I sympathise with your predicament, but I am always amazed by the way so many people (and I'm not necessarily suggesting it applies to you) earn good money and make no preparation for the future. I have written on these pages before, but it amazes me the sort of thing the public will spend their money on. Over $100 to go to a concert or theatre production. 40 - 50,000 dollars on four wheel drives 2-300 dollars on shoes, bags and accessories, smoking, drinking, over eating..... I can't remember when I last went to a restaurant or bought take-away. All my life I have been asked "what are you saving your money for? You could be hit by a bus".
I have never earned more than $20,000 a year when working, yet I live a good life now because I never spent money on the above and invested. I also refuse to take the pension. I still live a fairly austere existence, but more than sufficient. A nice house on over an acre, but a simple life growing stuff and keeping fit. It's hard for a well qualified person to go and do manual work, but when 10 years older than the writer of the article, I delivered pamphlets for extra money and worked as an artist model and did extra work on movies.

There are certainly cases where government help is necessary, but I have always been proud to be self supporting and will continue while I am able. Write an article for a local newspaper, do on-line surveys. There are many ways to make extra pocket money.

It's amazing how quickly we sing a different tune when our circumstances change; and the higher you climb the further you can fall.

Snake is just so proud of his/her independence, and just how little he/she has accrued in his/her lifetime, for his/her retirement.

And very much dependent on the garden, plus staying fit and healthy and able bodied.

Do ye no ken, the plans of mice and men are apt to gang aglay.

A young tradie I know had a very similar attitude until run down while riding his bike to work, by a very fatigued driver, returning home after completing a double shift!

However, it'll never happen to our smug self satisfied glamorous snake, still in demand in his/her seventies as a model?

Really gut busting work that eh, he said, flinging his head and a hand in the air, up there where all the love is? (every sight and every sound)

Whereas the average shearer, is practically crippled in his or her forties, due the back breaking nature of the work.

And yes there are those who hiss it all up against the wall, or shovel it into the pokies!

Snake can't avoid destiny, and if that destiny includes being stuck down by a stroke in the next two or three months, he/she could be singing a very different tune; always providing the one sung at the moment is accurate; and not too clever by half political propaganda?

With a surname like yours Brian, you will know about Murphy's law and what can go wrong; and I daresay, you'll know why Murphy isn't at work today, due to that deadly accident; that included that now infamous barrow of bricks; and that patently malevolent block and tackle?

Levity aside, that's why we need to keep compulsory super, and move it up to 15%!

And then only ever available as a proscribed pension; for the term of your post retirement natural life; thereby enabling you to, always look on the bright side of life; even when chewing on life's gristle!
Rhrosty.

Brian, the retired boomers won't be there. They are all touring around OZ in their caravans and their 4WDs. No need to worry about the future, either the government or perhaps even the Lord will provide when all else fails.

Snake, I might remind you that "Pride comes before a fall".

David

Good on you, snake.

As for you other two: jealous much?

Brian, a decent article, focussed on the positives, unlike some of the comments. I'm a few years younger than you, at 51, but I hope to be making use of the education I'm currently acquiring well into my 70s and beyond if I'm up to it.

It seems likely that I'll have to do as much as I can to make that possible off my own bat rather than expecting work to be offered, but I'm used to self-employment. You have lots of skills, but you don't mention self-employment as an option you've considered. Have you given it much thought?

Brian the Government are downgrading hospitals as fast as they can go, this means we elderly will be legally snuffed out while waiting to be admitted which is what they want, mention the word Euthanasia , dear me how dreadful, we can't have that, but it is ok to breathe your last on the trolley while waiting in the line to get into hospital.
Brian if I lived closer I would join you on the steps, best of luck, we definately need more demonstrations like the Vietnam war ones earlier, but there may be a catch there as well, demonstrations will slowly be outlawed, Governments will make sure of that, you could be a terrorist in the making.

That's quite a change of tune since your last article, Mr Murphy.

Only four months ago you were advocating:

"Bonza suggests a Maturelink office in very [sic] city so they can seek assistance, training and resources relevant to their age group and most will work again. So a Maturelink office for all over 50s is mandatory."

Now you are admitting that:

"...there is not [as] large [a] skill shortage as predicted because the mining boom peeked [sic] and is falling so no jobs there."

That's what happens when you try to make long-term policy decisions based only upon today's situation. You get it very wrong.

Try to take a little more responsibility for your own situation, instead of whining that the government should be doing more for you. After all, as I pointed out after your last article:

"We [the baby boomer generation] understand perfectly well that we have been exceptionally lucky to have been born a boomer, and thank our stars that we lived a far more privileged life than our parents, and one blessed with many more opportunities than will be enjoyed by our children.".