Dated: 11th August 2021

Unfortunately Julian Lesser’s speech was cut short due to the time for member’s statements expiring.

The video is here, and the full transcript, from Julian’s Newsletter is below.

Jim Tilley OAM
British Pensioners in Australia will be saddened by the death of Jim Tilley OAM. I was pleased to say a few words about Jim in the House this week:

Jim Tilley, who passed away recently, was a warrior for a just cause, the leading light in the British Pensioners in Australia organisation.

Jim fought hard for the rights of Australia’s British Pensioners, determined to see them granted the same pay and indexation as British Pensioners elsewhere.
I first met Jim when I was running the Menzies Research Centre and I hosted the then Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Ian Duncan Smith as a guest. Jim came to meet Sir Ian and put his case to him as he has so often done to me and others. While he didn’t convince Sir Ian you could only be impressed with his advocacy.
I was pleased to be one of the people who nominated Jim for the Order of Australia he received on the Queen’s Birthday this year.

British Pensioners in Australia uses funds raised via subscriptions to finance an International political and media campaign aimed at getting the UK Government to overturn its unjust position of freezing the pensions of the 4 per cent of British pensioners –who retired to countries where pensions aren’t uprated.

The British Government needs to treat our British Pensioners – most of whom are Australians Citizens –  in the same way as they are treated in America, Israel, the EU, Turkey, Jamaica and numerous other countries, by indexing their pensions here as they do there.

As Boris Johnson looks to strengthen the UK Australia relationship indexing British pensions would be a tangible demonstration of his commitment.

In Jim Tilley’s memory I will continue to fight for British Pensioners working alongside colleagues to see a better resolution from the Government of our oldest ally.

In Jim’s memory I will continue to campaign for the rights of Australia’s British Pensioners to full indexation of their pensions as in other countries.