The concept of fairness and justice for all is a long held Australia value, the notion of equal opportunity for all is accepted as normal. The current generation of younger working people is expected to provide for those who now cannot work, and fully provide for themselves, those referred to as the older "retired" generation. By providing for others in this way, younger Australians have an expectation that through their hard work they too will not only accumulate assets such as a family home, free of debt like many of today's retired generation have done, some owning several properties as investments as well, they will also be supported by future generations when a time comes that they are unable to fully support themselves.

Unfortunately many young Australians believe they are unfairly carrying the burden for the older generation, and will never have the same opportunities, such as secure home ownership, in a comfortable retirement with very generous pensions and benefits that the older generation is now enjoying at their expense.

Can't blame them when the numbers show they are stuffed. Can't buy a home even on two wage packets and left paying for boomers third or tenth mortgage in some mouldy slum for 800 bucks a week. Just go towards the light the me generation. Your selfishness and lack of care have screwed the whole planet and it is your grandchildren and their grandchildren who will suffer. May they curse your names.

Please don't assume that older retired Australians are a total waste of space.
I am well in to my advanced years, but the last ten years, at least, have been hectic.
A frantic scramble to get things done.
I have spent them giving practical help to those neighbours who needed it.
Everything from mowing lawns to being transport for them.
And done this on a regular basis.
And even baby-sitting for an extended time.
Perhaps I have not contributed as much as a younger person might.
But I have certainly put in the effort.
I don't think I have been a waste of space.

The left constantly talks about unity and how important it is. It constantly tells us that diversity is our strength.

But its game plan is to divide the society into competing groups which it can then play off against each other for their, the left's, electoral advantage.

Right v left.
Rich v. poor
City v. bush
Business v. consumer
Jew v. Muhammadian
Aboriginal v. White
Immigrant v. Australian-born

and now... old v. young.

Championing this made-up claim of intergenerational inequity is just another way of saying to one group that you've been disadvantaged and we are your saviours so vote for us.

But they do nothing for these supposed disadvantaged. They claimed they'd build 1.2 million houses - not going to get within cooee of that. They gave money to first home buyers. All they did was increase the prices of houses to the benefit of those who already owned a home. They gave stamp duty relief...same result ie increases in home prices.

The things that would actually help those who allegedly suffer intergenerational inequity such as reducing immigration or reducing building regulations are not going to happen. So they throw sand in the eyes of the electorate to try to maintain support of the supposed disadvantaged. And it works

I have three kids in their 30s. All have their own home. All their friends have their own home. The claims about the young generation being unable to buy into the housing market are overblown and are aimed at the cohort who expect the government to provide everything for them.

Hi Trumpster,

"I (Trumpster) have three kids in their 30s. All have their own home. All their friends have their own home."

Realistically, being in a Super Max Prison cannot be considered as having your own home. Nor is it feasible to house all 27 million Australian in jails, then claim they all have a home! As the family Godfather you might think that way. How is Uncle Al doing in Alcatraz, that tax fraud charge was a bum rap, don't you agree?

Maybe Magoo can have a go at decolonisation like South Africa did? That's been working well.

https://youtu.be/c0sbFFvVyx8?si=4bkQ7TaAh7QJbrF4

Hi again Trumpster,

"But its game plan is to divide the society into competing groups which it can then play off against each other for their, the left's, electoral advantage."

That is Trumpism all over, so are you saying your folk hero Dangerous Doctor Donald is a lefty? Just as you claim Adolf was a lefty because he had the word socialist in the Nazi party name. In my opinion the Horseshoe Political Theory holds true, moderates at the top centre, some being progressive, others being conservative, with extremists hard right and hard left at the extremes, but coming closer together.

On this topic there is a necessary debate in Australia about intergenerational equity. The debate centres around issues of housing, welfare, taxation and living standards into the future. As a member of the Baby Boomer cohort I have done well from the system, and my expectations in life have been met. Many young people believe they are being asked unfairly to contribute to an already over indulgent cohort, the Baby Boomers, whilst having little prospect of obtaining the same benefits in the future for themselves.

Is it fair that a young person paying income tax, having no prospect of owning their own home one day, pays a tax subsidy like negative gearing to a landlord who owns 30 houses, and the young taxpayer has to pay sky high rent for one of them. Hardly seems fair.

You'll hate this. My wife who owns a unit outright, in inner Sydney, lets it for $100/week less than what the agent said it should be, but she only rents it to overseas students. There were 3 Indian girls going to Uni at one time, handy to shops and public transport, short distance to Uni, ideal for students. Her argument is she is getting the capital gain, and we don't need the extra $100 week, so she tells me.

