced

As part of the Batch processing run any advices in 'Held' status will be forced to print.  Forced held advices will print at each respective State Office's nominated printer as part of the production processing.  Please ensure your designated printer is fully operational during the processing period.  These advices will need to be checked to ensure the information in them is correct prior to posting.

State Office Contacts

A contact person from each State has been identified to act as a liaison point for the National Office Advices Team and will be the responsible person for distributing any information regarding the Comsuper and DFRDB mailout to Staff

State Office Contacts for this processing exercise are:

NSW: Genia Sacharczuk - 02 9213 7106

VIC: David Price - 03 9284 6379

QLD: Steve Jensen - 07 3223 8835

SA: Graham Bate - 08 8290 0425

WA: John Gliddon - 08 9366 8417

TAS: Chris Craven - 03 6221 6698

ACT: Martin McGlashan - 02 6289 1132

National Office Contacts

The National Office contacts for this mailout are listed below.  Any queries regarding advice wording, data cartridges, mail house printing and letters lodgement should be referred to:

Simone Cantrill - (02) 6289 6489 or

Pat Webb - (02) 6289 6444

Fax Number: (02) 6289 6553

Systems issues should be directed to:

Carol Walsh - (02) 6289 6729 or

Kevin Chapman - (02) 6289 6749