Pension increases March 2013

qbeebill,
We understand were your coming from and its about time us retired men and women stand together as for our right in this generations we are in its bloody difficuts for all of us.

I have been on the age pension for 11 years and feel that I have been well served by the pension I have no other income, live in private rental with rent assistance and am reasonably comfortable, well fed and really don't need the impending increase. Those of you who are in need of an increase must be living beyond your means and expect the taxpayer to fund your excesses, John.

Hello not wanting,
I just love your type of comment good on you if you can live good on your pension.........BUT I bet you have excellent health as many retired pensioners have chronic health issues are out of pocket big time...........and only another pensioner would understand how tuff it is........Not a Do Gooder...........Dont tell this pensioner I live beyond my means as for one I have Chronic Renal Failure but these last few years has got tougher I dont go away on holidays we cant afford to ok..have a good day

I wonder how much pension we would like...what are everyones views on this....I think we all have to manage our affairs so as to have enough money to live on......some have debts, some have cars, some are sending monies to overseas ladies, some live with families in granny flats (mine did) some live together as a couple(thats the best way).......

Well Hello Precious,
were are you coming from????????? give me a break dear girl ???WHATS ?? this sending money to overseas ladies are you for real???????who do you know that does this type of thing????

You are lucky to love in public housing no land rates water rates house maintence etc. and very hard to remove .
It was only ment for people unable to earn an income.

I am no longer able to earn an income. Sheesh. I'll swap medical condition and the associated (non-govt) expenses gladly. You wouldn't like it.

If you're paying tax on your pension, you must be getting a very substantial pension. I'll wager it's far above what most old-age pensioners get, who have been unfortunate enough to not have enough superannuation, or who have been robbed of their super. I don't think you've got too much to complain about - try living on a basic pension, when you have been robbed of all your assets.

Aaron

I pay tax on my pension of $1109 per fortnight - not a princely sum. For this, I contributed 5% of my income for 22 years and I also paid normal tax at the same time. Think on it before making silly comments. I do not get any government benefits, only some state ones.

Or somewhere else !! Their smug privileged faces make me sick*The pay increases they get in most instances are not deserved . Just a nice little top up for their holiday fund and more Pfft !! Nuff Said Jo'

YEA I DO GET A LITTLE TEARY WHEN I THINK OF THOSE POOR STRUGGLING POL(LIES)$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

ROFL

stir stir :)

'like' POL(IES)!

I have lost faith in the 'Pol lies.They are mainly self serving and have NO idea and NONE what the real world is like! I am just am sick at the prospect of having to sum up the effort to go and vote for one of them at Election time !!!! I can't believe any of their promises :-(

All the Pollies need to take a large pay CUT. Thety get paid for sitting on their asses all day, make wrong decisions, and give themselves pay increases. Pensioners will have a hard time this year with the increase in electricity and gas. I really also feel for the nurses and farmers, who get so little for the crops and fruit they grow, and we are importing from the USA and overseas. I was in Hospital a few weeks ago, and the evening shift we had 2 nurses who had to tend to 16 patients who had all had surgery, they were absolute angels, but my heart went out to them for the fabulous job they were doing. This Government needs to get their priorities in order, FAST.

Hi Seagirl,
I can understand were your coming from as many many retired pensioners are struggleing big times these days ,(as back in the past we could rob peter to save paul as the saying going)
But I bet you anything our thoughts during the elections we are the last ones to be thought about........
has anyone else thinking the same as seagirl.

YES

Unfortunately not too many are game enough to speak up for themselves

You are right J G I'll be doing that for certain !!! Cheers Jo'

It sounds like I,m in a similar position to you . Your rent is pegged at 25% of income or at least thats the figure in Victoria .Every time your income increases your rent is adjusted to be 25% of your income . Yesterday I got my new pension card card , March every year , along with advice about various reductions for services for people with a card . We also get a one off train travel thing on Vicrail and rego reduction . Glasses , hearing aid , PBS and things like water rates and in my case a taxi card which means half price fare . The pension is to meet basic needs and for me it does that plus I bank regularly , pay bills and feed myself . I can,t comment on your situation only my own . I have no super fund or trust to cushion things yet get along ok . If I peg out tomorrow my funeral is not my families problem because I,ll leave enough to pay for it . I think your $75 is unrealistic , not enough taxpayers to fund it . Think yourself lucky its not 1950 or 1960 .

last rise the Dept of Housing ( and homelessness. very appropriate) QLD took the lot!

