Bart--we well most of use worked hard all pur lives--bought and paid off our house brought up the kids WITHOUT all the handouts they get now-- ie $5000 for each kid they have--looked after our parents and often our partner that has now died and never had any super as it wasn't there then. We don't get more than a working person.

We were told when we started work Bart, that part of what we were paying in Tax was put into a fund to allow for our pensions in our old age but some greedy sod along the way decided to use that fund for something else , and so we now stand accused of bleeding the country to expect to live a life above the poverty line We, most of us , don't ask or expect what we want, just what we need,,, I don't know what it is like in other states , but here in the west,The BooM state/ it gets dearer every time you stick your nose out the door The so called Boom does nothing for most of the population of WA,,the workers on ridiculous wages yes , and good luck to them if they can get it ,,but the poor and disadvantaged pay through the nose for Petrol, gas, water, electricity, food,,,you name it ,, all of our stuff costs the same as those in the work force what does electricity cost per unit on the east side ????16.1 per unit here now and to rise agai, and we get billed every 2 months I have no idea what gas costs as I don't have it my rent rose $65 dollars a week when the Boom first started , and like others I sit in fear and trepidation of a further rent rise. I rent privately and almost one pension goes in rent,,in State housing the first in for their chop if a pensioner gets a rise is the government , and they , so I believe, do not have the common decency to wait until the rise is in the bank,,I was in the workforce for 55 years, I had 3 years off to have my children, my then husband had a drinking problem and the drink was more important than feeding the family , so for me and the kids ,it was work or go hungry .. As for all the bodies who scream and shout that we should have done this or that, criticise when you have walked a mile in someone else's shoes ,,,not one among us knows the why's and how's of anothers life , so what gives us the right to judge?

I'm not sure where you're coming from Bart. Are you one of the younger persons, or are you a self funded retiree? I know I worked, had no super, didn't save much, because there simply wasn't anything much left to save after I paid off some-one else's investment house, by paying rent. Did the best I could, but now I am reliant on the aged pension. As my son says, the tax he now pays, ensures that I am able to live a fairly reasonable, but restricted life. I am grateful that there is an aged pension.

"Why do pensioners expect more than a working person? Beats me. I reckon they have a cheek."



Today's pensioners are yesterday's working persons. We have families who are today's working persons and pay tax.

We paid tax all our lives and we don't want more than today's working person only to lead a reasonably normal life.

Wise up before you open your mouth.