Sharman and Secretary, Department of Social Services (Social services second review)

This matter concerned an appeal by the applicant, Mr Sharman, against a decision by the Secretary of the Department of Social Services to affirm the cancellation of his disability support pension. The applicant's claim for the pension was based on a range of impairments, but the assessment determined that he did not meet the required 20 points for qualification. Specifically, a spinal condition was assigned 10 impairment points, while other claimed conditions were either not assigned points or were not considered to be fully diagnosed, treated, and stabilised.

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal was required to determine whether the applicant's impairments met the threshold for a disability support pension under the relevant social security legislation. This involved assessing whether the conditions relied upon by the applicant were sufficiently diagnosed, treated, and stabilised, and whether the aggregate severity of these impairments reached the statutory 20-point requirement.

The Tribunal affirmed the decision under review, finding that the applicant had not satisfied the criteria for the disability support pension. The reasoning indicated that the applicant's impairments, as assessed, did not reach the necessary level of severity. The Tribunal noted that the applicant could consider making a new claim for the disability support pension if his circumstances and the supporting medical evidence had changed since the date of the cancellation.