Someone told me many years ago when I was working full time, that the old age pension is given to assist us to live and not to live on.....it should be supplemented with paid work of how many hours we are able to do as we age.....I really think over the years we have got to the state where maybe I say maybe we have all come to depend on it entirely and never give another thought about where all this money is going to come from...we shout, bark and talk about it..doesnt change a thing..Married or couples are far better off than a single living alone etc...I put an idea forward recently that maybe the local govt could consider two people living together instead of all these singles just existing (some really are) together and it would certainly ease up the accomodation problems which will definately occur within the next few years with the asylum seekers etc etc..other european countries encourage their seniors to do this and people seem far happier, not whingeing so much and live longer and healthier..I cannot see the sense at all of continuing life as a single when some have to totally depend on others for help and managing their affairs....the jids have their own lives to lead but some elderlies need them to help with lifts mainenance etc etc and company as well..pressurising everyone.....what does anyone think???

You can log in to the Govt housing website in each state and work out how much they will increase your trent...

Boof,
I always said dont trust any Politicians especially in today times.we have a PM Gillard who has told many of lies, and Tony Abbott keeps making mistakes before he thinks about what he going to say.....Yes I was ex-Labor but she wont get my vote.

Never did get mine...where I live nearby many Labour people I wonder what they are going to vote this time around...I never got over what she did with K Rudd....talk about dictatorship...I was flabbergasted to see this happen in our supposedly free society.....I

Hi Precious - It's not right what happened to Kevin Rudd but she didn't actually do it, the caucus installed her and if not her it would have been someone else they hated Rudd so much. One party is no better than the other, the Libs did exactly the same thing to the much respected Bob Menzies while he was P.M. The current Libs (although in Opposition) have ditched their leaders Brendan Nelson (after Howard) then Malcolm Turnbull and now they have Abbott. That's three Federal opposition leaders in approx. 5.1/2 years. We all have to remember we are voting to install the member of the party we favour in our local electorate. The Libs and Lab pick who they think would be the best person to lead the party and the country, we don't pick the P.M. unless we happen to live and vote in that person's electorate. I feel sorry for all the hard working aspirants in the various electorates all over the country, maybe we should have a box to tick on our ballot papers when we vote for the party we prefer which indicates who we would like for P.M. There are a lot better people in both major parties than the ones blathering on and point scoring against each other.

Thanks for info and your good grace in replying....never mind she may be better off in the back becnches if at all.......lolololol

Boof,
Pensioners get the rough end of a pineapple no matter who is in power. One thing is for sure those who are "in" will not cut themselves short when their time comes. Labour has done their dash with me but If I were to vote for Abbott because Labour stinks it would be like eating shit sandwiches because you dont like bread! I have no clue as to where my vote will go this time round.. I am disgusted with the whole lot of them.....absolutely disgusted!

This is where I have noticed such a big difference balancing my budget on the single pension. July 2013 my husband passsed away and we were on disability/carer/carer allowance payments at the time. We managed on these payments for many years by being careful and not wasteful. As you indicate, once your husband/wife passes away a lot of your costs are the same. Adding to what you have mentioned, I am finding I need to buy smaller supermarket items but the smaller the tin, the dearer the cost. If you go to ALDI for instance, most of the food is packaged (which is good) but its packaged for "families" not singles. So the carbon tax compensation of $13.50 and pension incr. of $22.00 amounting to $35.50 (not $35.80 as indicated by Debbie) will obviously help, but any increase whether it be pensions or people's salaries and wages is always offset by rising costs.

I lost my husband in /October 2010.With both our pensions we managed to get along ok. Now as you say ,
Being on a 'single pension' I still have 'Rates,Insurances, Water,Electricity and more.
I am glad of course to have the pension. But it is not nearly enough for someone like me. The pension is half now,but the bills are not. Jo'

Yes Jo, that is why I have a plan which is probably easier for a bloke and it goes like this. If my wife dies first I will sell everything up and buy a caravan suitable for one. Then I will hit the road and be able to do a bit of driving and a bit of metal detecting and site seeing. I will have a letter in the front of my car and caravan telling the police my son's phone numbers and other necessary information to ensure every thing goes smoothly.

