Australian pensioners living in poverty – get mad and spread the word!
More than one-third of Australian pensioners are living below the poverty line, with costs of living rising while pensions stay low compared to other countries. Terrence Bondfield says it’s high time to look after our ageing population.
Considering that the current crop of retirees are only partially funded by superannuation, and that the next generation will be fully funded, which will cost the Government nothing, the Government should not look upon retirees as an excessive cost. Compulsory super only came in in 1992, which did not offer a lifetime of saving to achieve a real benefit. Compulsory superannuation should have started back in the 1950s, and we would not be seeing this disparity in living standards.
The OECD average pays 7.9% of its GDP in pensions. Australia pays 3.5%. In the top 37 first world countries, we rank number 36. Number 36! Second last.
Over 35% of pensioners live below the poverty line. This is due to non-home ownership and paying killer rents. The Government only contributes $65 a week for rent assistance. A single pensioner gets $$423 a week and a couple get $635 a week. We all know the public housing waiting list in NSW alone is 10 years and there are about 130, 000 on that list. Rents in the major metro areas of Australia are horrific.
Pensioners are doing without heating in winter and cooling in summer due to the high electricity costs. Everything keeps going up – insurances, fuel, food and all manner of service costs and personal items. All except pensions.
To force pensioners to keep on working until they are in their 70s is wrong when this country has 20% youth unemployment. Get the oldies out and the young in; let them have a chance of self-esteem and a capacity to live their life to the full.
The retirees also perform duties that are free, which the Government doesn’t have to pay for and also doesn’t recognise, I might add.
Grandparents are childcare minders in times of family emergencies, before and after school care, school holidays, taking them to sports activities etc. A lot of these people are in the SES, RFS, community welfare groups, meals on wheels, and other community activities.
I have read and heard stories of aged pensioners buying dog food when they don’t own a dog. Make of this what you will but I have seen this first hand. What is wrong with this self-gratifying nation of ‘I’m all right Jack’?!
What Australia needs is a Senior Citizens Party in the Senate to take these issues to the Government. I would like to see a politician live on $400 a week! They would blow it on one restaurant meal.
Get mad, people, and spread the word that our aged need looking after! They did their bit for our country. Australia was built by people, not economics, and it is people who provide the economics to build a nation.
Terrence Bondfield has a background in corporate executive positions in retail and wholesale management; publisher of magazines newsstand colour monthly, relating to the wine industry and service attachments; Chairman of Macquarie Mercantile and Marketing Sydney; management service for artists and designers; Art and Design Group Australia (ADGA); owner and publisher of media company CrossFlow Media; The Blue Mountains City of Arts Festival Vertex Business Concept; Chaired the start-up and oversaw the Penrith City Festival from 1994 -2000 under Vertex Business Concepts. Both Festivals are operational to date. Currently an art consultant for Davson Art * Sharon Davson; art consultant Robyn Caughland; Art. Robyn Caughlan.
