The majority of hard working Australians do provide for their retirement and future care through superannuation and investments and have no need to access public welfare. That does not only apply to highly paid professionals, but hard working ordinary Australians as well who also make provision for later life. Its only those who through poor circumstances, or bad behaviour during their working years require public welfare in retirement.

Only a silly old fool would talk about vans with the exhaust pipes turned back into their interiors gasing people. Too many treat aged welfare as a right, and not as a taxpayer funded handout which it is. With the ageing population this ever growing welfare is not sustainable in the long term, and a better system needs to be found, otherwise too many will be driven deeper into poverty, while some pensioners will continue to live hgh on the hog at others expence.

Dear Paul,

You're right we as a country do need as citizens to
be able to analyse questions on issues from a principled
perspective. Many people are disillusioned with the
current system yet are not willing to discuss alternatives.

"The majority of hard working Australians do provide for their retirement and future care through superannuation and investments and have no need to access public welfare" says the windbag who calls other people Nazis, but is the only one here who posts like one of those fiends.

Many, many of us worked a lot years before superannuation was introduced, with the result that by retirement, there wasn't much super. I think mine was about $70k. Such riches!

But, according to Paul 1405, the old folks should be kept working in accordance with 'Vernichtung durch Arbeit', meaning extermination through work. What a charmer!

Sounds like the Socialists are running out of other peoples' money !

ttbn, don't come the raw prawn with me. You are a self confessed fascist, having joined the so called Australian Conservative Party, a party that was fascist in every way but name. When people like you take to calling me a Marxist or some other derogatory term, and only then do I feel entitled to call you NAZI. Do you have a problem with that. If Hitler was to come marching down the street you would be the first to fall in line behind, just as you did with Australia's answer to Oswald Mosley.

Josephus, another one, you were content to agree with the violent actions of the extreme right, Washington 6th Jan, so don't come that clap trap with me.

Well Indy yuu have been living off other peoples money for years, ever since you graduated from the dole to aged welfare.

Back to the topic, when I started this discussion I expected the Forums pension elite would be up in arms that anyone should question their right to their privileged welfare position. Why not, many of these welfare elites are living high on the hog in their million dollar mansion, flash cars and more money than they need stuffed in the bank. All supported by an unsustainable system.

One area that needs to be looked at is assets, particularly family homes. This as a minimum should be means tested when assessing eligibility for aged welfare, and as a base used to fund aged welfare. No one should be kicked out of their home, but upon their death that's a different story. Repayment of welfare should be a priority before any beneficiaries receive their windfall, just as is the case with aged care now.