Egyptian and jo', my sympathies. However you will survive your grief and accepting you new position in life. For a long time I could not buy clothes unless I could validate new clothes. I still have a bit of trouble buying for me, but I don 't need very much now :) You never forget but you do learn to accept the death of a partner. Good luck to both of you :)

Hasbeen, I will say thanks to the young ones when all the single mothers say thanks for their baby bonus, and the 50 or so other free handouts they get.

Hasbeen...... bite me. I was that tax payer in my time. You've been saving ! Wow, your medical expenses are obviously far less than many many of the rest of us. Well done and good for you.

Common sense comment Hasbeen . It will fall on many deaf ears though . Australia has become the land of the whinge .

Hasbeen and geomac it seems that you are two of the lucky ones who can manage to save some of your income/super for extras such as new water tanks. Personally I worked and paid taxes for fifty years, but I was retrenched a couple of times and in the 50's, 60's and 70's my employers were not taking out super from my wages. Having been a victim of cancer and other problems we have private health cover which costs us the equivalent of one of our weekly pensions each month. Obviously we are not planning an overseas holiday, but so far manage to live comfortably without missing any meals, on a small percentage of the minimum wage.
As for thanking the current tax payers, I feel that I should be entitled to some of the tax I paid during those fifty years of work, plus interest. I'm pretty sure I wont be on a pension for that length of time. geomac- I am not a whinger but I do believe in the right to protest against those things I find unjust.

I really do get sick and tired of the 'Me Me' mentality. Sure we paid our taxes but that was then and paid for things like child endowment etc. Now our children work and pay taxes FOR US. Every time the forum is about money and pensions can come into it, the whingers rise. Jim, you may not be a whinger, but you are using the same rhetoric as the whinger. Bitterness gives you ulcers, be positive (and no I don't mean to say 'We are badly done by' instead of saying 'I think we are badly done by' ) Have a sunny disposition and not a bleak, nasty one. You'll feel better.

Now I can wait for the barrage of abuse from the usual whingers :)

Someone many years ago when I was persuing jobs etc (never out of work) and reached over over 50s why hadnt i found a husband...woho there you go the additional pension would hav e come in handy now...well I have a part pension from UK as many many do here and from other countries too Holland, etc etc and many more from europe have joined in....that money pays my bills......if it doesnt I am living beyond my reach.....don`t go without as I said previously but its juggling all the time with the back up of family moral support and girl friend we just help out when we have to.......its better than being in a dictatorship...by far...............we paid out N atInsurances in UK when both of us working hubby and I and I get now the pension on the portion that stopped when we left the country....his was the higher income...many people get these pensions but wouldnt probably put it all on here..................many single guys here too work part time.....lolol.

Oh I can't wait to hear the replies to this post :) The Gov. put a time limit on how long pensioners can be out of Aus. so people couldn't rort the system :)

It wasn't necessary to be so insensitive by alluding to a typographical error I made. It should have been July 2012 and in 6 days time my best mate of 48 years will have passed away 8 months ago and I'm hurting. Why would you wish to make this type of comment? As far as I can see you have so far today made no comment on the subject matter of the 20th March Pension Increase?

Egyptian, you have to make exceptions for people like Wally who have never made a mistake in an entire life of 99 years. It worries me that I might be like him in another 26 years, UGH.

hey Wal, I understand.:)

Gone Bush, please do not assume that every pensioner goes to the pub, smokes and or gambles..... I certainly don't and there is no need to shout by using capital letters..... I am glad that you are able to enjoy your retirement and are kept occupied by your little dog and wood working interests. I also am interested in wood work but due to inner ear balance receptor damage caused by middle ear infections I have been unable to properly utilize my mini lathe and scroll saw.
Some people have to pay incredible rent prices and yet can't afford to move so are stuck in a vicious cycle. I consider myself fortunate to not live where rent takes most of my income. I only see my sons yearly if that as they are scattered around Australia and two are still serving members of the ADF.

