Changes rock current and future pensioners
In the Bendigo Advertiser on May 19, an article (“Young, old and Gen-Xers all need to work together”) was about millennials versus the baby boomers.
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Also in the article it stated the problems for current and future age pensioners.
As from January 1, 2017 the eligibility for the age pension is to be tightened.
No grandfather clause, just hit current and future pensioners.
From January 1 of this year my age pension was reduced as I receive a small superannuation pension and it looks like age pension recipients will be hit again from January 1, 2017.
I am informed Centrelink will notify pensioners in October 2016, which is well after the election.
With the Prime Minister and other ministers criss-crossing the continent – and getting $273 a day living away allowance (Bendigo Advertiser, May 24) – the government has been deadly silent on this issue.
The question is, why so quiet on this issue?
Let the people of Australia know that you intend to cut the age pension eligibility from January 1, 2017.
Be upfront about it. Let us know.
Ian Bates, Bendigo
Seniors need and deserve federal funding
Federal policy and funding decisions since 2014-15 have stripped $3.1 billion from Australia’s aged care system.
In the past six months alone, $1.7 billion has been unfairly cut for services to the frailest senior Australians, suffering from chronic pain, degenerative disease, severe arthritis and complex wounds.
In 15 years, 1.5 million Victorians will be 65-plus years old.
An additional 35,000 residential aged care places and 48,500 additional home care packages will be needed to meet this demand.
This is no surprise, yet there is an ongoing failure by governments to properly plan for, and fund, aged care services to meet the ever-increasing complexity of care needs for our seniors.
In the next 15 years, Bendigo’s seniors will increase by 86 per cent to over 44,000 people.
To meet demand, the region will need an additional 2017 residential aged care places at an estimated cost of $504 million and an additional 2034 home care packages.
Although welcome, Labor’s “creating an age-friendly nation” announcement last week regarding a review of the Aged Care Funding Instrument is only a first step towards laying the strong foundation required for a future age care sector.
Despite federal Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters’ opposition to the government’s cuts, Labor has not committed to reversing these same cuts.
LASA is calling on Ms Chesters to appeal to Mr Shorten, leader of the Labor Party, to reconsider the Labor Party’s announcement, and to commit to reversing the cuts imposed by the current government.
LASA is also calling on all the candidates contesting the seat to commit to reversing the $3.1 billion cuts.
The Member for Bendigo, post the 2016 federal election, must advocate for, and deliver for, the seniors in Bendigo today and into the future.
Trevor Carr, CEO, Leading Age Services Australia - Victoria
- Letters commenting on election issues must bear the name and full address of the writer(s). Responsibility for election comment in this issue is accepted by Bendigo Advertiser editor Nicole Ferrie, 67-71 Williamson Street, Bendigo. Writers should disclose any alliance with political or community organisations and include their telephone number for verification. Election candidates should declare themselves as such when submitting letters.