South Africa is a good example of what can happen when you look for a scapegoat and ignore all else. Every problem there was the fault of the colonisers (mostly white people). Now who do you blame now that the colonisers have long gone and corruption and mismanagement are rife? Some still think Mandela a hero, not the bloodthirsty communist that he was. He should be remembered for his use of necklacing to deal with rivals.

https://youtu.be/7LWdR0kIhCk?si=6XmDKCcr3llIcInj

As with SA, the issues detrimental to living standards are ones of mismanagement and corruption. You might start with net zero/renewable energy, the NDIS, indigenous spending, productivity reform, curbing the ballooning public sector (twice as many public servants as Japan, for example), mass-migration, the nuclear ban, and the control of mining/exploration by political activist lunatics.

Just when we think Albanese couldn't get any lower, he comes up with elder abuse. Not just the relatively few wealthy elders, but all of them.

The ones who go without other things so that they can afford health cover.
The ones who struggled through Keating's 18% interest rate.
The ones balloted in to fight in nothing to do with us civil war Vietnam.
The ones who went without luxuries to pay off their mortgages early.
The ones who lived on one income and stayed home to raise their own children.
The ones whose often meagre savings, plus property will go to those children.
The ones who made Australia what it was before Albanese popped out of the slime.

“The only way in which you can redistribute wealth effectively is by destroying the incentives to have wealth”. (Milton Friedman).

Of course older generations are wealthier than younger ones. It takes decades to acquire wealth - most of which will cease to be inherited by the young after Albanese has stolen it, and or, the smart ones hide it or blow it on themselves, and to hell with the young, who are mostly responsible for their own problems because they neither respect experience nor old people.

Parents have a legal duty towards their children until the children reach adulthood: 18 years of age.

What happens after that is up to individual families. Not Albanese, who will never stop blaming other people for his own incompetence and ultra-left ideology.

"being in a Super Max Prison cannot be considered as having your own home."

As usual, when Paul can't approach an issue with any intelligence, he decides that playing the fool is a good substitute.

"That is Trumpism all over, so are you saying your folk hero Dangerous Doctor Donald is a lefty? "

Paul does this all the time. He doesn't dispute that what I said about the ALP trying to divide society for electoral gain is true, but just claims, without evidence, that the other side does it too. So he back-handedly agrees with my point..... which makes me think I might be wrong </grin>

"You'll hate this. "

Why would I hate it? Why should I give a second thought to your wife's charitable acts

The older people Albanese wants to screw over to get young votes - 50% of them at least - say that their financial situation has declined in just three months. (Pulse)

“For every older Australian living comfortably, there’s another counting every dollar, skipping meals, or even putting off healthcare”.

By the time Albanese can't get anymore out of them, the younger generation whining about old people will be paying even more tax for the age pensions that oldies will have to fall back on.

Note well the Milton Friedman quote.

Only 33% of middle class oldies were better off, and only 18% of those “better off” under the Jolly Roger flag of the pirate Anthony Albanese.

It's a wonder Albanese hasn't replaced the 3 flags he yaps to us in front of with the Jolly Roger. He is certainly ‘rogering’ us.

Hi Trumpster,

One thing that can be relied on is lack of humour from those old conservative narks, always pessimistic, always negative.

I was thinking you get a little upset with aliens such as Indian students. Don't want them here, the wife is helping them to stay. Shocking state of affairs!

Hi ttbn,

Milton Friedman, dead 20 years, died at the age of 94. A bit of ancient history like all that other guff about old Keating, the Vietnam War and women barefoot, pregnant and in the kitchen. You've got to stop living in the past, and wake up to what is a whole new world, or you'll be joining Milton up there in the clouds.

Hi Paul,

What you are advocating sounds to me much like decolonisation, and wherever it has happened the economic outcome has often been disastrous. Fiscal prudence, education, infrastructure, and eliminating corruption might not sound exciting to you, but they play a crucial role in improving living standards.

Unlike CM, I think everyone's contribution here is valuable, but that value depends on whether you choose to rail against others or find opportunity to learn about the world.

Hi Trumpster,

"He (Paul) doesn't dispute that what I (Trumpster) said about the ALP trying to divide society for electoral gain is true, but just claims, without evidence, that the other side does it too."

I do dispute that claim, the Big Two political parties are moderate centralist parties, looking to garner support from the mass middle ground. If you were to apply that to radicals like One Nation I would agree.

I'm not sure what the Noalition want in giving preferences in the Farrer by-election to One Nation, over a popular independent (there's no Labor candidate). They look to me like the conservatives in pre-war Germany trying to butter up the Nazi's, see where thast got them, a firing squad.

Fester

I'm amazed that a sensible person like you keeps feeding the nasty troll.

Hi Fester,

There should not be unrealistic scapegoating, and those things you mentioned, fiscal prudence, education, infrastructure, and eliminating corruption are very important in a well balanced society. What is questioned by younger people is fairness, the system whereby they carry the heavy burden of providing for the older generation and themselves today. A system that gives some very liberal benefits through taxation and welfare to others, who have already accumulated considerable wealth. Many believe they will never receive the same consideration in the future, nor will they have the same opportunities that people in the past have enjoyed.

