Health cost of smokers may be up but at the same time one has to look that they will not live as long and hence less pension the Government has to pay.

Around 15,000 people die each year of smoking related illness.

Beside who would pay the massive tax the government collects on each packet of cigs.

I travelled overseas recently and although a non smoker myself, brought back a carton of cigarettes for a friend. I was gobsmacked to learn at the airport that travellers now may bring in only 50 cigarettes before paying duty. The government must be REALLY desperate for that revenue.

There was a time about 20 years back then they discussed withholding treatments for smokers Maggs. Never got off the ground.

And the elderly today are the butt for all excuses for not enough money for services which the young demand and also want on top hand outs and the Coalition did share the mining boom income with them and still do with middle class welfare so most are used to it and take it for granted as an entitlement.

Never think of the elderly who worked and paid income tax in the 1909 Age Pension Act paying a levy of 7.5% on their taxes to pay for their age pension and this did exist as Menzies shut down the receptical for these payments called The Pension Fund in 1950 and transferred the monies over to General Revenue along with the levy ongoing even today as never was repealed.

Seems both major parties have agreed to forget it ever existed and go along with blame game as an excuse for lack of funds.

Instead of acknowledging that the incoming boat people as well as many of the humanitarian intakes on top of foreign aid has taken out more money even than the pensions paid, even to those who never contributed. Only have to be here for 10 years to get a pension. Or have a baby at 14 before they stopped the Single mums one.

Thanks of course to the United nations whose treaties are costing us billions and we have even today George Brandis saying on ABC breakfast they will not give in our notice on the 1951 Refugee treaty if elected which allows anyone to lob up and demand asylum and get it as hard to prove these days and expecially if they destroy the passports they flew into Indonesia on to get the smugglers boats in the first place.

I reckon if Julia Gillard announced she was giving in our notice she would romp home in an election as so many are fed up with being taken for a ride and resent our hard earned taxes being sent overseas to aid people who have oil like Indonesian and spend millions on their military so not broke at all and do little but pay lip service to stopping the boats as think Australia should be thers as claim the NT anyway and recently said so.

Forum is "Health & Wellbeing" Topic is "Health cost of smokers"

How did it develop into a political thread about Julia Gillard , politicians pensions and the ruddy United Nations.

If you cast your memory back 50 years , most smoked. You could smoke in a bar, in a restaurant or on a plane or in a taxi.

These days smoking is not so popular - more are quitting and not as many younger ones are taking it up as all those years ago.

I don't know of Rex Jory but wonder how old he is. Has he been around long enough to see what I have described above.

The amazing thing about the attitude to smokers from the medical profession, is that those same people seem to be very happy with shooting clinics & free needles. A carton of smokes gives the tax man around $100.   A dealer buys opium for around $90/kilo & sells it for around 3,000% to 4,000%  of the purchase price at 40% strength & pays NO TAX WHATSOEVER.  The cartels of Columbia are now so wealthy that they have their own armies & the Government is no longer game to take them on.

Rex Jory is an insignificant little worm,a SA journalist from the Adelaide Advertiser,he just retired too,I remember him from the early 70's in Adelaide,he was Dunstans little bum boy.

just a wanker so dont worry about him,my taxes go everywhere else so why not to help smokers? we give it away to outsiders and boat people every day 24/7 why not for health?

billy

I think smokers get a rough deal, rougher than drugies or drunks

As was mentioned b4 they have shoot up rooms for druggies --which is ILLEGAL -- and allow much alcohol abuse but smokers are looked down on --which is legal !?