One-third of Australian pensioners live in poverty: OECD report

[webfact]

One-third of Australian pensioners live in poverty: OECD report
Rachel Browne
Social Affairs Reporter

SYDNEY: -- More than one-third of Australian pensioners are living below the poverty line, making the country among the worst performers in the world for the financial security of older people.

The findings of the OECD report, Pensions at a Glance 2015, compared Australia to 33 other countries.

Australia was ranked second lowest on social equity, with 36 per cent of pensioners living below the poverty line, which the report defined as half the relevant country's median household income.

Australian pensioners fared better than their counterparts in South Korea, where 50 per cent live below the poverty line but performed poorly against the OECD average of 12.6 per cent.

Full story: http://www.smh.com.au/national/onethird-of-australian-pensioners-live-in-poverty-oecd-report-20160106-gm0uno


-- Sydney Morning Herald 2016-01-07

[nev]

Another reason for OAP to move to Thailand, the pension goes a lot further than it ever would in Australia.

[weegee]

Well...what do you expect when a Single, Unemployed, Dole Bludger gets $100 per week MORE than a person(pensioner) who has paid taxes all their life, to make it possible.....

It costs $50K per year per Refugee, to maintain them....But they pay Pensioners a base of less than $20K...shameful hey?

WHO made the Money available for this to be paid to refugees?.....Tax Paying Australians. Why arent they considered FIRST, then whats left over can go to Refugees....

Ask any Australian Pensioner when they last ate a "T" Bone Steak...

[geriatrickid]

Well...what do you expect when a Single, Unemployed, Dole Bludger gets $100 per week MORE than a person(pensioner) who has paid taxes all their life, to make it possible.....

It costs $50K per year per Refugee, to maintain them....But they pay Pensioners a base of less than $20K...shameful hey?

WHO made the Money available for this to be paid to refugees?.....Tax Paying Australians. Why arent they considered FIRST, then whats left over can go to Refugees....

Ask any Australian Pensioner when they last ate a "T" Bone Steak...

How do you know the pensioner paid "taxes all their life"? Most of the people living in poverty at pension age, were living in poverty before pension age. What do you think happens to long term layabouts, drunks, petty criminals etc. once they reach a certain age? They are transferred from social assistance to state pension rolls. If many pensioners are impoverished, there is a reason: It is called not having prepared for their old age when they were younger. The question you should be asking is why do so many Australians abandon their elderly? Is it a culture of reaping what you sowed? Those elderly have kids. Where are they?

I don't like the willy nilly acceptance of refugees either. Unfortunately, Australians are not willing to do certain jobs. Have a look at who is working in the hospitals and elder care homes cleaning the piss and crap off the patients. it's not good ole Mabel or Bob is it?

[neverdie]

Well...what do you expect when a Single, Unemployed, Dole Bludger gets $100 per week MORE than a person(pensioner) who has paid taxes all their life, to make it possible.....

It costs $50K per year per Refugee, to maintain them....But they pay Pensioners a base of less than $20K...shameful hey?

WHO made the Money available for this to be paid to refugees?.....Tax Paying Australians. Why arent they considered FIRST, then whats left over can go to Refugees....

Ask any Australian Pensioner when they last ate a "T" Bone Steak...

How do you know the pensioner paid "taxes all their life"? Most of the people living in poverty at pension age, were living in poverty before pension age. What do you think happens to long term layabouts, drunks, petty criminals etc. once they reach a certain age? They are transferred from social assistance to state pension rolls. If many pensioners are impoverished, there is a reason: It is called not having prepared for their old age when they were younger. The question you should be asking is why do so many Australians abandon their elderly? Is it a culture of reaping what you sowed? Those elderly have kids. Where are they?

I don't like the willy nilly acceptance of refugees either. Unfortunately, Australians are not willing to do certain jobs. Have a look at who is working in the hospitals and elder care homes cleaning the piss and crap off the patients. it's not good ole Mabel or Bob is it?