Hi to Henry and Wife: I guess, Henry, if you add up your new pension from 20th March with the figures depicted above, and you and your wife receive a full age pension you each get $609.40 = $1,218.80 per fortnight x 2 again for the month ($2,437.60).
A single pensioner on the full entitlements from 20th March receives $808.40 per fortnight, so, x 2 = $1,616.80 per month. The difference between what you receive per month and what a single pensioner receives per month is $820.80 more. I don't think pensions are worked out fairly but I don't think we get a pension based on how hard we worked during our lifetimes and how much tax we paid during that time, we all paid different amounts of tax based on what we earned, but some "lucky" & "clever" taxpayers, paid no tax at all distributing their incomes into family trusts and the like and eliminating or significantly reducing their tax bills with trust distributions etc.). If we both own our own home, we have the equal amount of bills such as home buildings, (mine is a shared buildings insurance with my good neighbour because we are a single-level duplex which is a strata title, current premium $530 each p.a.) we also put $125 each twice a year into a sinking fund for future maintenance, the small amount we contribute is because the duplex is only 2 years old. Then, like you, I have home contents insurance, car insurance, green slip, pink slip, but no car rego being a pensioner. Like you, I have regular expenses to budget for such as electricity/gas, Council rates and water rates, petrol, car services, food, phone/internet, home/garden maintenance. Currently LifeChoices is asking if the $35.50 single pension increase is sufficent and/or fair. Pensioners find it difficult to get inside the "heads" of the politicians who decide what remuneration we get per fortnight, so if we can give LifeChoices enough posts to forward to our government, eventually we might get a fairer outcome .... but don't hold your breath! Some pensioners are better off than others also. I worked in private enterprise (no superannuation ever until it became compulsory and it started off at 3% of salary). I retired early with $8,000 lump sum from the 3% super deducted from salary. Early retirement meant going on a carer pension to look after my husband with MS. He went onto disability pension and he had worked in private enterprise or for himself with no super also. After 24 years with MS he passed away July 2012, so you can imagine I notice the difference in receiving the single age pension now, compared to the married/partnered carer/disability pensions. I am stating my present circumstances, hopefully not sounding like I am complaining, but if we pensioners had received just the pension increase and no Clean Energy compensation on 20th March, I would say the pension increase for single/married/disability/carers and others was inadequate. I doubt very much the Clean Energy supplement is fully covering the higher costs we pay for food (the dearest in the world) and electricity. Australia, in the top 15 wealthiest countries in the world pays their pensioners the second lowest pension benefits in the world.
I think they could do a whole lot better if you compare our benefits with some other countries (say Austria and Germany for instance).

We are receiving the pension increases twice a year, every year, on 20th March and 20th September. It's not because we are having an election. This is part of normal budgets brought down in May each year. The second increase we are receiving is Clean Energy Supplement compensation. I think, not sure, when the carbon tax is abolished after the anticipated 5 year period, and we go onto an emissions trading scheme, we will lose the Clean Energy Supplement, maybe someone could verify this. Anyhow, if there is a change of government we will most probably lose the Clean Energy Supplement straight away. I'm not a member of the Seniors' Party and wouldn't entertain the idea of belonging to any political party. I believe we should voice our opinions strongly with our local member, and if that doesn't work go to the state or federal government member for answers. You do get a response.

Joan, Perhaps you have other income other than your Pension..and is it a single pension or a double Pension... if its a single pension that means you are living on only approx $600 per month, if you are saving $1000 per month ??? How can you pay all your bills and budget for the other things in life you talk about... Bill

Joan, my rent takes approximately 42% of my pension and that gets paid before I eat and feed myself and my precious 12 year old cat. Not every pensioner is fortunate enough to own their own home or is well enough to derive other income besides the pension. Not all of us drink, smoke and or gamble either..... I sure as hell don't.....

Penqueen
Thats a hefty slice of your pension so I assume you are not in public housing , 25% . Are you receiving rent assistance with your pension ? You would be eligible . I was in private rental back in 2009 and going to public housing made little difference to my rent because I lost rent assistance . I suggest a call to centrelink .

Joan - saving $1,000 per month i.e. $12,000 per annum for how many years? Holidays, and now a European dream trip. Where have you got all this money stashed? I'd be careful making such a statement CentreLink could be on your watch. If you and your partner are receiving full married/partnered pensions from 20th March 2013 you will receive $2,437.60 per month less 10% for God = $243.76 less the $1,000 savings leaves $1,193.84 per fortnight. Cut this $1,193.84 in half and you both receive $596.92 per week to distribute for all of your food, petrol, utilities, insurances, rates, clothing, chemist, and we haven't mentioned if you are paying health insurance, need glasses, go to doctors/specialists, etc. etc. You are a couple of miracle workers!

Geomac, I am not going to waste money ringing Centrelink as I receive full rent assistance as well as full pension. The cost of private rental is very expensive. Once my rent is paid my bank balance takes a real nosedive. Public housing is subsidised by state governments unlike private rental so there is a big difference between the rent payments.... I have lived in both in my life so I know the difference.

