That great sector of the Australian community, retirees, is being set upon again by government. The issue has passed barely noticed in the media but the political consequences for the Turnbull Government are sure to be profound.
On January 1, 2017, changes to the aged care assets test will see more than 100,000 Australians lose their part pension payments in entirety. More than 300,000 will have their pension payments cut.
There is a perception many retirees are rolling in money. They have assets many could only dream of. Perhaps that’s why the media has shunned the issue.
Let me ask the question, who among us could lose 20 per cent of our household incomes and come away unscathed?
It gets worse. With the loss of the pension, the government will also cancel retirees’ pensioner concession cards which allow them to enjoy discounts on council rates, car rego, energy bills and public transport tickets. Back of the envelope, that’s three grand per annum retirees will have to find.
Full column here.
Carl on the Coast says: 9:32 pm
Sorry Carl, my comment might have been a bit oblique. Have a listen to this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9SqQNgDrgg
Mac – I really enjoyed that one, its a keeper mate. Love your apparent sense of humour. Should be more of it.
Cheers
Jean Baptiste (21/12, 7.20am)
says: “… I believe McPhersons strategy is a wise one … ”
But do you know if your man McPherson has also had a chat with Bejing, New Delhi or Washington recently? Or do you think they should all do a Hans Brinker and hope for the best? Simply crossing one’s fingers in that scenario is out of the question, of course.
On another, but connected matter, one would expect those in authority to be slapping a ban on ‘Carols by Candle Light’ anytime soon. Especially as burning 1 candle X 1 hour = 8 X the CO2 from 1 lightbulb X 1 hour powered from a coal fired generator.
Wadda ‘ya think of them little green apples me old mate?
JTI is there anyway to highlight “new” comments posted? That would make it easier to find the updated repartee.
No.
JTI
For your consideration.
http://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-themes/how-to-highlight-new-posts-for-returning-visitors-in-wordpress/
Thanks, I’ll have a read.
Just tag on to the end and put a reference to date and time of comment you’re referring to. Like we used to
pg67 tax expenditures…no savings to be had huh?
http://www.budget.gov.au/2016-17/content/myefo/download/2016-17-MYEFO-combined.pdf
Dazza,
Here’s that nice boy in the suit you were talking about…….
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/dylan-vollers-list-of-jailhouse-incidents-tops-200/news-story/de5f97d67d643ea082360ea074a96cfd
Razor, thats “incidents” not offences. Having seen some of the video of such “incidents” on Four Corners it should be remembered that a fair few of them appear to be confrontations that involve what I – and probably most sane people – regard as abuse. One example: A small 11 year old boy manhandled by a bunch of large prison guards, forcibly stripped, then thrown on a dirty mattress to cry by himself. Im sure that has the official label of “incident’. Doesnt mean anything really, though, does it.
More importantly, this young fellow has a criminal record that he should be ashamed of. I suspect, having seen him, he probably is.
Sounds to me like you are making a judgment of this young man without knowing all there is to know. And before you reply by saying I am too, no, Im not. What i said about Voller was that, given his background and his experiences, he is unusually well spoken and impressive and its hard to reconcile that against his criminal record.
Things tend to be more grey than black and white, but those videos showed conduct by prison officers that is, in my opinion, an out and out disgrace. I think it would be hard for any reasonable person to disagree with that.
By the way, I note the Australian article doesnt actually list the “incidents”. And a lot of people will probably not realize the difference between “incidents” and “offences”. Thats a bit of an ubfair smear job, even it it is most likely an unwitting one. Poor journalism, which is why I wont pay money for the Australian.
“Things tend to be more grey than black and white”. Oh Darren, you really have done an 18C right there.
You won’t pay for what you aren’t reading, but feel free to critique it with certainty. That is ridiculous Darren, as you are looking more so on this topic. You don’t have to list the incidents, which you know well require a detention officer to write a detailed report, to get the drift.
Sad as it is, this young guy is a recalcitrant, and one cameo performance in the RC isn’t going to erase his track record, including the magistrate who was so affronted he refused to hear any further cases where Mr Voller presented.
And don’t forget, as soon as he’s out of NT jail, he’s off to Adelaide on extradition to face further charges.
Just give it up.
Lou, you are a donut. Seriously, just a donut.
First off, Im pretty sure you critique a lot of things you dont pay for. So your point is….?
Secondly, and READ. MY. LIPS on this one: an “incident” is NOT an offence. It could be completely meaningless and it doesnt imply fault on anyone’s part. If the story actually gave more detail then I would be happy to consider those details. The story didnt, which is the point I made. Nothing more. So you, my silly friend, are talking out of your arse. Unfortunately you spend a lot of time blowing out of that particular orifice.
Lastly, I am not excusing this young man. I never have. I merely made comments on how he presents as compared to his record. Now, anyone normal would have taken that comment for what it was and moved on. But you, my obsessive little fruitcake, simply couldnt resist a bit of a shit fight, could you? Unfortunately the shit that youre throwing on this is all in your head. In future, keep it there and dont act on your compulsion to write it down.
ps what 18c has got to do with all this is beyond me.
Incidentally, it clearly has not occurred to you that the gross violations committed against Voller in detention since he was a small child – which are on video – may have contributed to his antagonistic interactions with prison staff? I think you must have a very narrow range of experience with real human beings and how they react to situations. It seems your rule is “judge first, dont bother trying to understand the situation”. Youre an idiot.
Oh Darren, get off that high horse of yours. I was challenging your assertion, repeated from the last blog, that this guy is a good bloke. History proves otherwise.
