Reciprocal Social Security Agreement

Federal Member for Chifley Roger Price MP has written to the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs, Hon. Jenny Macklin MP asking for an investigation into the feasibility of a Reciprocal Social Security Agreement between Australia and the Philippines.

This is an important first step in the process of working towards such an agreement and comes as Mr. Rey Manoto of PCC-NSW launches a petition in support of the proposal. Filipinos are a recently arrived migrant group totalling more than 120,500 across the country. They easily integrate into Australian society, are willing to contribute to the community and participate in the workforce but often family ties and responsibilities necessitate occasional return to the Philippines.

“My electorate and Blacktown LGA have the highest concentration of Filipino Australians across the country, a fact of which I am inordinately proud” said Mr. Price.

Chifley is currently home to approximately 11,500 Filipinos which equates to 7.5% of the total electorate making it by far the largest migrant group. Of all the residents from non-English speaking backgrounds across the Blacktown LGA, more than 21% are from the Philippines.

“I urge the Australian Fillipino Community to show their support for the proposal and Mr. Rey Manoto’s petition,” concluded Mr. Price.

Copies of the petition can be obtained from Mr Price’s electorate office by calling (02) 9625 4344.

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