Time to give the over 50's a voice in budget debates on tax, retirement and work

Just a couple of comments about your survey. It is directed at employed people rather than self employed, and its a totally different thought process when you are in control of what your working day looks like, in good and bad ways.Thankfully I don't have to think about turning 65 as the end of my working life. Perhaps some input about whether people would consider becoming self employed, and what would need to happen for them to do that. also - Voting - need an option for Independents - Living in Indi this is now a very welcome option 

20 years ago (age 43) I was employed by a major Australian Financial Institution & I suffered a debilitating stroke at work leaving me with multiplied disabilities. Following 1 year hospitalisation and rehab I wondered what I could do to continue employment after only having one job since leaving school. I am pleased to say I've never been unemployed since by retraining and working around my disabilities. For 21 years now I've continued to work around my disabilities. My objective is to work from home as I do until age 70 then review. What I have a real problem with is the system that I contribute too has to support those people that have made themselves unemployable. Instead of ongoing handouts - give 'em a shovel. 

If politicians want to toughen up ordinary peoples life, they should show a true leadership and start from themselves!!!! 

1. Interest on savings should not be taxed if the Government want more people to be self funded in retirement. These accounts could work similar to the super only tax if withdrawals before a certain age. 2. I have worked hard for my retirement and done without so that I could educate my children without assistance. Yet I am not on the same footing as a politician who serves two terms and can access the type of pension that they can for 8 years of work. Level the playing field. 3. Once a Politician has left politics whether they be prime minister or not the country should not be supporting them or paying for security/offices/travel etc. My previous employer doesn't do that for me. I thought we were all equal in this country. 4. Look at a transaction tax which removes all the discrimination on who can claim what at tax time and who can write off deductions. This would get rid of Stamp Duty, Levees, Income Tax and the thousand and one other taxes, levees, duties that currently exist behind closed doors. 5. Instead of looking to cut pensions for those who have worked all their lives paying tax and supporting the country look at the younger generation for the future. Stop with the handouts! Drug test welfare recipients - I get drug tested to earn the tax to pay for them. Work for the dole! 6. I do believe there are genuine cases in the community that are in need and are trying to find work to provide a better life for themselves and their family but handouts are not the way. One has no respect for something that is not earned as is demonstrated time and time again in our society. 

The issues relating to our ageing population have been very poorly introduced to the Australian people by ham fisted politicians whose lack of any diplomatic skills to finesse what is a very serious debate has been just astounding. The Intergenerational Reports instead of opening the way for some intelligent discussion and imaginative analysis have become tools to divide and segregate our nation into marginalised cohorts upon whom to attribute blame and stir up animosity and fear. We are suffering form an appalling lack of leadership and the vacuum is being increased by media deficiencies due to concentration of ownership, insecurity and uncertainty for those who have been strong and critical commentators on what ails our lucky country. We are obsessed with celebrating past military might, even when the consequences, as especially in WW1 the loss of vital young men was a disaster for the collective Australian gene pool, and the families who most personally felt their loss. It seems to me that, with all our natural resources and beauty, something is seriously wrong with the way we have exploited our resources and so poorly shared them equitably nor used them to fund strong reserves for the future Education, Employment, Health, Housing and Welfare of all Australians. Why is it so? Why do great Australian innovations and inventions receive so little, and such grudging Investment from our buoyant banking industry? Why should any child from our comparatively tiny population be illiterate and innumerate? Why are so many Australians sick, both physically and mentally, given the vast amounts of money being thrown at "Health"? Are we a healthy nation? Why are so many Australians anxious and depressed and fearful of the future? There are increasingly huge gaps dividing the very wealthy and the poor. It is not the way forward and our ancestors would be appalled to see what is going on. 

Whilst I have completed he survey, I was disappointed that you chose to combine a number of issues together and did not allow comment under items. I feel the legitimacy of this survey has, as a result, been compromised. 

We received no grants to help us. Thought at 55 I would be about to retire on the pension. Now I have another 10 years of work if I have enough super. I now work 40 to 45 hours a week (which was 38 hours in my twenties) and I have tried to improve my job, but no 30 year old wants to hire someone in their fifties, you are to old. Not happy Jan. 

To The FiftyUp Team, I appreciate your efforts in putting together these surveys for us. I know it takes both time and effort. However, when composing your next survey, will you please not restrict us by placing qualifying statements with the 'Yes'/"No' answers? Instead, you could perhaps give us a couple of lines to add our own qualifiers.. Or, if you think participants won't provide qualifying statements, perhaps you could provide a broad rage of qualifiers from which we can choose. With all surveys, I've had to answer 'Don't Know' to some items because I don't agree with the qualifying statements tagged onto the 'Yes'/"No' responses. Without the provided qualifying statements, I would have answered either 'Yes' or 'No', so the provided qualifiers have skewed the survey results. I don't imagine I'm alone in having this problem, so I think it's worth raising the matter as it does affect the survey results. 

Too much voice is given to the people who have given very little if anything to Australia's future. Most of these people only look for what they can take out of the system. Until these people have been contributing for at least 20 years they should not get a say. University students are a typical example. 

Government trying to make over 50s feel guilty and responsible for working hard and saving. Emphasis should be on people (other than those with genuine disabilities) who have never supported this country and never will, but happy to accept handouts due to over generous "woe is me" welfare. I can remember when being on welfare / unemployment benefits at 15 was an embarrassment and had to take any work offered or lose benefit - far cry from today's mentality. The pendalum needs to swing back to being responsible for own future not relying on taxpayers. I make no apologies for not being a bleeding heart - as mentioned before I have worked and saved all my working life like many others and we are not responsible for the welfare state.