Australia - The Lucky Country - On borrowed money.

[KhunHeineken]

On 5/1/2025 at 12:59 AM, Olmate said:

So dont vote for either? 

I think that's exactly what will happen this election.  A big swing away from both major parties and big gains by smaller parties and independents. 

[KhunHeineken]

5 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gp5lVwqawAAgl1p?format=jpg&name=small

 

The Coalition released their election costings late yesterday two days before polling

Buried in the costings as a savings measure , anyone travelling overseas for more than 4 weeks will no longer receive their pension

Nothing about "grandfathering" clause for those already o/seas with portability

 

Be alert people

 

 

Here's the link. 

 

https://www.liberal.org.au/policy/our-plan-for-a-sustainable-budget

 

Scroll down to "Overseas eligibility for social services payments – reduce to four weeks."

[KhunHeineken]

2 hours ago, Olmate said:

spud is doomed if.that gets.some publicity

Why?

 

Expats don't head to embassies to vote, and the amount of pensioners who are planning to live overseas would be an insignificant number.  Hardly any votes lost on this policy. 

 

 

[RJRS1301]

47 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Why?

 

Expats don't head to embassies to vote, and the amount of pensioners who are planning to live overseas would be an insignificant number.  Hardly any votes lost on this policy. 

 

 

However for those already receiving pensions because of their portability qualification, they are at risk  could be at risk of loss of receiving payments

 

[KhunHeineken]

1 hour ago, RJRS1301 said:

However for those already receiving pensions because of their portability qualification, they are at risk  could be at risk of loss of receiving payments

 

A very very small portion of voters. 

 

Like I said, expat pensioners don't go to embassies to vote, and the demographic you describe is so small that the numbers are insignificant, also, how many back in Australia to re-establish residency for the purpose of pension portability have even bothers to re-enroll on the electoral roll?

 

Hardly any votes lost on this policy, and it would be devastating to expat pensioners.  It would cause just about all of them to return to Australia, and before you mention the burden on the health system, the government would hire any more staff or build more hospitals, what would happen is simply the waiting lists would be longer.  

 

As I said way back in the pension thread, Australia is broke and the government wants / needs this pension money circulating in the Australian economy, rather than Australian tax payers money boosting a foreign country's economy.

 

Between the proposed changes to tax residency laws, which both major political parties agree with, and now this by the Liberals, the writing is on the wall.  They want to stop the exodus of pensioners from Australia.

[ozfarang]

1 hour ago, RJRS1301 said:

However for those already receiving pensions because of their portability qualification, they are at risk  could be at risk of loss of receiving payments

 

Your pension would be paid whether you voted or not 

[KhunHeineken]

7 minutes ago, ozfarang said:

Your pension would be paid whether you voted or not 

It appears Liberal have a policy of cutting off the pension once you are outside of Australia for more than 4 weeks, whether you voted, or not.

[Olmate]

19 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

It appears Liberal have a policy of cutting off the pension once you are outside of Australia for more than 4 weeks, whether you voted, or not.

Watch Fri nite 7.30 REPORTABC, Albo and Katy Gallagher both criticised  Dutton.the opposition Home Affairs  denied it.was in the coalitions  costings. So.your dum idea that pensioners dont vote etc  KH is clearly that, any event, Spuds already looking for a.new job, he is history as a leader! 

[KhunHeineken]

2 hours ago, Olmate said:

Watch Fri nite 7.30 REPORTABC, Albo and Katy Gallagher both criticised  Dutton.the opposition Home Affairs  denied it.was in the coalitions  costings. So.your dum idea that pensioners dont vote etc  KH is clearly that, any event, Spuds already looking for a.new job, he is history as a leader! 

Where did I say pensioners don't vote? 

 

Of course pensioners vote.  If they don't vote they get fined. 

 

I said expat pensioners don't vote.  Did you go to the embassy in Bangkok to vote?  If I ran a poll on here how many Aussie expats in Thailand would say they voted?  

 

They can deny it, but it's there in writing for you to see.  I have posted the link and quoted it.  It's on their website.  It's not my opinion and it's certainly not scaremongering.  It's in their costings. 

 

It's an interesting policy because even if Dutton doesn't get in, and I don't think he will, it shows the Libs have discussed it and put it on paper and published it.  On that basis, who knows about 4 years from now?  It shows their intention, and they will be elected at some point in the future. 

[Harrisfan]

7 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

Where did I say pensioners don't vote? 

 

Of course pensioners vote.  If they don't vote they get fined. 

