Mr Opinion,

tbh, I don't many that well.

The ones I knew were educated, and most shared the same disdain for communism.

my gut feeling is that most people are decent.

Chris,

I don't talk of individual Chinese.

When I use the term Chinese I am referring to the Chinese nation and my comments are generalisations.

When that Chinese businesswoman in Sydney was overheard saying "Aren't the Australians dumb!" I'm quite sure she wasn't talking about individual Australians but was making a generalisation.

And of course I'm sure you would agree with everybody else of OLO that she was't including me in that bunch.

Dear thinkabit,

I forgot about Youtube.

However, as you pointed out people could abuse the system.

I prefer our system - where you're able to suggest
deletion (giving reasons for, of course) which seems
fairer.

Mr O,

People on this forum do say what they think. They're given
a great deal of lee-way.

However, are you suggesting that Joe (Loudmouth), Bronwyn,
and Shadow Minister not be allowed to express their views
about China?

Then aren't you trying to restrict them from being able
to say what they think?

That's a bit hypocritical.

Joe,

I agree we need to separate regimes from people.

For example, my parents who fled from the Communist
Soviet Regime never blamed the Russian people.
The Russian people suffered just as much and in many
cases, even more than anyone else from that regime.

Therefore we need to do the same with the Chinese
people.

Dear Chris,

Good hearts work magic!

thinkabit,
you're not making any sense whatsoever. We paid in to a Pension fund which was gradually eroded so as to have the deductions usable for other things not just the pension.
The Pension fund deduction/contribution was 7.5%. Some of the older wage earners would still remember that showing on the pay slips.
Also, you argue that the Pension we're getting now is being paid for by the taxpayers now. Yes, just as every taxpayer from before us & those after us are paying taxes, some of which go towards the Old Age Pension. You don't seem to understand that this is not a generational contribution/benefit. It is a system to which most people contribute from the day before they start earning wages until they stop earning wages & beyond. Every wage Dollar earned & spent attracts tax, not just income tax ! That goes on for 365 days/year for each Generation which is deemed at 30 years. So, people such as I have paid Tax for 52 years which is over 1⅓ Generations. Do you now see how much money Govt have at their finger tips ? Sadly, incompetent & greedy, useless bureaucrats squander huge sums of our taxes on either themselves or each other.

Foxy,

Are you suggesting that LOUDmouth, Bronwyn, and Shadow Minister should not be allowed to express their views about China?

Why would you want that? They're entitled to say what they think about the Chinese.

If what Indy is saying was true, then ALL taxpayers would qualify for a UNIVERSAL pension. Not so, a person can receive a pension regardless of tax paid in the past. Likewise a taxpayer who has saved for his/her retirement, above and beyond taxation is penalised by a means test on assets and may not receive a pension at all. I would say I have paid as much, or even more tax than many pensioners, yet at 67 now, due to asset testing, fail to qualify.

A simple example, two people with identical incomes, identical age, paying identical tax. The 1st saves nothing throughout his life, pisses it up against the wall as they say. The 2nd saves and invests, at retirement 1st is granted pension welfare as he has no support, 2nd is means tested and denied a pension, too many assets The AGED PENSION is welfare support for the needy, nothing else. Talk of a so called non existent pension fund (are some having their contributions withheld at retirement for no reason) contributed to in the past is a diversion to justify what is a welfare payment.

When one attacks other welfare recipients, like Indy does, for receiving government la graisse, then holds himself up as "holier than thou" whilst receiving government welfare himself, I call out the hypocrisy of it all.