The maximum rent assistance available is $121 a fortnight for a single , no kids . I live in an older persons unit , over 55 to be accepted , public housing . I pay full rent ie market value as I declared my savings or didn,t hide them . Enough for funeral and a couple of grand to my three sisters so not substantial amount . Contented to live here as no more ratbag neighbours to contend with that I encountered in private accommodation . Its a nightmare getting anyone to act on tenants breaking council and state laws .

Joan, what a lovely post!! There may be a typo ($100 not $1000), but it is still a positive and cheerful post. YES it is possible to save money but I think a lot depends on our differing circumstances. Still it was so nice to read your post :) Thank you.

I bank but I think that 1000 is a typo and should be 100 . Nikolai the difference between private rental and public housing is minute because of rental assistance payments . Your comment about rent increases needs some clarification as surely any rent increase would come after the expiry of a six month or yearly lease agreement . The point I,m trying to make is that a landlord can,t put the rent up 20 bucks mid lease .

Geomac, if a lease is for 12 months and there is a special provision included within the lease then yes the landlord can increase the rent mid lease with the lawful time allowed given.

We wish eh.....

That is why all of us should contact our Fed MP's and tell them that ios is not good enough, and that the minimum increase for pensioners shoul be at lease be the Average Minium Adult Wadge.. After all we all fahe paid our taxes most of our working life .. As one Fed MP admits she could not live on the Pension if she tried.. Lets all MP's admit it if they had only the pension to live on they aslo could not blive on it....Bill

Yes bill we have paid taxes but we don,t pay unemployment insurance or pension payments on top of those taxes , separate . Our kids went to schools , our roads were paved , our defence forces maintained , Medicare and hospitals funded . All this while we were paying taxes and now we don,t except GST that is others pay those same taxes . A bit of perspective please .

Geomac...We all still pay GST..on all goods ,services and food and clothing we buy .. ????????

Yes we do which is why I said now we don,t except GST . We don,t pay taxes like when working but we do pay GST . Maybe my wording was not clear enough .

Hi Val Didn,t spot 2040 bit but noticed the Eureka flag waving , looks good .
I can,t seem to find anything on UN 204o white minority report and into 4th page on google .
I take it that non whites would be Indians , Chinese well all Asians to make it short . Africans , nth and sth . What about Moaris and Islanders including PNG ? Of course there is also the original inhabitants who were once the majority , in fact just them , various nations/tribes .

there is NO way the tax we paid whilst working would go near paying for what we are given these days, our pensions, our subsidies etc , our medications alone cost a fortune and pensioners are on so many expensive medications keeping them alive into their 80s and 90s.

I should have added, because I don't have to mow the lawn I can spend 10 hrs a day sitting at my computer instead of 9 hrs.

I think if $1000 a month is being saved, the pensioner is probably living with relatives who pay the power rates etc or in a caravan in a relatives backyard maybe, just a thought

That 1000 bucks a month has to be a typo , not possible to bank that much . You state your case clearly and makes me glad that my meds are covered by PBS . I pay 11.90 but it would be 100 odd bucks without PBS . The trouble I see is that the pension , for the most part , is broad based to cover basics . It would be hard to have various exemptions covering various situations for pensioners , a management nightmare .

Good on you widdy, I'm with you. No overseas holiday for me, I'd rather go for a ride in my convertible, if there's a bit of spare cash. I bought the car, a new ride on mower, air conditioner, & a few other things before I retired. I look at them as my hump, to keep me going. The only mistake was the aircon. It is just too costly to run, so I sit in the shade, or wear an extra track suit.

I worked out I needed $385 minimum a fortnight to pay all the fixed costs, rates, insurances, power, car & medication. To be sure it's there when needed, I top up my wallet to $300 each fortnight. If I run out of this I stop spending, however it usually only takes a couple of hundred so the account slowly builds.

As long as I don't go silly I can have a comfortable life in retirement. Yes I went without quite a few things in my middle years to be debt free in retirement, & it was worth it.

Good on you Young Simmo, very sensible, & you avoid my only real complaint. I find fixing a fence, broken by the kangaroos a bit of a strain these days, & reckon the greenies who want them around the place, should have to fix the fences they break.

Julian Dart, boy you sound like a real smart a*se, I feel very sorry for your other half if you have one. Thinking about it, EERRRRR no, I will stop there as the moderator might have night mares if I say what is really on my mind.