 

I said expat pensioners don't vote.  Did you go to the embassy in Bangkok to vote?  If I ran a poll on here how many Aussie expats in Thailand would say they voted?  

 

They can deny it, but it's there in writing for you to see.  I have posted the link and quoted it.  It's on their website.  It's not my opinion and it's certainly not scaremongering.  It's in their costings. 

 

It's an interesting policy because even if Dutton doesn't get in, and I don't think he will, it shows the Libs have discussed it and put it on paper and published it.  On that basis, who knows about 4 years from now?  It shows their intention, and they will be elected at some point in the future. 

You don't have to vote. 

[simple1]

On 5/2/2025 at 10:45 AM, RJRS1301 said:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Gp5lVwqawAAgl1p?format=jpg&name=small

 

The Coalition released their election costings late yesterday two days before polling

Buried in the costings as a savings measure , anyone travelling overseas for more than 4 weeks will no longer receive their pension

Nothing about "grandfathering" clause for those already o/seas with portability

 

Be alert people

 

 

 

The line in the policy statement does not say that, only that support payments cease after four weeks overseas. Should Coalition obtain power need to wait for clarification  as well as changes to enacted Social Services law. Personally I believe legislation to reverse pension portability would not pass as it would create a lot of political grief with pensioners forced to return to OZ

[KhunHeineken]

16 minutes ago, Harrisfan said:

You don't have to vote. 

Voting is compulsory IN Australia.  If you do not vote, you get fined. 

[KhunHeineken]

2 minutes ago, simple1 said:

 

The line in the policy statement does not say that, only that support payments cease after four weeks overseas. Should Coalition obtain power need to wait for clarification  as well as changes to enacted Social Services law. Personally I believe legislation to reverse pension portability would not pass as it would create a lot of political grief with pensioners forced to return to OZ

These are the exact words:  "Overseas eligibility for social services payments – reduce to four weeks." 

 

That reads to me to be eligible for a social service payment, one can only be outside of Australia for 4 weeks.  That's just my interpretation of those words.  I am not saying I am right and others are wrong.  That is just my interpretation of those words. 

 

Another member believes it is only referring to supplements, and other members have their own interpretations, but the above are the exact words. 

 

I see you are putting forward the "pensioners would be up in arms" argument.  Can you tell me why a pensioner living in Australia would give a sh*t about this policy?  Why would they care, it has no effect on them.   

 

I agree clarification is needed, but it shows the intention of the Libs for when they do get elected.  Many members are thinking about the results tonight, but one should also think about 4 years from now, because the Libs have showed their intention and it's only a matter of time before they are elected again, and they may very well roll this policy out.  . 

[Olmate]

29 minutes ago, KhunHeineken said:

These are the exact words:  "Overseas eligibility for social services payments – reduce to four weeks." 

 

That reads to me to be eligible for a social service payment, one can only be outside of Australia for 4 weeks.  That's just my interpretation of those words.  I am not saying I am right and others are wrong.  That is just my interpretation of those words. 

 

Another member believes it is only referring to supplements, and other members have their own interpretations, but the above are the exact words. 

 

I see you are putting forward the "pensioners would be up in arms" argument.  Can you tell me why a pensioner living in Australia would give a sh*t about this policy?  Why would they care, it has no effect on them.   

 

I agree clarification is needed, but it shows the intention of the Libs for when they do get elected.  Many members are thinking about the results tonight, but one should also think about 4 years from now, because the Libs have showed their intention and it's only a matter of time before they are elected again, and they may very well roll this policy out.  . 

Shadow Home Affairs says its not in the costIngs, but he,s lying.So whats the wording mean now! 

[KhunHeineken]

3 minutes ago, Olmate said:

Shadow Home Affairs says its not in the costIngs, but he,s lying.So whats the wording mean now! 

It's written in their costings. 

 

I posted the link and quoted the words. 

 

Who you listen to, and what they say, and how you interpret it, including the possibility of them lying, is up to you. 

 

I posted the link and the words, and gave my interpretation of those words in another post. 

 

Article 18 and 19 of the DTA between Thailand and Australia has nothing to do with this one. 

[simple1]

4 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

These are the exact words:  "Overseas eligibility for social services payments – reduce to four weeks." 

 

That reads to me to be eligible for a social service payment, one can only be outside of Australia for 4 weeks.  That's just my interpretation of those words.  I am not saying I am right and others are wrong.  That is just my interpretation of those words. 

 

 

I'm not bothering to reply, especially based upon opinions. In any case you're just too argumentative. However, it's so what as Dutton has been defeated as well as losing his seat - a landslide for Labor.