What about seniors?
From watching, reading and listening to the media bombardment from the major parties in the lead up to the Federal election, it is evident they have forgotten the senior and elderly population.
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Australians aged over 50 years make up 50 per cent of voters.
Forgotten include older unemployed workers subject to rampant age discrimination.Others try to survive on part-time or contract work; some with worn-out bodies hardly existing on Newstart. Older women watch their superannuation eroded through some of the highest fees in the world. No government super fund here.
They now have to work until 67 for the aged pension if they are born after 1960. Soon, they will have to work until they are 70 so the government can give tax cuts to millionaires and foreign multinationals.
The government (with the help of Labor and the Greens) has a Christmas present: from January 1, the taper on part pensions becomes steeper. Part pensioners will receive less; some, hundreds to thousands of dollars. Pensioners who have partly been living on lower interest payments from bank deposits are likely to also suffer.
The government is cutting $1.2 billion from nursing homes, risking the loss of registered nurses. Sick residents will clog emergency departments. This transfers costs from corporations to public hospitals. Ambulances will be scarcer and medics more overworked.
There are fears Meals on Wheels will be privatized and fees will rise. Nurses who attend my elderly mother in her house say some have cold homes because they cannot afford electricity.
With all this, there is little to no word from Labor or the Greens on policies for seniors. We need senators from the Seniors United Party of Australia (SUPA) to keep the b......ds honest.
Bob Patrech (SUPA)
Herarde St, Batemans Bay
Mistaken impression
Amazing! I have been under the impression for many many years that our council members’ performance was judged by the whole community, each time an election was held.
Now it seems our elected representatives are not capable of representing us and must be advised by an unelected group, which randomly possesses knowledge and experience superior to the elected council and its well-paid staff.
Obviously it will no longer be necessary for us to elect a council and major financial advantage will occur when we do not have to pay councillor remuneration and expenses and, of course, all staff advisory and research positions will no longer be required.
All this for only $100,000.
Max Lotton
Surf Beach
Fears for TAFE
Save TAFE is a student action group dedicated to saving our education services, raising awareness of cuts, and the impact it is having on students in the Illawarra and Far South Coast.
Elizabeth Silversides
Catalina
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