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

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal considered the appeal of Toby against a decision by the Secretary, Department of Social Services. The dispute concerned Toby's eligibility for a Disability Support Pension, specifically whether his combined impairments met the threshold for a pension. Toby suffers from Eryopoietic Protoporphyria and an anxiety disorder.

The Tribunal was required to determine whether Toby's physical and psychiatric impairments, when assessed under the relevant social security legislation, resulted in a level of impairment totalling 20 points or more. This involved assessing the severity and impact of each condition, and whether they were fully diagnosed, treated, and stabilised.

The Tribunal found that Toby's Eryopoietic Protoporphyria, although diagnosed and stabilised, was assessed as resulting in 10 points of impairment. His anxiety disorder, however, was not found to be fully diagnosed, treated, or stabilised. Consequently, the Tribunal concluded that the combined impairments did not reach the 20-point threshold required for a Disability Support Pension. The decision under review was therefore affirmed.