Still, plenty of cash being pumped out to the dead-sheets who sit around doing nothing and also these family payments that go out are a joke.

In the old days, if you wanted to have kids, you paid for the little jiggers, tense days there's all sorts of handouts for families, payments for this and that.

Time to get Back to basics.

I cringe at the thought of old retires who retired before, around the time or in the 15-20 years before superannuation came about.

I can't imagine trying to live in Oztralia in 20k...........must be eating rats and cockroaches. Poor bastids.

[BB24]

Well...what do you expect when a Single, Unemployed, Dole Bludger gets $100 per week MORE than a person(pensioner) who has paid taxes all their life, to make it possible.....

It costs $50K per year per Refugee, to maintain them....But they pay Pensioners a base of less than $20K...shameful hey?

WHO made the Money available for this to be paid to refugees?.....Tax Paying Australians. Why arent they considered FIRST, then whats left over can go to Refugees....

Ask any Australian Pensioner when they last ate a "T" Bone Steak...

Wrong - dole bludgers get13000 PA and Pensioners get 23000. But I agree about ILLEGAL REFUGEES - but not about genuine Refugees.

[weegee]

Well...what do you expect when a Single, Unemployed, Dole Bludger gets $100 per week MORE than a person(pensioner) who has paid taxes all their life, to make it possible.....

It costs $50K per year per Refugee, to maintain them....But they pay Pensioners a base of less than $20K...shameful hey?

WHO made the Money available for this to be paid to refugees?.....Tax Paying Australians. Why arent they considered FIRST, then whats left over can go to Refugees....

Ask any Australian Pensioner when they last ate a "T" Bone Steak...

Wrong - dole bludgers get13000 PA and Pensioners get 23000. But I agree about ILLEGAL REFUGEES - but not about genuine Refugees.

Time you got a real update....The hidden handouts carry them (Single unemployed) to $100AUD per week above what a single pensioner receives.....

It's being discussed everywhere on Talk Back Radio and social medias, throughout Australia...The Truth is starting to surface now....

Yes Australia should be ashamed for not giving tax payers for around 50yrs, a Fair GO....Some weren't bludgers like whats bred today and worked hard and were filled with pride....They just didn't get that run of good luck like others who did....has the mentality of not taking care of real Aussies taken over completely.

[ezzra]

Recently

the Australian health minister has proposed that all Australian will start to pay to what was free blood work tests and some imaging services to finance the cost of treating the hapitatist C sufferers whom are mostly drug users and needle sharing drug addicts.

all I know, that I need to support my 85 years old mother in supplementing here pension take just to be able to live in dignity.....

[OldSalty]

And don't forget that the Australian pension is "means tested", which is absolutely BS because it should be a general pension for each citizen whether rich or poor, If you saved all your life for your pension you are not getting anything, but if you spend it all you are getting the pension, what a lot of bull is that. Australia is going down the drain pretty fast and soon you can not even afford to life in Thailand anymore like a lot of Brits lately realized and they are back home now. The Australian economy is hit by the downturn in China and now they tell you that the low Australian Dollar is good for exporting Australian manufactured goods, what do they manufacture???? If you can dig it ship it that's the truth.

[soalbundy]

No worries,she'll be alright

[BB24]

Well...what do you expect when a Single, Unemployed, Dole Bludger gets $100 per week MORE than a person(pensioner) who has paid taxes all their life, to make it possible.....

It costs $50K per year per Refugee, to maintain them....But they pay Pensioners a base of less than $20K...shameful hey?

WHO made the Money available for this to be paid to refugees?.....Tax Paying Australians. Why arent they considered FIRST, then whats left over can go to Refugees....

Ask any Australian Pensioner when they last ate a "T" Bone Steak...

Wrong - dole bludgers get13000 PA and Pensioners get 23000. But I agree about ILLEGAL REFUGEES - but not about genuine Refugees.

