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.
JB 02:18 pm
Heeee , you are a funny man , talking miracles .
Often think on the sad times giving up music for aviation regretting that ,
. I guess dodging danger ,weather and buried in other challenges air borne operations etc was more a case of “persistence and wise ” is the key to life as there for anyone , not just me .
As for survival , it is like a case of the farmer and the crow hanging around the chook yard for eggs and chickens. The wise and cunning crow reads the farmers mind walking inside to get the gun . The crow shrewd as he is and wise ,departs the scene , not allowing danger to take over. Aviation is a challenge just like our academics and smart bloggers here , persistence achieve results .
As for the crow , he lives on to another day living on awareness of danger .
Weather related systems of dangerous nature JB claims 78% pilot fatalities on the stats few years back , maybe altered now .
I have not read all the comments so I don’t know if anyone has considered the other side of the problem. The Government by targeting the less well off is contracting the economy. The pensioners will spend most if not all of their pension. Any reduction of the pension will have a multiplier effect on the economy. The pensioner spends say $100 on food, the shopkeeper then spend two thirds of that $63 at the butcher who then spends two thirds $42 on clothing and so on until the original amount is exhausted. In this contrived example the multiplier effect is 4 which means the original $100 spend by the Government has generated $400 in the economy. For every dollar reduced at the pensioner level contracts the economy by $4. I realise there are other factors to be included but all I am pointing out is there are other consequences besides cutting expenditure which are not being raised in this debate.
It is a consequence certainly, Ian and one I discussed with the person I quoted in the article. With the economy already shaky taking a group of spenders out is bound to contribute to an economic downturn. I would add that in the Sept quarter, one of the reasons for negative growth was a big downturn in public sector or government spending.
cue 1 adult induced recession
Dismayed (21/12, 11.46am)
says: “It is only you hypocritical cons that continue to blame and shame those doing it the toughest.”
Huh ! A roustabout rigger in the clothes of a milksop.
That’d be a sight for sore eyes.
Yvonne (11.12, 21/12)
says: “I’ll put my hand up Carl. I think the threat is real and we are in a no win situation really”
Thanks for joining in Yvonne.
In response, may I use a spot of indirect discourse and paraphrase both Sir Humphrey and Disraeli – A very courageous decision, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it.
I’ll look you up in 10 years Yvonne (you did read the fine print?) and I’ll share a bottle of Veuve clicquot Yellowboam Ostrich with you. drinks on me.
Cheers
Well I’ll take you up on that Carl – if we’re still around. 🙂
Dismayed (11.50am 21/12)
Says: “JTI is there anyway to highlight “new” comments posted? That would make it easier to find the updated repartee.”
Typical, … Jack offers you a top drawer outlet for serious discussion for gratis return on his part, and you expect gold-plated bibs and bobs.
Crikey, talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth, mate.
CotC…..although you haven’t had a go at PLMO or Yvonne for suggesting ways it could be done.
Penny, Carl is upset because I constantly highlight his hypocrisy. Not hard to do though is it. I unlike the cons here am always looking for ways to improve things and create efficiencies and lift productivity. Not something cons are capable of.
Whilst I’m not a digital philistine, I’d probably give the category of being a technological unlettered analphabetic a decent nudge Penny.
And anyway, my sparring mate Dismayed doesn’t mind a friendly clip around the ears every now and then.
I’ve been hoping for the same as Dismayed, Carl. I love the to & fro on our blog from everyone’s posts but I must miss a lot of late replies that’s all. It’s really no biggie, just a thought.
Carl on the Coast Dec 20 6.19pm
You’re a sweet-talker Carl & ta very much for your kind words.
We don’t often see eye to eye on politics but we’re ‘as one’ in the defense of all living creatures from the cruelties inflicted by mankind.
All my life I’ve had this affinity with animals & as the years go by I can best describe my natural reflex to truly abhorrent acts, like safari hunting, canned hunting, whale hunting & Taiji & Faroe Island butchery, as a kind of fury that I struggle to contain. Hence Sea Shepherd; we’re a perfect fit that I’m proud to be part of.
Gotta say Carl, I can’t fathom why Turnbull has decided that Christmas is the perfect time to announce a cut of $6.2 Million dollars from Dementia care. You just can’t deny that the Federal Fibs really are rotten to the core hey? Shameful stuff but they don’t care a zot.
My best Carl,
Bella
Yvonne 11:07AM
Some say the fossil fuel moguls had quite a bit to do with the fear of nuclear power. I wouldn’t know about that.
What I do know, and most don’t or have forgotten is that we have already exploded over two thousand atomic bombs since 1945. Five hundred odd in the atmosphere, and we are still here.
Your scientific friends are quite right, it’s a no brainer. But it aint going to happen, soon enough.
BTW the dinosaurs roamed the planet for 165 million years and the Dodo was around for 26 million years. The latter was such a wonderful source of food we killed them all. Same with the passenger pigeon.
I’m willing to meet the creationists in the middle on this. I can accept God as the creator if he is a perverse old sot sitting up there with a joint and a quart of booze looking down and chuckling “This is my funniest one yet.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLCF7vPanrY
Rodent 8-14AM
My immediate reaction was uncharitable Rodent. I thought, if those you mention so fawningly are so informed how is it that Rodent is such a blockhead?
That would have been unkind. On reflection I think I now understand why you are so prolific. You’re presenting your credentials as a candidate for a full time position as a writer aren’t you?
Are you about to shine and enjoy national recognition having finally discovered your natural metier Rodent? Why not! You’re no stranger to miracles. You piloted a plane every day and you’re still alive? Veritably a hundred million miracles.
Just kidding , with your astonishingly well researched articles , profound understanding of realpolitik and marvelous gift for communication via the written word you’re not far off the pace Rodent.
I’ll see your hundred and raise you 95.
https://www.skepticalscience.com/argument.php?f=percentage
Razor
Re your inquiry. See No 189 in the list in the link.
“Ljungqvist broke the hockey stick.”
Give ’em heaps.
JB,.. 08:21pm.
Just a thought on you a man of challenges with frequent arguments, how can you resolve this puzzle on Santa feeding his reindeers on the moon when no grass grows there JB?.
Second ,…Dick Smith and Bill Gates, two antimated characters , stating by 2035 , the population will reach 9 billion with finite materials drying up , we can never feed the world now that soil degradation is occuring. Our impetuous leaders Dick says , only think about next elections .As for your short term climate-gate predictions of doom an gloom, it sure spells the planet population is more decisively dangerous further diminishing chances of survial of our planet then climate. This delirious hallucination activists shedding alarmism , are barking at simplistic views from prominent sceientists in co-irdinated gatherings , that climate variations and short term events , still leads us into “inconclusive evidence ” .The alarmists in climate -gate IPCC plus internet nuisance break aways , along with others, are starting to
moderate their stance saying computor models are wrong again . It all went ballistic falling off the rails when
politicians like Al Gore interfered with science , then the billionaires clubs joining hands with frivolous marketers the
United Nations tried to make some dollars out of all this .Look at how the carbon pricing emissions cards of more
taxes in Europe collapsed starting out at high prices and near nothing few years later .Norway banks lost 5.7 billion on
these green schemes .
Have a think JB outside the square into reality of “unsustainable hypocritical fleecing nonsense” many governments
failed in starting from the collapse of Europe.
I always get a buzz when I read about Albert Einstein. One of his best quotes about “intelligence” was:
“It is not that I’m so smart. But I stay with the questions much longer.”
Its application may well apply to the current climate conundrum.
Yes, AE is my man.