Julian Dart, once again you have messed it up, I feel sorry for all people that are committed to living with EGOTISTS. Maybe I missed the fact that you inherited $ millions and have trouble relating to real people. These comments sites are good fun Ahe.

chronicles52, You said " How I wish I had that talent ". Maybe if you said " I wish I had some talent", you might be a little bit believable.

Those people that did the right thing of providing for their old age are now being penalised for it.

Very very well said.

It is NOT democracy to be forced to vote;
You are not forced to vote but are fined if you don,t . I think its over 75s who can opt out . We here about how people fought for our freedoms and the right to vote . In my opinion its not just a right its a responsibility to cast your vote . Its not an onerous task , infrequent and postal voting is available for those who require it . Thats the only part of your post I want to respond to ceebee , Said my piece earlier .

geomac, When I voted yesterday down at the local school, I noticed a couple of people walking out with their voting papers in their hands. What nut cases, they only had to put their blank voting sheets in the box.

I agree Radish. My wife and I have worked bloody hard over the past 45 years, doing night shift for 35 years and 7 days a week for the past 10 years so that we can have a comfortable retirement. And yes, we have had comments from some people saying that we are lucky! Hard work doesn't bring luck!

Becker
Under the avatar of a person you will see reply , click that if you wish to respond to comments in that post otherwise reply as you have done here . Either way it get posted just that posting under/in the post you want to respond to shows its relevance .
On the vote although you raise some good points I disagree on the general argument that compulsory voting is undemocratic . I stand by my statement thats its a responsibility . Change the system that you complain about , no argument from me . Leave voting to the committed , the nutters ,the well organised minority groups and you get an even more skewed politician and a screwed population . As I said whats onerous about casting your vote for who represents your electorate . Plenty seem eager to cast votes for some singer or dancer on tv and no fine involved there . You want similar types of a different eagerness voting for you ?

I think I've got it!

We have to disagree on this one. Compulsory voting is forced voting and 'forcing' is simply not democratic.
Geomac; responsibility: state of being responsible. Responsible: having control and authority/reporting or accountable/sensible and dependable/involving responsibility.

Dependable would be right! Nothing else is. As for leaving voting to the committed (as they should be) etc., we have no different currently!

Here we all are 'democratically' being forced to vote, and for who exactly? We are forced to vote for a candidate who has the backing of this or that faction. Those factions first spill a little internal blood, and then push the successful puppet at the public.

We have no 'choice'. Literally no choice.

As for those bozo's who vote for these ludicrous revenue shows, to be frank they make a nice matching pair! There is nothing about this system that is fair and democratic, it is quite absurd and it has been structured to benefit two Parties only-and we see the result of it everyday.

Over to you!

Well it appears we are unable to agree on the question of compulsory voting . Other than what I already stated I have nothing to add . Like my mother used to say use it or lose , she suffered from arthritis .

Becker, I have only read part of your post and I do disagree with your view of compulsory voting. Voting is a right that a lot of countries do not have. Being an ex-solicitor you should have studied at lease two units of Philosophy, one being to do with the origins of democracy (2010 Ancient Western Cultures: Periclean Athens). Voting was only given to adult, male Greeks with both parents Greek. The voters had to do a session of 'leading' whereby they made rules and laws for the community. The tribes had a roster for democratic rule. Today's population is far greater than in those days and democracy has evolved with time and growth. I take voting seriously for if I don't vote I am giving the responsibility of 'me' to another person (a stranger). Is that fair of me?? Geomac, your statement from your mother is right... use it or lose it. Do you want to live in under a dictator?? If not, then vote! Then again, democracy lends itself to lead onto dictatorship!!!

Also, democracy is not about being fair :) It's about those that qualify being able to have a say in their life. I agree democracy is nothing like its invention, but it's better than what else is available.... at the moment.

Of course not; they can't read.

That is just dreadful about the 'houso's'. They should be ashamed of themselves....

Billy
I,m on single pension so unfamiliar on married couples system . To pay 25% each I assume each pensioner is being paid separately rather than one payment and they sort out the split between themselves . So in effect Billy collectively or separately they are still paying 25% of pension income , the same as a single pensioner . Whats your point ?

Responding to Billy.

I know you are addressing Geomac, but this is a discussion forum so I would like to reply.

I cannot agree with you. A meal cooked for two uses the same amount of power as if cooked for one. (This would only vary if cooking for a large volume of people).
A room heated or cooled will cost the same if the room is occupied by more than one person.
The only variance that I can see would be in water usage.