Time you got a real update....The hidden handouts carry them (Single unemployed) to $100AUD per week above what a single pensioner receives.....

It's being discussed everywhere on Talk Back Radio and social medias, throughout Australia...The Truth is starting to surface now....

Yes Australia should be ashamed for not giving tax payers for around 50yrs, a Fair GO....Some weren't bludgers like whats bred today and worked hard and were filled with pride....They just didn't get that run of good luck like others who did....has the mentality of not taking care of real Aussies taken over completely.

You are saying that a single person on Newstart (dole) can get $100 a week ($5200 PA) more than a single Age Pensioner ($22,542) ?? You are saying that a 'dole bludger' can get $27,742 PA ??!! The current base Newstart allowance for a single person is $13,608 PA - please advise exactly how they can get an extra $14,134 PA - so that I am 'really updated'. And I may think about going home and getting it !!!

I think you are over-exagerating the problem (a lot) - but I agree with your sentiment overall - Australia has let its Pensioners down.

But perhaps you are referring to those 'dole bludgers' who got themselves approved for the Disability Support Pension (DSP) and no longer receive Newstart - as they found a friendly doctor or two and are were declared 'disabled'. In that case you are still over-exagerating, but you are in the ball park. Someone who is on DSP gets close to the Age Pension and can then get additional payments for various things here and there (to encourage them back to work) - but not $5200 a year - as far as I am aware. The DSP is a joke and a disgrace. They have tightended things up when they (finally) realised that there are over 800,000 people on DSP and that just cannot be right. Nowadays it is very hard to get the DSP approved unless you are 'genuinely' disabled. But those who previously were approved, are not being 're-examined' by an independent Doctor or Panel. Besides the Greenies/Lefties refusing to support that idea in the Senate - the costs would be too much. Last year the Lib Govt suggested that the DSP and Newstarty should be combined and restructured. The outcry from the Left/Vested Interests and the Media was unbelievable - the matter was quietly dropped. THAT is why Pensioners are being treated badly - any attempt to redress things is met with a massive and sensational media outcry - "The Libs want to pay Johnny (picture young man with CF/Lukemia in a wheelchair) less money to save their Budget".

PS - I know exactly what I am talking about regarding the previous DSP approval processes. I know 2 guys who are both on DSP and they are both OK to work - they would just rather smoke pot and drink beer than ever work again. Try to take it away from them and they would go 'off their trees' - we last spoke when I suggested they had caused their own problems and didnt deserve the DSP.

[weegee]

Why call them Pensioners?....They are Senior Citizens, and deserve a little respect...Some of who, have done a lot for Australia over their lifetime...

[soalbundy]

Why call them Pensioners?....They are Senior Citizens, and deserve a little respect...Some of who, have done a lot for Australia over their lifetime...

Stop being so PC, I'm a pensioner because i receive a pension, i'm not a senior anything,just an old fart getting by.

[Thaidream]

It's not only Australia but the US and the UK. These governments refuse to recognize that their senior citizens worked their whole lives and now are in need of a decent retirement based upon the current cost of living not some arbitrary figure the governments think people can live on. In America, we can spend $630 Billion per year on the military and God knows how many Billions on 25 different intelligence departments but cannot give senior recipients of social security a raise. I would venture it is the same in other countries. I don't see any of the politicians cutting their bloated salaries or refusing their pay raises. In America, some of your retirement benefits are even taxed even though you paid taxes already when you were working. Why do you think more and more people from the developed countries are moving to the under developed World? They can't afford to live in their own country. Absolutely disgusting abuse of governmental power.everywhere.

[elgordo38]

Why call them Pensioners?....They are Senior Citizens, and deserve a little respect...Some of who, have done a lot for Australia over their lifetime...

Stop being so PC, I'm a pensioner because i receive a pension, i'm not a senior anything,just an old fart getting by.

