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Post by nomadic on Mar 6, 2015 16:21:04 GMT 7
Nothing short of a royal commission into Centrelink will make me happy. With all future compensation after that coming directly from the politicians own pockets.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 6, 2015 18:58:54 GMT 7
A lot of water gone under the bridge since this topic started fonze, it's nearly 4 years old. We didn't do a bad job of predicting what was going to happen though. With your Knoledge you and others have helped many dealing with the hadrd to seal with Centrelink They try to put you down further than you are Keep up the good work
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Post by Seano on Nov 18, 2015 7:13:41 GMT 7
Nothing short of a royal commission into Centrelink will make me happy. With all future compensation after that coming directly from the politicians own pockets. Some people say that the pen can be mightier than the sword, and that applies to politicians, even more than to politics. Royal commissions only tend to happen when the majority of the public electoral opinion is in favour of some action about some issue. Public opinion on welfare is a mixed bag, because the media paint the pictures, and they don't have a clue about reality, just what sells commercial space or somebody's cause. The media make out that there are two major categories of pensioners: - 1) those unlucky or old-and-paid-their-taxes, and - 2) bludgers scamming the system. There's a spectrum through that range, which is not worth listing before breakfast but it's conversable later if anyone cares. To change the laws, there needs to be willing politicians in government, and to change politicians' desires, there needs to be poll results, and to change poll results, there needs to be a change in overall public opinion, and to change the overall public opinion of the garden-variety true-blew Australian is almost impossible, even with the help of the blasted media, and to change the attitude of the media, there needs to be a public relations avalance, and a public relations hurricane needs a darstedly plan which cannot fail. Time for breakfast. I'll see if I can make a bit more logical sense of this when I am gently chewing soft veges and boiled rice with a fractured jaw. No pain no gain eh? Back in a little while.
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Post by Seano on Nov 18, 2015 10:54:42 GMT 7
I'm thinking portability, and the financial benefits to all taxpayers, especially when people start complaining about reductions in the annual increases to foreign aid over the four-year estimates. The small economic loss of the limited multiplier effect is more than offset by reductions in the way of rent assistance withdrawal, because the largest weekly expense for a standard pensioner in Australia is rent, and that does not generally follow through as a multiplied effect, as the recipients of rent are generally well-enough off to not need the extra cash to spend hand-to-mouth, week-to week. Half the rents of half the pensions probably go overseas to foreign property investors in any case. I don't have stats, but just a rough guess.
Then there's the double-effect of a pension getting largely spent in a place that would qualify for Australian forein aid, so there's $2.00 benefit for every $1.00 of government expenditure. I wrote this simple equation on the ABC Drum forum years ago, before the last federal election, and all I got back in response was insults and anecdotes about bludging pensioners wearing nice clothes and riding expensive tredleys. Australia certainly seems to have a deficit on the maths & science qualifications thesedays, because 1+1=2 in reality, but that is not enough for the greedy control freaks who just want see me suffer to the full extend of possibilities, along with the local economies of 'developing' nations ... overseas (who gives a?)
This is the message that someone popular needs to hone down to a three-word slogan, so it can be a mantra for the voters with ADHD and things like that.
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Post by Banjo on Nov 18, 2015 12:11:43 GMT 7
What has to be done, in fact in my opinion, the only thing that can be done, is to lobby for an expanded Unlimited Portability based on "no future work capacity" rather than tables of impairment points.
There's no need for legislative changes here, and that's not going to happen anyway, but a more liberal interpretation of it is possible.
It just needs lots of people with an interest getting together and making some noise.
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Post by Seano on Nov 18, 2015 12:32:46 GMT 7
It just needs lots of people with an interest getting together and making some noise. Would I be taken for a fool if I believed that the portability for pensioners of all kinds who are not supposed to be jotting down potential employers for their fortnightly job applications actually saves the Australian Tax Payer (which includes everyone who pays GST) money, because: 1) Rent assistance is not paid for budget jetsetters who spend 90 days overseas and couch-surf for the remaining few weeks in The Lucky Country between airports. 2) The multiplier effect of monies spent IN Australia by poor pensioners on the poverty line is minimal because over half the pension goes straight to the anonymous landlord who may or may not live in Australia themselves, and doesn't suddenly race out and buy new shoes everytime they get that rent each week. 3) Foreign aid at the local community level is a direct benefit to the poorest restaruant and hotel staff in 'developing' nations is the gift from pensioners directly to those most needy working class people, and it doesn't cost the Australian Tax Payer (inc GST payer) anymore to have that money spent on more worthy causes than property investors, those being exactly the right people in exactly the right countries, who then DO go out and buy those new shoes, that they can't buy now because business at the restaurant or hotel is slow lately, because half of the foreigners who used to frequent the more budget-friendly venues where theose poor people had jobs that DID lead to money flowing back into the community, are no longer permitted to be there for more than 28 days in a calendar year. Is there any logic to my delusions here? Is there anyway to slim all that down into a slogan that Australian voters can comprehend and remember at the next election?