I don't strictly believe that 'two can live as cheaply as one', but I know why that saying came into being.
Perhaps I can turn it the opposite way and suggest that for the single occupier, the same general costs on power usage must be met as for two.

Agree!!! Totally

Like most things their are horses for courses and everybody is different to some degree. Unlike most pensioners my wife and I cruise along quite nicely dew mainly to our circumstances, and I will lay a bit of it out for anyone that is only a few years away from retiring and might want to do something similar. To start with we live in a country town and am only 5 Ks away from town and the shops. We have a very comfortable Onsite Caravan with a 30ft by 10ft solid annex. That is made up with a 10 ft X 10Ft Shower, bathroom and laundry all comfortably laid out. We have our own septic system and pump so no tramping over to the showers when it is raining. In our 20Ft by 10Ft Lounge slash dinging room slash Computer room we have a 42 inch wall mounted TV. Outside we have a really comfy 20 Ft X 10 Ft patio, with outdoor setting and 4 burner BBQ. I have 10 X 10 work shed full of all my never ever throw away tools and vital gardening equipment. Then at the back another 6 X 6 Garden shed. We have been here since Feb 1999 and will have to be carried out. Our site fees are $105, plus power per week. That usually totals about $125 per week. The law says that our rent can not increase by more than 10% per year. Thanks to our wonderful landlords (Park Owners) our rent has increased 5% in the last 2 years. So if you are getting close to retiring and things are going to be tight some thing like our situation could be worth considering. Oh yes, on a bad fortnight we might only put $100 away, on a good fortnight we might put a $300 in the cookie barrel. If new carpet or fridge pops up we leave our savings and borrow a grand from Centrelink interest free over 6 months. OK, I have really poured it all out here, but I am only illustrating one way it can be done.

Hello catsahoy, WOW I think I hear you, Ha, Ha, Ha. We got supposedly half 3 weeks ago and the full increase this Wednesday just past. We thought we were getting $54.00 but got $51.90. Because we live in a relatively small town, and I personally know the boss Lady at Centrelink, I don't want to make too much noise about $2.10. It will be interesting to hear how other pensioners fared. I agree, the cost of meat could make me a vegetarian at 73 years, a bit late to start changing directions.

catsahoy, sorry to hear about your cat. A friend of mine spent over (yes, OVER) $38,000-00) on his cat in four years and the vet finally advised him to just let nature take it's course. His cat was 25 years old!! However, I have a toy poodle and I have pet insurance :) RSPCA pet insurance. It's not cheap but neither are vet bills. So far it has cost me $1,050-00 for insurance and two visits to the vet ( over $300-00) ... thank goodness for insurance. Oh, and I pay mine monthly too :) Good luck.

particolor,
May come when you may understand and be more kindly towards others who have chronice ill health ..................not every one been as lucky as you?......... BUT I did notice the healthier you are your less understanding towards other pensioners suffering with Cancer and other chronic medical condition......

tia-maria, ....................................whinge, whinge, whinge. Everyone is better off than you and no one is as sick as you. If you really want something to whinge about, try living where people do not get a pension, or better still, try living in England for 12 months!! And before you tell me how lucky I am , I know it. AND I do have a painful. terminal illness, so you are not alone. I live in Australia, I have food and water and a roof over my head. I am blessed.

Hello Student,
were are you coming from I am definately not whingeing not like you?????? I have never said I was sicker than anyone else..What I am saying (that people like yourself need to read more careful) and ask yourselves to more considerate towards others retired pensioners who realy have hugh medical issues..........so wake up.....Are you a pommie???? if so that would understand your attitude??I never been to England nore intending going.what other countries do for their retired pensioners is their business not mine OK...........cant understand your attitude are you religious?? that also would explain a lot to me.

particolor,
No the its not about the health, but its regarding the pensioner pay rise????( I never said to you your not sympathetic to others regarging ill health???
And your attitude towards me is uncall for my dear, so just maybe you need to have a cuppa and a break away from the forum and you wont be so stress out so much.....just lighten up as many of the comments talk about rubbish/and stray away from the subject at hand.

