I live next door to a public housing estate in Far North Queensland. Since my wife passed on and I have been reduced to a single pension I struggle to make ends meet.
I have a friend who lives in the estate so I tend to spend a lot of time with him. We both receive the single old age pension. I have the cost of running a house which includes rates and insurances and I do not get a rent subsidy because I own the home.
My friend gets subsidized rent based on his pension income and that cannot exceed 25% of his pension rate. Financially he is much better off that I am and I certainly do not begrudge his lot.
Both of us have served the country in three wars respectively and I in the police force for twenty off years and he in fire brigade for a similar time. In our day superannuation was still a pipe dream.
Eighteen months ago the housing department did a deal with the health department to gazette the unit next door to my friend. A team of builders moved in and refurbished the place to a like new status at a considerable cost.
Next a team of decorators came along and fitted the unit out with all new white goods in the kitchen and new top of the range dining and lounge room fittings including the latest large flat screen TV and sound system. Carpet and rugs were next and finally a gardener cleaned up the front and back yard.
When my friend asked what was going on and could he have some minor repairs done he was told that this work was being done by and paid for by the Wuchopperen Indigenous Heath Care organization and he would have to talk to the housing department.

Cont. Now comes the insult to injury.
An indigenous man who was responsible for the death of his male partner who robbed the RSL here and a local bowling club of over $200,000 was moved from a secure criminal mental hospital in Chartres Towers and installed in the unit.
That was 18 months ago and daily sometimes twice he is visited by Wuchopperen staff and doctors and is given special drugs and hormones to assist him to have a sex change. It seems the courts took into account his psychological disposition of sexual identity to find him not criminally responsible. He spends most of his days smoking cigarettes and Marijuana and at night wanders around in the dark. Whenever he wants to go outside the complex he is personally escorted and driven by Wuchopperen staff.
It seems that Wuchopperen have numerous indigenous clients out of prison and in public housing for which they receive massive public funding. I am sure there are plenty of deserving aged persons out there that would die for a public housing unit.

Hello chrisgaff1000,
I'm sorry to hear your situation, it's not right.
It isn't equality, at best it's discrimination, and at worst racism.
I think the thing that bothers me most of all isn't the particulars, but the fact that I'm not surprised by it; and what it ultimately says about where we're at as a nation in this day and age.

At the very least you both deserve dignity and respect for the service you've given to your community and country and I don't see that you have been given that and I'm quietly outraged by the complete unfairness of it.

If I thought about the actual particulars for too long I'd probably have a lot more to say, and it wouldn't be pretty.

I may not agree with many of the wars, particularly in the modern era, but I'm thankful for the effort you made for our country so if no-one has thanked you and your friend lately, I will.
Thank-you both.

chrisgaff1000, I'm not familiar with the goings on in Queensland, but that would be an extreme case in NSW. There is a problem in Australia with the distribution of welfare, there is no question of that. I see things nearly everyday which defy belief, sometimes from private agencies. Some people who need immediate help are denied by the bureaucracy from getting it, and then the not so needy are given assistance indiscriminately.

To give you an example, a bloke on a Disability Support Pension, had a perfectly good large washing machine. Fronts a private charity, wanting to know if he can swap his large machine for something smaller. No problem, in a few days a small, brand new machine. still in the carton, is delivered and installed. The old good machine is taken away, he ask's what are you going to do with that machine, its perfectly good. Answer "take it to the tip!", Then in another few days a knock on the door, same two blokes, "we are here with you new cloths dryer. "I don't want, and I didn't ask for a cloths dryer, the lines are ok" Now he's got an unused, but brand new cloths dryer installed on the wall of his laundry.

Here Here !

Hi CHRISGAFF1000...

I'm utterly dumbfounded to hear of the terrible straits you've found yourself in, existing as it were, on just the single old age pension, since the sad passing of your dear wife. Particularly as you now have to upkeep your home, feed and clothe yourself, all of which has to come out of your single old age pension? I understand your firefighter mate is marginally better off than you are, nevertheless you're not envious of his better fortune, good luck to him.

While the poor ol' taxpayer is preparing and outfitting a dwelling nextdoor to your mate, now occupied by someone far less deserving than most, by all accounts, and somebody who should still be cooling his heels inside gaol by the sound of it.

So this bloke likes to roam around at night on his own, no doubt taking in the subtle fragrances of the flowers, that abound up your way Chris? I would think he needs to be carefully, lest someone produces a 12g and helps him with his gender reassignment or whatever it is, he wishes to become ?

You're a Vietnam Veteran, twenty plus years as a copper, yet you're required to subsist on a single old age pension ? Mate words fail me, they really do. Can DVA give you a hand in anyway ? I'm sorry Chris, I don't mean to sound disingenuous, as I'm sure you've canvased all your different options better than most I reckon ? Given all your protracted public service to this country, I'm buggered if I've ever seen such a glaring instance of inequity and rank unjustness, as your situation dictates my friend !

Take good care of yourself, and please stay in touch - empty words I know, but TRULY meant !