ttbn,

I refute your claim that I made "a negative post about the Age Pension". My position on aged welfare is two pronged, sustainability and equitability, I believe neither is delivered by the present system. For a politician to claim "no cuts" is a lie, just in recent years the minimum age has been raised from 65 to 67, and likely to rise to 70 in the foreseeable future, a cost saving in itself. The government keeps the deeming rate for notional calculation of interest earned well above the market rate, another saving. With a growing aged population, living longer, there is greater demand for both income support and aged care support from the total welfare budget, which is 35% of the total Federal budget. With growing interest payments on national debt, and demands for lower taxes etc, expenditure increases for direct welfare payments are not sustainable.

Equitability, there is none when it comes to aged welfare, pnsioners are not a homogeneous lot. At one extreme are those renting, with little in the way of assets or cash, these folks are getting by on the pension only. With a liberal means test, people owning their home, with assets and a generous amount of cash in the bank, are reasonably well off, and still receiving a full or part pension..

Yuyutsu,
Unless you declare what king of employment you're in we can only assume that you too accept taxpayer money !

The age pension is a major source of income for a MAJORITY of Australian retirees, according to well-known financial guru and author of 22 books on money matters, Noel Whittaker. So, all the pension's embittered critics are banging their heads against a wall.

Not all receive a full pension of course. Eligibility is decided on assets or income - whichever will give the least pension.

Engaging a good financial adviser is the best way to see if you qualify. Even a small pension entitles you to concessions on medication: important for oldies.

I receive a fraction of the Service Pension as my wife is employed and I spend it on reloading components and ammunition, I return it to the State in the form of killing foxes, feral cats and the occasional wild dog.
I live rent free as my wife owns the house and the home block, my eldest son owns the property.
When I turned 75 I gave away my real estate and all that I own is my guns and related gear and the ute.
The much prizes Riley car belongs to my youngest son and I have its use as long as I like, all very legal and when I die I will leave very little.

Is Mise,

You will have the sanctimonious green hornet on your back for spending pension money on things to do with firearms.

Contraire dear ttbn, under a Seniors National Service, a decent old chap like Issy, doing approved work at his age, should be rewarded. Unlike the old fart I'll call the Black Death who was throwing taxpayer dosh at some sleezy politician a couple of years back, he should be penalized.

BTW; The Green Hornet fought for the good of the people, you can call me the GH if you like. I'll just call you the Black Death, fair enough.