Federal government
The Federal Government was “kicking elderly Australians in the teeth”
by attempting to strip the aged of benefits and drive more into
poverty,” Federal Member for Tangney Dennis Jensen charged Tuesday.
“Older Australians spent their lives working to build the country we are all proud to call home today,” he said.
“But rather than being treated with the respect and gratitude which is their due, the government is displaying only contempt to our older citizens.
“The Rudd government is just kicking them in the teeth.”
Dr Jensen’s comments came after he delivered a speech in parliament Tuesday against a government bill which would see an estimated 22,000 retirees lose their Commonwealth Seniors’ Health Cards, which deliver entitlement to a wide range of benefits, including subsidised medication.
The government seeks to change rules of eligibility for the card - which is available to single retirees earning up to $50,000 per annum and couples earning up to $80,000 - making superannuation income assessable along with pensions and other income.
At present, superannuation is not treated as assessable income, so those effected by the change would be older citizens who were at least partially self-funding their retirement.
“These are not wealthy people,” Dr Jensen said.
“They are people who worked hard and planned ahead so they would not be totally dependent on the state pension in their old age.
“They are doing it tough in the current economic environment, and withdrawing these benefits will be disastrous for them.”
The move to strip retirees of these benefits was the latest in a string of actions by the federal government which hit older Australians,” Dr Jensen said.
“The government last year admitted the pension was insufficient to survive on, but then blocked a proposal to increase it by $30 per week,” he said.
“They also want to cut the number of women who receive veterans’ pensions, and they have allowed the aged care system to descend into chaos.
“These are not just signs of a government which does not care – they indicate outright hostility from the Rudd administration to older Australians.
“It is a disgrace.”
The withdrawal of seniors’ health cards has been a major issue in Dr Jensen’s southern Perth electorate, with more than 3,000 retirees there signing cards last year condemning the Rudd government’s treatment of the elderly, and many attending a forum on the subject hosted by the MP.
“I stand firmly with the older residents of our community in fighting this attack on their rights,” Dr Jensen said.
“The government’s behaviour is disgraceful and they must not be allowed to get away with it.”
“Older Australians spent their lives working to build the country we are all proud to call home today,” he said.
“But rather than being treated with the respect and gratitude which is their due, the government is displaying only contempt to our older citizens.
“The Rudd government is just kicking them in the teeth.”
Dr Jensen’s comments came after he delivered a speech in parliament Tuesday against a government bill which would see an estimated 22,000 retirees lose their Commonwealth Seniors’ Health Cards, which deliver entitlement to a wide range of benefits, including subsidised medication.
The government seeks to change rules of eligibility for the card - which is available to single retirees earning up to $50,000 per annum and couples earning up to $80,000 - making superannuation income assessable along with pensions and other income.
At present, superannuation is not treated as assessable income, so those effected by the change would be older citizens who were at least partially self-funding their retirement.
“These are not wealthy people,” Dr Jensen said.
“They are people who worked hard and planned ahead so they would not be totally dependent on the state pension in their old age.
“They are doing it tough in the current economic environment, and withdrawing these benefits will be disastrous for them.”
The move to strip retirees of these benefits was the latest in a string of actions by the federal government which hit older Australians,” Dr Jensen said.
“The government last year admitted the pension was insufficient to survive on, but then blocked a proposal to increase it by $30 per week,” he said.
“They also want to cut the number of women who receive veterans’ pensions, and they have allowed the aged care system to descend into chaos.
“These are not just signs of a government which does not care – they indicate outright hostility from the Rudd administration to older Australians.
“It is a disgrace.”
The withdrawal of seniors’ health cards has been a major issue in Dr Jensen’s southern Perth electorate, with more than 3,000 retirees there signing cards last year condemning the Rudd government’s treatment of the elderly, and many attending a forum on the subject hosted by the MP.
“I stand firmly with the older residents of our community in fighting this attack on their rights,” Dr Jensen said.
“The government’s behaviour is disgraceful and they must not be allowed to get away with it.”
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