Like the other 99% of us here.

[Maggusoil]

There are so many assumptions and generalizations in a lot of these posts. Pensioners, whether or not they prepared for their retired life are subject to all sorts of unexpected circumstances that can change their financial status. I should know. Those of us that are doing it hard are not all layabouts or dole bludgers or idiots, but perhaps had things happen, that weren't planned for and lo and behold, you're out.

I have gone back to work at 70 to make ends meet and then some and plan to get up and at it and get it sorted somehow.

I don't like relying on a pension of any sort and am doing something about it.

I do know professional pension cheats, who scam every which way and loose. Cash jobs, government houses in Australia, sickness benefits from drinking too much, any angle is a good angle.

There are many ways to skin the goose, but considering the natural wealth in Australia, the size of the continent and the small population, there is something very wrong with the government system there, which should be among the best in the word. Yet is is among the worst. Now we know.

Time to make some changes in that country.

[White Christmas13]

Well...what do you expect when a Single, Unemployed, Dole Bludger gets $100 per week MORE than a person(pensioner) who has paid taxes all their life, to make it possible.....

It costs $50K per year per Refugee, to maintain them....But they pay Pensioners a base of less than $20K...shameful hey?

WHO made the Money available for this to be paid to refugees?.....Tax Paying Australians. Why arent they considered FIRST, then whats left over can go to Refugees....

Ask any Australian Pensioner when they last ate a "T" Bone Steak...

actually today

[White Christmas13]

So why every body complains about Australian pensions? You get your pension

move to Thailand because it's cheaper to live who the hell pays for your pension?

Working people who work now and how much pension do you get from Thailand ?

Not a cent and how many Thai people get pension ?

[OldSalty]

So why every body complains about Australian pensions? You get your pension

move to Thailand because it's cheaper to live who the hell pays for your pension?

Working people who work now and how much pension do you get from Thailand ?

Not a cent and how many Thai people get pension ?

Sorry but that is just a lot of BS. People live here now because it is more affordable for them to live here instead in their home countries where the rents are just too high, more than 70% of their pension plus costs for heating and higher food expenses, All these people want is a decent income in their old age. I do not get a pension from Thailand and I do not want one, because I never worked here. But why is he Australian Pension means tested, those who saved all their lives do not get it and that is unfair, I am not stopping Thailand from having a social security system. Our living here pays for a lot of wages and bills, so that Thai families can survive, so please get your facts right and do not give me that BS.

[Doc46]

Why call them Pensioners?....They are Senior Citizens, and deserve a little respect...Some of who, have done a lot for Australia over their lifetime...

Yea ,,,They built the Country ,,,and what happen,, The government let them down. Because a lot of them have no Super they are Poor Senior Citizens!

[Thaidream]

Well Mr Christmas- this is not about Thais getting Pensions- it is about Westerners who worked their whole life at lower wages and are now faced with supporting themselves in a high cost of living World. I am glad you had your steak dinner but there are many others who are retired that are not eating well- it is not because they didn't plan properly it is because various governments have been robbing the populace for years through huge budget deficits and large government salaries that the average person has no access to. In addition, like the one poster stated things happen. In my own case, I lost a fully paid house and a huge amount of money to be able to pay for medical costs because the insurance ran out. I am not mad at anyone about it- stuff happens.I worked another 15 years and got some of it back The majority of pensioners or senior citizens simply want a decent life- no luxuries and the so called wealthiest countries in the World can't seem to see fit to make it happen.

[soc]

Well...what do you expect when a Single, Unemployed, Dole Bludger gets $100 per week MORE than a person(pensioner) who has paid taxes all their life, to make it possible.....

It costs $50K per year per Refugee, to maintain them....But they pay Pensioners a base of less than $20K...shameful hey?

WHO made the Money available for this to be paid to refugees?.....Tax Paying Australians. Why arent they considered FIRST, then whats left over can go to Refugees....

