Self-pity will get you nowhere rehctub. It is not about people being victimised - it is about having some fairness and equity in the system and not having well off self-funded retirees being treated as a needy group who deserve special government benefits.

Well off self-funded retirees should live up to their name and fund themselves and stop trying to obtain special benefits that are not available to others on similar incomes.

Well said Australiana.
Billie, I am a strong advocate of a safety net and looking after the poor.
What I strongly disagree with is the notion that because the poor receive assistance, that this should also extend to those that do not need it. ie. middle class, and upper class welfare.
Howard used government funds as a social tool to gain votes and pursue his culture wars.
Government payouts to folks who own million of dollars in assets and have stable incomes are a waste of funds and defeat the purpose of "welfare". Government propping up of businesses (Private Health Insurance, Private Schools, His brothers business) that make *profits* is a massive distortion of the system.
Here is some reality: The 20%pa returns experienced in last 10 years will now need to be paid for. Some of us younger generations who got nothing from the last 10 years of "boom" are keen to see the intergenerational wealth transfer at least stop, if not reverse for a while.
It will be our turn to cry "gimmie, I'm old" in 20 years time but unlike the current mob, we have a lifetime's experience of being screwed by government, employers and the financial system.
Leaving Uni with a $12,000 debt and then having my first $2000 of Super stolen in fees and charges was a hint of what was to come.

So Australiana and any of you other 'tall poppies' out there. Just how do you think the majority of todays wealthy self-funded retirees bacame wealthy. From hard work for which they contributed S-loads of taxes along the way and all they want is some of it back.

The one thing they didn't plan for 40 or 50 years ago was the huge number of 'layabouts' whos only mission in life is to see just how much they can suck from the system with the minimum amount of personal input.

At least one thing is for sure, and that is that when future generations retire, it is most likely that there will be very few who actually achieved much so there won't be any 'safety net' as you put it to speak of which may well mean that many will have to fend for themselves. Wow, won't that hurt! Nothing left to suck from.

You should be greatfull for the efforts of these people, many of which faught in wars just so you could live a peacefull existance.

As I said earlier self-pity is a terrible thing. It corrodes your character and turns you into a dreary moaner. Hysterical tosh about the present and future generations reveals you to be a sad and embittered old man. Definitely not a role model for anybody.

AustraliaA.rehctub is right.The next generation might as well spend and not work hard.It is a waste of time and effort.The harder we try the more they tax us or up the interest rates.

The Aborigines had it right.Go fishing and live for the moment.Kevin will get us into so much debt that we will never pay off the interest let alone the principle.

Well australiana, you are way off the mark mate. I am in fact on the better side of 50 and still working hard and living well, although I don't really need to keep working but I get great satifaction out of my job, my customers and the fact that I can pass my skills on to the young up and coming butchers.

With regards to the 'role model' as you put it, we do in fact need a new roll model as the previous ones, those who worked hard and saved hard, in many cases to provide a strong education for their kids, have been 'chewed up' and 'spat out'.

There is no way anyone today can give any assurances to the young ones that hard work pays off, cause, IT DON'T!

This government is just a bunch of 'gold diggers' looking to reap taxes from anywhere possible so they can feed their obsession of driving this wonderful country into bankruptsy. Their off to a good start hey, from 23 billon in surplus to a suggested 70 billion in the red in just 18 months.

The only comfort I draw from this is the fact that I had nothing what so ever to do with them being elected.

The labor voters wanted change, boy they shaw go it hey!