Thanks for the reply catsahoy, I had to ask the question as Val is my other half, now you have cleared that up. I was just thinking maybe I knew you 50 or so years ago, He, He.
Yes getting back to the (CABG X 3) which is the Drs lingo I am as happy as pie. Like a lot of people I smoked for 45 years and probably wrecked my body, and how I gave up is another story. However to sum it up, I have said before, My father died of a heart attack on his 43rd birthday in 1953. I was lucky enough to have a Triple Bypass in 2002 and now have lived 30 years longer and I put it down to modern Medical Science. Actually I am running on a revamped VEE-8 engine. Everybody around me knows, that if I fall off the perch tonight, I promise I will not complain tomorrow. Isn't the internett a wonderful invention????
For the uninformed CABG X 3 stands for "Cardiac Artery Bypass Graft X 3". That is triple bypass.

catsahoy, maybe you might have to get you Desktop checked out to stop the multiple postings, He, He.... Yeh I am on a Desktop as well, and have a Happy Lappy as a back up when we go down to Perth. My life has been a bit different, I met My Darling at the Friday night movies at the Fiesta theater In Scarborough WA on 7/5/1954 and we are still together. Yes she is a very forgiving lady, as my 25 years in the Gold Mining caper in Kalgoorlie and Cue and Leonora etc, etc really tested our contract. In those days I went from work to the pub and rocked up at home after 10 to 15 cans every night. She was 13 and still at school, and I was a 14 year old apprentice in 1954. I better stop there as I could easily fill the whole page if i cut loose. Just to cap it off we had 3 sons, and lost our youngest at four and a half years in a drowning accident at Penguin Island, 40 years ago. Boy us 73 year olds can rattle on when we get started.

Hi catsahoy, I feel we are probably turning this page into a personal communication site and should get back to basics. I also feel we have a lot in common and need to communicate some more. I will go to "contact us, and try and get the moderator to give you my e-mail address". If that doesn't work I might go out on a limb and, EEeeeerrrrrr no I won't.

OK I substituted ,,,suiggle,,, for @ but that didn't work, so I will try a different tack. I did get an administrator to forward my address to you and he confirmed he had done that.
He is at: Drew Patchell - Digital Operations Manager,
YOURLifeChoices website, magazine and enews
www.yourlifechoices.com.au
I have given him full authority to give you my Address. Boy I am just about ready to post my home address, landline, mobile ph, current photo and a pic of my vegie garden but, alas, I need a few more reds to go that far.

Hello catsahoy, actually I am not currently into the Facebook and Twitter things, I did register when they first started years ago but never really used them and about 6 months ago I unsubscribed. When I unsubscribed something very significant happened. I went from 2 to 4 Scam E-mails per day, every day down to my current lot of 1 or no scams per week. I only unsubscribed because I wasn't using Facebook etc and was sick of getting unimportant rubbish from friends and associates. Reduceing the scam e-mails by allmost 100% was an unexpected bonus. Drew did say he was going to give you my E-mail address, so I will touch base with him tomorrow morning and tidy it up.

Hi Catsahoy and Young Simmo feel like I was eavesdropping on an interesting conversation, just a thought but if you are both members of the Community you can send each other messages through Private Messages on here makes it easy when you don't know someones email. Other thing is Young Simmo you must have a lot to tell about growing up in WA in the 50s would you consider posting on the Forum about it? That way its legit and no one can complain if they think going off topic is "crap" see below. I for one would love to hear more stories from everyone about their childhood in Australia.

vivity, that is a interesting comment you have made there. Actually a couple of years ago I decided to put some of my memories on computer from my childhood days back in the 1940s when I was 6,7,8,9 and 10 living up on the Wyndham Meatworks. Trouble is it started out as a couple of lines and quickly become 4 very full pages. If I put it up here it would probably choke the system. Catsahoy and I now have each others e-mail address, and have become old friends in about 24 hrs.If you tell me where to find Private Messages I will send you my ramblings and you can be Judge.

OK go to the Red Line at the very top of this page, on the far right you will see Community, click on that and it will say something like register or log in, If you previously registered (which you may be because it looks like I can send you a message) just log in if not register and then click on your profile and Private Messages will show up. I am going to send you a private message now by clicking on your name and the message will be forwarded to you and you will find it in your junk mail if not in your main mail. You should also be able to send me a private message now just by clicking on my name above if you are registered. I hope that is clear and not confusing?

speakup, As difficult as it obviously is for you to contemplate, there are some people out there in the real world that just on occasions think out side of the square. Catsahoy and I have been, seen, caught up, communicated and now are on a different world to you. Therefore you can now go back to sleep and I promise not to step over that line that only you can see anymore.