As for the rest of your offensive comments, I take offence and it was really unnecessary. Same for your outburst on the previous blog. Have a Merry Xmas, may someone give a gift wrapped piece of civility.
Hear, hear.
Dazza,
The incidents are since he’s been in adult jails so forget the 4 Corners stuff. Also my significant experience would lead me to believe ‘incidents’ in adult jails normally involve a multitude of sins ranging from not obeying instructions to damage of property and assaults.
It was patently obvious Voller was rehearsed when giving evidence. His criminal history is atrocious and contains numerous offences of violence. I might remind you the best indicator of future behaviour is past behaviour. I do not at any stage condone excessive use of force against any person in custody but people like yourself see them all shiny and clean in a pretty court room. Victims and law enforcement see them in their true environment and it ain’t pretty.
Also what’s the 11yr old got to do with it?
Jacksprat: 11.39pm, 20th
JS, my scientific acquaintances assure me that the issue of nuclear waste is minuscule compared to what will happen to the planet if we don’t go with nuclear. In fact it’s not an issue.
I think JB’s comment that, considering we believe ourselves to be the most intelligent species in the universe and yet are being so incredibly stupid, is probably one of the best comments on the AGW topic I have seen.
I agree – I was just pointing out that the Greenies in SA are opposed to pretty well everything from Coal to Nuclear to probably burning cow dung ( which they will be doing in a few years if the current trajectory is held) but want to set themselves up as the world’s repository for nuclear waste.
The best comparison for the human race I can come up with is bacteria on a petri dish – consume everything and then die.
Just hearing Greg Barton regular in top security speaking out on this mongrel mob radical Islamic group Hitz-ut-Tahrir continuing their street rants with over 100 supporters in the streets of Lakemba calling for Islamic rule .
No wonder we have a change in politics looming here and throughout the world moving to the right when here gutless Turnbull still allows this gutless cowards to exist.
As wide told and seen , Islam proving as “non -compatible ” with the rest of the religions and cultures around the world after facjng another bleak Christmas of disturbances.
Islam extremists at large around the world per capita falls into the category of highly dangerous and will never adjust into peace like other religions and cultures who want peace .Jews Christians Bhudists having greater numbers , never match Islam comes to outbreaks of extremism jihadism .Just google into Sweeden and Europe crimes who are the main perpetrators and the 37 extremists we locked up here comes to extreme crimes about to be committed and committed .Why are we meddling into appeasing criminal cultures in countries as Merkel Gernay finding out and now us? You don’t find Islam a problem in Malaysia like you do in ME breeding grounds says my Malaysian friend being Muslim.He says 98% of Asian population of Muslims don’t want war or extremism .
We are a country of stagnation comes to leadership quality not facing consequences into the future that peace is never on the horizon.
We nevdr read or see Jews on TV or other migrant cultures committing crimes costing trillions in security over time .
JB 08:14pm.
Adjust first line JB ” .No one wants to challenge me on 911 .
JB …08:21pm.
Just laughing on you saying “No one wangs to challenge me on 911 “.
Your history of fallacies in your posts leading to tragic consequences of contrived nonsense , is like an old saying ,”you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”. You will never face the facts and convinced by top academics in the science world that outcomes of science like climate is “so complex and inconclusive”.
You code of deception is absurdity running at a frantic pace that Bart Cummings horses could not catch .
Time JB for some solid endorsement of personel guidance JB and you can find many of these in the Australian newspaper or other media like Paul Kelly Judith Sloane , Greg Barton and Greg Sheridan etc, and the rest of the team into future opinions and facts that researchers already discovered .
Merry Christmas chief.
Carl on the Coast 3:40PM
What bought this shift on? From your usual airy pooh-pooh dismissal of AGW to seeking reassurance from an impromptu straw poll that we wont all be dead in ten years? The science isn’t getting to you is it old boy?
While I believe McPhersons strategy is a wise one, born of frustration in trying to reach the selfish old who have no interest in something as abstract as their grandchildren becoming extinct, by putting them in the frame, he may well be straight on this, on the money , and as far ahead of the pack as was Galileo.
I wonder how Galileo would have fared in a straw poll of the yawning yobbery in his own time?
My personal experience is, nothing works quite as well in trying to jolt the older somnambulist from their apathy as suggesting that they may be paying thousand dollars for a loaf of bread when the crops fail when they are not even half way through their bucket list. (If a starving horde hasn’t already cleaned you out)
So much for the grand retirement plan.
Having said all that, I’m sure all of your voters are far better qualified than McPherson to make predictions on global warming outcomes?
Once again, focus your attention on the active graph in the right hand side bar. This is really happening. Something is melting that ice and theres a trillion tonnes of methane locked up now, but ready to fly.
There will something over the White Cliffs of Dover, old darling and it wont be Bluebirds!
https://www.skepticalscience.com/graphics.php
Mack the Knife
Welllllllllll, not necessarily Mack. You’d have to ask the erudite Dismayed. My view is that not all over 55’s are dinosaurs and not all under 55’s are progressives. “Dinosaur” in the context and vernacular is more about attitude than age, the pejorative embellished by the characteristics of the model, scaly with thick hides and a tiny brain relative to body mass .
Chuckle. Holding my breath waiting for Trevors insights on global warming.
give ’em heaps.
smoke 5:54 PM
If he was blowing smoke you would know for sure. Wouldn’t you?
give ’em heaps.
Dismayed? Erudite? More like Araldite, so glued to the same repetitive, one-eyed nonsense he is almost predictable. But, then again, it is all part of the big tapestry yeh?
Araldite? If it is good enough for Lamborghini it is good enough for Dismayed.