Ask any Australian Pensioner when they last ate a "T" Bone Steak...

How do you know the pensioner paid "taxes all their life"? Most of the people living in poverty at pension age, were living in poverty before pension age. What do you think happens to long term layabouts, drunks, petty criminals etc. once they reach a certain age? They are transferred from social assistance to state pension rolls. If many pensioners are impoverished, there is a reason: It is called not having prepared for their old age when they were younger. The question you should be asking is why do so many Australians abandon their elderly? Is it a culture of reaping what you sowed? Those elderly have kids. Where are they?

I don't like the willy nilly acceptance of refugees either. Unfortunately, Australians are not willing to do certain jobs. Have a look at who is working in the hospitals and elder care homes cleaning the piss and crap off the patients. it's not good ole Mabel or Bob is it?

Still, plenty of cash being pumped out to the dead-sheets who sit around doing nothing and also these family payments that go out are a joke.

In the old days, if you wanted to have kids, you paid for the little jiggers, tense days there's all sorts of handouts for families, payments for this and that.

Time to get Back to basics.

I cringe at the thought of old retires who retired before, around the time or in the 15-20 years before superannuation came about.

I can't imagine trying to live in Oztralia in 20k...........must be eating rats and cockroaches. Poor bastids.

Some eat canned Dog food.

Horrible joke from Australian Comedian, Rodney Rude(l don't like him, but some do).

Q.

"What reminds you of rotten kangaroo meat?"

A.

Pensioner's fart.

As someone here said, the govt(spelled with a small "t")don't mind spending big money on so-called "refugees" & trying to "rehabilitate" scumbag criminals but can't be arsed to look after our old folk.

They are also very good at increasing politician's pay packets.

Utterly shameful.

[Pepper1959]

As my father of 88 years says, not everyone of his generation who worked had the capacity to pay into super funds etc and therefore have to fall back onto the state pension funds. Some people did not have the funds to pay into the super funds either. It was a case of living day to day. My father was a good tradesman, but still found it hard to raise a family and at times, worked seven days a week, but took good advice and paid into a super fund and therefore can just survive today. It is not a case that those on the state pension are the low lifes as some seem to assume and it is not the case that they are abandoned by their families. Unfortunately, in a rich country like Australia, it is the rich who get richer, so it is the society that lets the poor down the most. And, pride will stop most older people from complaining, they have pride and have survived greater issues than any of us, the younger generation have ever had to cope with and may have to cope with.

[car720]

For those folks reading these posts who are not Australians it should be explained the the so called "dole bludger" is a very emotive issue.

The government has known this since Adam was a boy and they use it most effectively.

If those here could just calm down for a moment and think about it, they would remember that every time the government wants to cloud a really important matter that is unpopular they will always make a press release on top of a major statement about how they are going to rein in all the dole cheats. They must be really laughing at us poor punters.

Come on people. I thought expats were a smarter lot than that.

[soc]

And don't forget that the Australian pension is "means tested", which is absolutely BS because it should be a general pension for each citizen whether rich or poor, If you saved all your life for your pension you are not getting anything, but if you spend it all you are getting the pension, what a lot of bull is that. Australia is going down the drain pretty fast and soon you can not even afford to life in Thailand anymore like a lot of Brits lately realized and they are back home now. The Australian economy is hit by the downturn in China and now they tell you that the low Australian Dollar is good for exporting Australian manufactured goods, what do they manufacture???? If you can dig it ship it that's the truth.

Recently helped to clean out all the junk from a house. Lots of dead washing machines, fridges etc. Some of them 40-50 years old. As we rolled them off the verandah to the trailer taking them to the scrapyard, it saddened me to see proudly displayed on their back panels "Made in Australia".

