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Post by Banker on Aug 21, 2012 16:11:43 GMT 7
Seniors' battle with living costs 'frightening'The Australian Pensioners and Superannuants League says all levels of government need to do more to help seniors cope with the rising costs of living. Caloundra president Frank Gower says the increasing cost of rates, rent, electricity, water and groceries are impacting on the lives of cash-strapped seniors. He says he is frightened for the welfare of some seniors. "It's so hard if they're paying a rent or just general living," he said. "Rates are going up, food is going up, everything is going up and they're very, very, very, very hamstrung with what they can do ... [governments] of all colours must do more ... to help them. "They're proud people, they just don't want to tell you how tough they're doing it. "It's frightening, it's really frightening." He says those who are paying rent or for care in nursing homes are doing it particularly tough. "If you get a pensioner that's paying rent, and lot of them are ... they get their rent assistance but some of them are really, really doing it tough," he said. "Then on the other hand you get pensioners that are in nursing homes, they have to pay a great deal of their money to the home - normally about 85 per cent of their pension and that leaves them about 25 per cent for themself." www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-21/seniors-battle-with-living-costs-frightening/4212244?section=qld
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Post by baranghope on Aug 21, 2012 16:43:05 GMT 7
Frightening: try South Australia . . . I just got an $858 quarterly electricity bill for normal use for a single person in a one-bedroom flat. Rates have risen 65%, mainly because the phony deregulated billing companies (who are not the real providers) are rorting here insanely now. The carbon tax represents only 2% of this, so don't blame the government. Blame the corporations and the governments that deregulated the utility industry and privatised public assets to offshore boards, like so-called TruEnergy (Hong Kong). The tragedy is not that Oz is already down the tube in terms of cost of living, but that the Fed bureaucracy has been enacting "residency" controls to force us to remain here to be bled to death.
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Post by peter on Aug 21, 2012 18:42:01 GMT 7
When I came back to Australia after many years away, and I wised up to costs here, I said to a mate of mine,
"Now I know why they have got free Medicare here for pensioners"
In his innocence, he asked......"Why?"
My answer;
"so they can keep the pensioners alive to pay the rents to the negatively geared tax rorting landlords"
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Post by Banker on Aug 22, 2012 5:38:23 GMT 7
Frightening: try South Australia . . . I just got an $858 quarterly electricity bill for normal use for a single person in a one-bedroom flat. Rates have risen 65%, mainly because the phony deregulated billing companies (who are not the real providers) are rorting here insanely now. The carbon tax represents only 2% of this, so don't blame the government. Blame the corporations and the governments that deregulated the utility industry and privatised public assets to offshore boards, like so-called TruEnergy (Hong Kong). The tragedy is not that Oz is already down the tube in terms of cost of living, but that the Fed bureaucracy has been enacting "residency" controls to force us to remain here to be bled to death. Don't use so much electricity!
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Post by carvets on Aug 22, 2012 6:25:53 GMT 7
Frightening: try South Australia . . . I just got an $858 quarterly electricity bill for normal use for a single person in a one-bedroom flat. . Seriously !!! Thats extraordinary . And terrifying. How can that be ? Im stunned by that amount. I have , living with me , my friend who is also DSP and his Thai wife and they use power like its free. We are currently waiting on the latest bill ( which i wont be a part of cause i was away ) so i am waiting for it to arrive like it was the grim reaper. I really hate living in Australia now. Low income earners just take it up the ass from everyone especially the Gov who do nothing while we struggle . Thank god we got that $3 increase in the pension earlier this year. I cant wait for the next one. It will solve all my problems im sure and i can return to living luxuriously on my DSP.
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Post by baranghope on Aug 22, 2012 6:34:02 GMT 7
My electricity use for the quarter was up about 18% over the past 3 years average. Due I would say to a particularly Arctic Adelaide winter and the Olympics, which meant I was up earlier than usual with an oil radiator on.
Otherwise, Banjo, your invitation to use less electricity (for a person is at home all day, often with TV, computer and radio on) is basically an invitation to freeze or move north.
The only plus was that I did not know about the $168 per annum dickey S.A. government Energy Concession for us pensioners. I applied online last night.
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Post by Banker on Aug 22, 2012 6:45:35 GMT 7
It could be worse you could be in North Korea, now that is north of SA. Stop complaining and do something about it.