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Post by Banjo on Nov 18, 2015 13:45:53 GMT 7
We've done this to death, read some our Senate submissions.
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Post by immiadvice on Nov 18, 2015 13:46:36 GMT 7
From what I've seen on this forum, most applicants that applied for up were granted it.
That is what this forum was set up to achieve and it was achieved. Perhaps we made a difference, no one can be sure.
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Post by Seano on Nov 18, 2015 13:58:36 GMT 7
Thank you both for helping me get back up-to-speed. I am part way through reading through the information herein, and haven't yet read everything of late, but only go off the news I received after booking this return flight for 42 days apart, and then learning on the Friday that I finally got through on the phone to centrelink that I have to go for two weeks on oxygen and a prayer once I get back to Australia.
I hope that I can find the information to make what we've done to death retrospective sometime before departure in December, because it's going to be a rough couple of weeks because of my unconventional survival instinct in October. I am glad to know that everyone else will not have to live through what I'll be copping this Christmas, because 'Merry' will be the missing adjective.
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Post by Banjo on Nov 18, 2015 15:46:01 GMT 7
From what I've seen on this forum, most applicants that applied for up were granted it. That is what this forum was set up to achieve and it was achieved. Perhaps we made a difference, no one can be sure. I like to think that we raised an awareness of our situation at least, not only through our submissions but by personal contact with many politicians. I suspect that most would not have bothered supporting the amendment otherwise.
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Post by itsmylife08 on Nov 18, 2015 22:25:06 GMT 7
From what I've seen on this forum, most applicants that applied for up were granted it. That is what this forum was set up to achieve and it was achieved. Perhaps we made a difference, no one can be sure. I like to think that we raised an awareness of our situation at least, not only through our submissions but by personal contact with many politicians. I suspect that most would not have bothered supporting the amendment otherwise. Banjo I'd like to place on record my gratitude to all who have helped during the arduous process of applying for UP , notably your good self , mogo51 , NFA , Blacktulipvampire , Aussie in USA , and so many others too numerous to mention... All of the people concerned should be proud of their efforts , in helping so many people achieve their dream of freedom , and that is exactly what it is... Thankyou from the bottom of my heart , love you guys keep up the good work , Itsmylife08
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Post by Banjo on Nov 19, 2015 7:19:25 GMT 7
There were a lot of people involved in the forum, many of whom have moved on. I like to think that even though we were an enormously diverse group of people we could still put aside our differences and work for a common cause and fight something that was draconian in nature and handled badly and unfeelingly by people who had a duty of care.
We will never be able to help everyone, some people... and my heart is with them... are incapable of standing up for their rights by the very nature of their disability, others will just not fit into the points system but are still unemployable.
I don't think I've ever said this before but I believe everyone considering Unlimited Portability or applying for the DSP these days should have a plan B.
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Post by latindancer on Nov 19, 2015 17:05:31 GMT 7
^ Yep....well summed-up.
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Post by nomadic on Nov 19, 2015 18:16:21 GMT 7
Yes, as always Banjo, spot on. I hark back to your post on the media. Through all my experiences (BAD), i now place the media in general to be as vile as the politicians. I still intend to try and achieve something against those who totally misled the public about UP. Nothing but liars. I still can't believe there is not someone in the mainstream media who has some morals though. Although they may be stopped by their editors. But i will continue to look for someone who will take up the issue. If there is any decency in the population at all then we will win out eventually. If not there is no hope for anyone. To abuse the disabled or anyone else on welfare is nothing short of unhuman. I have been recently listening to Andrew Bolt and this is what we are up against. Along with Hanson has Australia ever produced a more horrid person in 200 years. He would have been very high up in Germany in the 30's. And most callers pat him on the back. It defies belief his right wing venom.
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Post by itsmylife08 on Nov 19, 2015 20:35:02 GMT 7
There were a lot of people involved in the forum, many of whom have moved on. I like to think that even though we were an enormously diverse group of people we could still put aside our differences and work for a common cause and fight something that was draconian in nature and handled badly and unfeelingly by people who had a duty of care. We will never be able to help everyone, some people... and my heart is with them... are incapable of standing up for their rights by the very nature of their disability, others will just not fit into the points system but are still unemployable. I don't think I've ever said this before but I believe everyone considering Unlimited Portability or applying for the DSP these days should have a plan B. Sad but true boss , the times they are changing.. Never give up the good fight
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