Don't see that anymore. All white goods sold in Australia now come from China, Thailand or Taiwan. TV sets from Korea. Went to a farm auction. All the old farm equipment inc tractors, Made in Australia. No more, tractors from lndia, balers, ploughs etc from China, no more Bedford, Dodge, Leyland or lnternational farm trucks. All Mitsubishi or Nissan. Soon be Chinese trucks. Actually we don't make anything anymore. Shameful.

[White Christmas13]

And don't forget that the Australian pension is "means tested", which is absolutely BS because it should be a general pension for each citizen whether rich or poor, If you saved all your life for your pension you are not getting anything, but if you spend it all you are getting the pension, what a lot of bull is that. Australia is going down the drain pretty fast and soon you can not even afford to life in Thailand anymore like a lot of Brits lately realized and they are back home now. The Australian economy is hit by the downturn in China and now they tell you that the low Australian Dollar is good for exporting Australian manufactured goods, what do they manufacture???? If you can dig it ship it that's the truth.r

What a lot of bull so you are trying to tell so if a former politician and getting all the freebies like free travel for life free pensions worth millions of dollars and they deserve a pension on top of that ?

Edited January 7, 2016 by White Christmas13

[OldSalty]

And don't forget that the Australian pension is "means tested", which is absolutely BS because it should be a general pension for each citizen whether rich or poor, If you saved all your life for your pension you are not getting anything, but if you spend it all you are getting the pension, what a lot of bull is that. Australia is going down the drain pretty fast and soon you can not even afford to life in Thailand anymore like a lot of Brits lately realized and they are back home now. The Australian economy is hit by the downturn in China and now they tell you that the low Australian Dollar is good for exporting Australian manufactured goods, what do they manufacture???? If you can dig it ship it that's the truth.r

What a lot of bull so you are trying to tell so if a former politician and getting all the freebies like free travel for life free pensions worth millions of dollars and they deserve a pension on top of that ?

Yes that is exactly what I mean, if you ever paid into a social security system you should be entitled to get money out of the system at your old age whether you are a millionaire or not, but your politicians don't pay into the system, because they have the life pension anyhow paid by the taxpayer and that is the difference.

[Thaidream]

Welcome to the brave new world called globalization except its not really global. The wealthy in Australia, Uk, America, Canada decided that we can't make anything anymore so they moved their manufacturing base to other countries. Those countries copied our technology and then exported it back to us and our governments gave tax breaks to the companies that went offshore. Now we provide call centers and pay people minimum wage while our people get poorer the countries that stole our technology get richer. The bankers and lawyers and accountants all love it because they don't care who they represent. The I Phone designed in America is actually made in China- look a the prices they charge. Somebodies making a killing .None of this is sustainable in the long run. The One Percent cannot continue to hold the 99 Per Cent hostage much longer. This will be a World Revolution and capitalism as we know it now will be no more. A man with a long beard and flowing hair predicted over 2000 years ago that the poor would inherit the Earth. Bring it on...

[bridge2bridge]

Yes i am on a aged pension in Australia.

And boy it is bloody hard to survive.

Especially if you do not own your own residence.

Australia give MILLIONS away in over seas aid to some countries who HATE us and BURN our flag.

Should be stopped and given to the Senior Citizens who made this ONCE great country.

I worked ALL my life and paid my taxes, not like the dole bludgers and the unmarried mothers who have 6 kids to 6 different fathers.

And not to mention the Refugees, both legal and illegal.

Our Governments are weak as piss.

I think it is time for say a LIBERAL ALLIANCE PARTY or AUSTRALIA FIRST PARTY to clean up the mess we are in.

[Thaidream]

It is amazing how much solidarity there is on this issue- The Australians. Americans. United Kingdom and Canada all tired of having their incompetent governments give away their hard earned tax monies while their own citizens suffer. I keep saying it is not sustainable. We have just got to hang in there. Change is in the wind but it will take time. Remember, these pension monies are not free handouts- citizens pay into them by having taxes deducted from their salaries. These monies are an entitlement. .