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Post by Banjo on Aug 22, 2012 7:10:06 GMT 7
My electricity use for the quarter was up about 18% over the past 3 years average. Due I would say to a particularly Arctic Adelaide winter and the Olympics, which meant I was up earlier than usual with an oil radiator on. Otherwise, Banjo, your invitation to use less electricity (for a person is at home all day, often with TV, computer and radio on) is basically an invitation to freeze or move north. The only plus was that I did not know about the $168 per annum dickey S.A. government Energy Concession for us pensioners. I applied online last night. Wasn't me it was banker, you can tell us apart as he has a self portrait for his avatar. The bill does sound awfully high though, it's twice what it was where I'm living.... Hang on, I just had a thought, those funny looking panels on the roof might have something to do with it. Looking at the weather report for tomorrow you may be able to use some of your ethnic heritage skills to build an igloo out the back, they're supposed to be warm.
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Post by Banker on Aug 22, 2012 7:20:19 GMT 7
I will be off line most of today. I'm going to the beach. Yesterday would be one of the hottest days I have ever felt in Thailand. Looking forward to my move the CR I hear they have nice beaches and Electricity is very cheap.
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Post by Banker on Aug 22, 2012 7:25:22 GMT 7
My electricity use for the quarter was up about 18% over the past 3 years average. Due I would say to a particularly Arctic Adelaide winter and the Olympics, which meant I was up earlier than usual with an oil radiator on. Otherwise, Banjo, your invitation to use less electricity (for a person is at home all day, often with TV, computer and radio on) is basically an invitation to freeze or move north. The only plus was that I did not know about the $168 per annum dickey S.A. government Energy Concession for us pensioners. I applied online last night. Wasn't me it was banker, you can tell us apart as he has a self portrait for his avatar. The bill does sound awfully high though, it's twice what it was where I'm living.... Hang on, I just had a thought, those funny looking panels on the roof might have something to do with it. Looking at the weather report for tomorrow you may be able to use some of your ethnic heritage skills to build an igloo out the back, they're supposed to be warm. Don't blame me all the time I don't have an Avatar.
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Post by latindancer on Aug 22, 2012 8:11:29 GMT 7
"they're very, very, very, very hamstrung "
"... they get their rent assistance but some of them are really, really doing it tough," he said.
"They're proud people, they just don't want to tell you how tough they're doing it.
"It's frightening, it's really frightening."
That's a lot of really reallies and very verries. I think he's trying to say the situation is extreme. Something's got to give. Is anyone in government listening ? Will the seniors crime rate increase ? Or is the suicide rate just going to go up ?
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Post by baranghope on Aug 22, 2012 8:28:58 GMT 7
Where is CR Banker? I will do something about it, but basically the unit kW rate here in S.A. has gone up from .1 of a cent to .23 since 2009. How about I contact my negative geared "boganeer" landlords in Port Pirie and tell them to install solar on the strata, and provide me with gas hot water, and a gas heater??? As if, eh? What you gotta realize is that they privatised the electricity billing and the companies like TruEnergy etc. that bought in, made their income off the middle classes. Then the Fed introduced the solar schemes so the middle class are now only paying for the juice they cannot feed back to the decrepit grid. So the billing companies then went back to the Fed and the States saying we are not making money . . . result, double the rates for the sitting duck at-home pensioners. Kapisch??
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Post by Banker on Aug 22, 2012 8:29:16 GMT 7
LD, I think a lot more homeless people in Australia thanks to the Government.
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Post by carvets on Aug 22, 2012 9:46:29 GMT 7
Would CR be Chiang Rai ? If so , yes there are lovely beaches and good surf with ladies in bikins serving cocktails, called Mekong Floaters ,.....i plan to retire there when my next pension increase comes through.
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Post by Banjo on Aug 22, 2012 11:00:14 GMT 7
Hat Chiang Rai or Chiang Rai Beach is a river beach on the outside of town also know as Pattaya Noi, or Little Pattaya for the excellence of it's beach and the prevalence of other activities.
Baranghope, I was talking to a friend today about their electricity bill and she says she gets direct debited a certain amount by the electricity company every two weeks. She still pays the same but it's not such a shock every three months.
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