Here we go again! The Government has overdrawn and somebody has to pay,......the good old Pensioner is going to be the whipping post, least equipped to fight back!

The Brotherhood of St Lawrence`s director Tony Nicholson allegedly said "While many are struggling with daily living expenses, some people on the aged pension are actually doing quite well!"....How well are you doing, Mr Nicholson?

I wonder why this man has not had the tenacity to criticize the obscene salaries, incomes and bonuses enjoyed by a large percentage of private company CEO`s., or the lavish Superannuation pensions and payouts enjoyed by generations of retired or redundant Politicians and Public Servants, during the last few years, who have all contributed indirectly to the world greed syndrome that has created the current Global Financial meltdown!

I spent 21 years serving in the Australian Defence Forces, during which time my family had to live in housing that by today`s standard would not be fit for an animal shelter.
I had to chop firewood for hot water each morning and working many long hours invariably 7 days per week, spent many weeks away on detachment around the country ( with very little if any in the way of allowances ). There was no such thing as extra pay for extra hours,it was a working regime of 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year, each year for "Queen and Country"! During that 21 years Service, my wife and family very nearly starved on numerous occasions, whilst I was away on "exercises" and detachments!

Now as Old Age Pensioners we are living comfortably, eating 3 meals a day, paying our Bills, although living an austere lifestyle! We now finally own our own home, ( which we had to battle to get!) we never have sufficient funds left-over to go away on a holiday. We do NOT have a Credit Card, do not use Hire Purchase and pay for whatever we have to buy, after having scrimped and scrounged!

Mr Rudd and coharts, please leave us alone to enjoy our austere remaining few years.

Cuphandle,

I take it that you are one of the so-called frugal generation? If so, I understand your situation as my parents are much the same. They are in their 70s, worked hard all their lives, gave their kids the best possible upbringing, now live in the country and just make do on the dual-income pension, with a bit tucked away in the bank in case of emergency.

They rarely go away for holidays, do not smoke or drink, don't use credit cards and have hardly ever done much in the way of entertainment (gone to restaurants etc).

I take it you think Tony Nicholson's comment is a portent of things to come? From what I've seen in recent times, he's been a vocal advocate for less well-off Australians. If he made this comment then maybe he knows something's coming down the pipeline. (As an aside, I've noticed that in most Tonys I've met, they have a noticeable moral fibre deficiency, so maybe your criticism is valid.)

For the sake of decent older Australians who have honestly paid their way through life, I hope the Government cuts them some slack.

It will be disappointing if pensioners do not receive a long overdue payrise. I know many normally Liberal voting pensioners, veterans and self-funded retirees who helped to vote Howard out on this issue alone.

With the baby boomers all coming close to retirement (many not having the privilege of superannuation in their early worklife) it would be a brave government that denies what is a basic right to live with some dignity.

The Prime Minister has made noises that single age pensioners will receive a payrise but nothing more about couples or other pension recipients.

It looks like paid maternity leave may be delayed. This would make better sense as those who are working are not in the dire straits that pensioners are and PML at this time will only serve to burden the business community, particularly small business.

You know, maybe there is a link between todays life styles, you know, spend everything and leave nothing for the kids, and the pensioners and the fact that they are now being told, "sorry, you have to much money, so you will go without"

Remembering that these pensioners, the ones who have worked hard all their lives, saved every penny, made sure their kids have had the best of everything, even if it ment going without themselves, are the very background of this once great nation.

Is it little wonder we now have a wastefull society as it is obvious that if you piss everything against the wall there is always a 'back stop'.

But BE WARNED, this only applies if you fail and end up poor.

Maybe it's time I bought that boat or went on holidays because if I don't then I will be punished when I retire.

And to think I thought I was doing the right thing by assett building for the past decade.
Yet another classic joke

Any room for facts here?
Its the brotherhood who make the claim, not the government.
And the claim is that 14% who are in the top 25% as far as wealth is concerned still get part pensions?
That is wrong!
In my view a house, say up to half a million should be exempt.
If we can not pass on our homes then every generation has a tough time ahead.
I know this government is to increase pensions, I agree they should.
But for the needy not the greedy.
Rechtub you complain about over paid workers at every chance how can you justify the rich eating from the poor mans bowl?
If we stop unneeded welfare we can start paying more to those who must live on it.

Rechtub you complain about over paid workers at every chance how can you justify the rich eating from the poor mans bowl?

Belly, thses are the very people who provided the base for what we take for granted today.

You just don't get it do you. If you keep robbing the rich to feed the poor then the rich will simply stop providing. I.e the 58%ers.

So am person buys a house, on the beach for say $60,000 back in the mid 80,s. It is now worth 1.5 million. Why should they be punnished for the additional 1 millon?

Do you realise that some self funded retirees pay more today in rates and land tax than they paid for thier homes in the first place.

Do you consider this is fair?

Do you think that because they pay 1,000's per year in taxes, while being retired, that they should now be denied the pension?

I know one couple who pay $11,00 per year in rates and $11,000 per year in land tax. Why should they miss out just because of good planning?

Belly, you are more and more sounding like the typical under achiever, the one who wants everything for nothing and denies the tax payers of yesteryear thier rights to take back some of what they have contributed.

As for you leaving the family home comment, this is all but over. Most now borrow the max to fund a lifestyle for themselves. They will leave a debt to equity of more than 60%.