ALTRAV,
Your idea is sound provided everything else is perfect, alas ! People have accidents, get sick, lose money to corruption, to crime, things break, etc ete etc. Many simply don't get paid enough to save ! In many cases Govt fails to set an economic environment for people to plan ahead.
That's why I believe in an Old Age Pension scheme for every wage earner.
I also agree that people should refrain from blowing it into the wind & pi$$ing it against the wall & some penalising should be in place for that.
I have neighbours who I have never seen going to work yet they receive about $300 a month more than normal Pensioners. The system is so flawed that it allows them to exploit Welfare & the bureaucrats in Welfare aren't doing their job despite handsome Public Service salaries !
I find it somewhat puzzling how those Regressive who constantly bleat fairness & compassion are in fact the very first to condemn the Old Age pension !

How did we get from discussing the forum - onto
discussing old aged pensions?

I guess that just proves how fair this forum is.
Instead of making us stick to the topic - we're
allowed to go off in various tangents as the
conversations take off - proving that once
again we really are given a great deal of lee-way
here. Something we should all appreciate.
And possibly the reason we all keep coming back.

Foxy,

You asked "How did we get from discussing the forum - onto discussing old aged pensions?"

Haven't you heard of the 'common denominator'?

Indy, just for the record, I too have had set-backs, not only those you mentioned, but much bigger.
How about just one being I died, (so they said, through loss of blood) from an Aortic Dissection.
If your not sure what that is look it up.
Most of the other set-backs were all due to the regressive attitudes of the govt and the people in general, being closed minded and lacking imagination and vision.
I don't believe the govt should be allowed or involved in your ability to create wealth, which is what I am referring to.
As for relying on saving from your wages, well it is possible but in and of itself, it will never be enough to live off.
No I'm referring to extra curricular activities.
In other words instead of wasting time and money, find something to DO that will generate income.
Whether it means your time instead of down the pub or the footy, or simply creating a means that will generate wealth, WITH or WITHOUT involving your physical time, and effort.

Mr O,

You ask have I heard of the "common denominator?"

Of course. But this is not a feature shared by all
member here. Only a very small few.
Hence my question. And as I pointed out - this forum
allows this lot to get their views across which is
the point being made. More than fair.

Indy, if you have a 'Seniors Card' you can get a free sugar coated doughnut from 'Doughnut King' to go with your sugar coated view of aged Welfare.

If after WWII Australia had gone along with the Chifley Labor Government and established a National Superannuation Scheme then, we would be in a much better position today. With an ever ageing population the unsustainable burden of direct pension payments would be lifted off the taxpayer. Unfortunately the Menzies Conservative Government took office in 1949, national superannuation was seen as socialism, and the idea was dropped. The conservative view of superannuation is it is a private benefit only for the elite amongst workers. It took until Labor introduced National Superannuation in 1992, over 40 years were lost, and then too many concessions were made to business to get their fingers in the pie to make it as effective a it should be. Conservative governments not only hate public superannuation, but they also hate the social welfare system in general. If they had their way there would be no Aged Pension, but they are also smart enough to realise such a measure would see them out on their ear at the next election if not sooner!