Hi ttbn,

You call anyone who doesn't agree with your world view a troll, so be it.

ttbn,

It's all about perspective. Paul poses an interesting question, and if everyone were to agree, how pointless this place would be. As I said before, it is what you might learn on olo that makes it of value. Engaging in attacks on others demonstrates that people are missing the point.

Hi Paul,

"Many believe they will never receive the same consideration in the future, nor will they have the same opportunities that people in the past have enjoyed."

Maybe, but going after the wealthy tends to destroy economies rather than build them. Singapore is a shining example of the benefits of eliminating corruption and investing in education and infrastructure. Russia is a shining example of how to destroy a nation with bad decisions and corruption. Russia should be the wealthiest nation on earth instead of a pariah.

https://youtu.be/Jvvdz8Q3Q_k?si=58hqL5GHPm-qvcHC

Hi Fester,

I don't think its a case of going after the wealthy as such, the wealthy do very well from our system, Harry Triguboff Australia's second richest person is in the housing market, good for Harry. Rightly there is a focus on housing, but its not only housing, oddly home ownership is a desired value in Australian society, more so than in many other western countries, Europe for instance, so it is being given a lot of attention. What young people believe, and I think they are predominantly correct, is there is an uneven playing field when it comes to government largesse, a bias in favour of those in society who are already relatively well off. Government recognises that imbalance, and they want to address it in some small way. Can we agree on that?

Fester,

You must do what you feel the need to do, of course; and people do disagree with each other. But, to me, it is not “pointless”, as you apparently think it is, to refuse to argue with people you know are still going to hold their own views, as is their right.

Online Opinion will never be “pointless” to me because it provides me with what it invites me to do: express my opinion on all sorts of things. The only other chance I get is every three of four years at elections.

There is nothing to “learn” here, except that different people have different opinions, but we already knew that. The idea, I believe, is to express your opinion on subjects, not on other people's opinions you disagree with: particularly when you know those opinions are set in concrete. We are all the same in that regard.

So why argue? Life has taught me that it is better to encourage your own ‘side’ - to strengthen it - than it is to argue with the other side, which is futile, particularly when you argue with obnoxious trolls whose only purpose is to insult and hurt you.

With trolls, I think it's ok to give our opinions on what you think of any subject they raise (their threads are usually traps to gather victims to subject to their malignancy) but to keep feeding them is pointless and self-demeaning.

You might like to read up on of trolls, narcissists and suchlike psychopaths. There's no cure.

Hi Paul,

"What young people believe, and I think they are predominantly correct, is there is an uneven playing field when it comes to government largesse, a bias in favour of those in society who are already relatively well off. Government recognises that imbalance, and they want to address it in some small way. Can we agree on that?"

It's the same as you have been saying all along. It's scapegoating. South Africa does the same. It's horrible and holds no prospect of increasing the prosperity of a nation. My mum's family had friends who escaped the Nazis in Austria. Went in one door wealthy and came out the other penniless and with exit visas. At least they lived. Many didn't. That is what addressing an imbalance is all about.

https://youtu.be/dFpgOUkp8Q8?si=aYRn8r8iZE7LMWJ6

ttbn,

I understand your sentiment, and can think of one person I argued with quite a bit here. The arguments went nowhere, but what I found that I enjoyed were the things I learned during the course of the arguments. And as well as learning a few things, my opinions do change. For example, in this discussion I changed my opinion of Nelson Mandela.

Yes, it's always good to air a gripe, but gaining nothing is missing out. Yes, I have read much of psychopaths etc, and dealt with a few in my time. Very unpleasant people, which is one reason why I treat discussions as a means of gaining perspective and understanding rather than persuasion.

Hi Fester,

I don't want to see any section of Australian society marginalised, scapegoated or disadvantaged in anyway, I support progressive improvement. Where there is an injustice or imbalance, steps should be taken to remedy the situation. What is highlighted here is an imbalance between those in the emerging generation, mostly young productive people under 40, and that section of society which for their part have obtained their goals in life, which places them in a comfortable position. Its not a case of taking from one and giving to the other, rather its about opportunity, and creating pathways so all Australians can realise their goals in life. Government can play a part in that by ensuring that its not being overly generous to one section, while burdening the other. The interaction between welfare, housing and taxation is a good example, in my view there is too much from government that favours the affluent in society, call them the investor class, and those less resourced, call them the productive class, who have a goal of home ownership, but are being unfairly disadvantaged through the action of government.

Hi Paul,

You claim no intent to cause harm, yet you want to redress an imbalance? What do you propose? It does sound a lot like "eat the rich" to me, which does not help the disadvantaged. I enjoyed watching this fellow explain why.

https://youtu.be/M9IVeHyyMP8?si=1tYswfu4NLZ1YTbL

Perhaps you could provide a successful example of a nation addressing the imbalance. All the examples I can think of ended badly, which is why I don't think it all that smart to try again.

“Mental illness is a metaphor. Minds can be ‘sick’ only in the sense that jokes are ‘sick’ or economies are ‘sick’ …. mental illness is not something a person has, but is something he does or is”