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

The problem with this style survey is asking questions without a lot of context provided. Most of the answers aren't really just black and white, yes/no. The complexity and inter-relationships between pensions, taxes and super make it extremely difficult for any politician to make the right decision, as politics will get involved and the appropriate actions not taken. Pollies only think to the next election, not long term. 

I would like to politicians take a cut in their packages. They all retire on a very good payouts. They get plenty of freebies even when they retire. I would not mind if we had a party that controlled our country properly and was worth voting for and stop blaming each other just get on with it. I don't agree with getting taxed when money goes on our super. Most 50 and overs never had super when they started working all those years ago. 

Aussie governments ( not just this one ) always seenm to give the Impression that they want to please everyone except their own people ? Maybe it's just my over active imagination!,, Dave / QLD. 

The ABC should be broken up and sold off completely. The large agricultural property Indonesia bought (not invested in) in the top end of Australia should be nationalised. Also, BHP and Rio Tinto should be pulled into line and not be allowed to stockpile Iron Ore by sending the selling price plummeting. This is the reason Western Australia will be down by $3,000,000,000 in receipts, consequently jeopardising the Federal Budget. Anything not sustainable should not be subsidised by the Australian public e.g. wind farms, solar roofing panels etc. Gas should be set aside for all of Australia's needs. After all, all the minerals, gas, coal and water belong to all Australians and not the multi-nationals and foreigners who come into Australia and take over our resources by working our land - not necessarily for the betterment of Australia. No coal seam gas should be allowed on prime agricultural land. Australia should be feeding the world, not letting in foreigners to work our land and exporting to their country of origin. The Climate Change bureaucracy should be abolished. Foreign aid to other countries should be cut back. After all, Australia is now having to borrow to hand out foreign aid. There are plenty of ways of saving and getting rid of debt. Politicians should be held accountable for putting Australia in such appalling debt. Rudd, Gillard & Swann should not receive indexed Super every year because of their irresponsible decisions. All political parties should leave the country in better financial shape when they leave office. If they don't, they should forfeit half of their Super. 

There should not be a so-called "pension Age". People should be able to work until they want to retire once reaching 65. Those people who work over that age should pay less tax and be entitled to a Health Card. If the GST was increased to 15% on everything and other taxes reduced or wiped out like stamp duty etc then the government would increase their income and the workers would have more disposable income,the give and take theory would work. We should try it. 

Adding to our last comment regarding pensions and making sacrifices there are big anomalies in our medicare and private health insurance system. Medicare fees are set at fairly reasonable levels for doctors,who, by and large are content with their earnings. The huge gaps are between AMA set and Medicare determined fees for specialists. While it is recognised that i.e. an anaesthetist holds a patients life in his hands he should not be allowed to charge $275 for a quick handshake to introduce himself prior to an operation - that is sheer greed. True, specialists study longer, need sophisticated equipment and carry huge responsibilities for human lives, but the gap between AMA and Medicare set fees is so unreasonably large and the benefits granted by private health and medicare so meagre that adjustment need urgently be consindered. Also, how can private insurers be allowed to increase their premiums by over 6 % while pensioners have to be content with COL levels of increases? Sooner or later we cannot afford to stay with private insurance and will have to join the ridiculously long waiting lists for badly needed joint replacements etc on medicare funded operations. No wonder medicare is bankrupt. 

After working all our lives and dutifully paying our taxes, never asking for handouts, raising und educating our children with after tax dollars, even working to age 70, we should not have to worry about our pensions being cut while others are not willing to even get out of bed to look for a job or, like ex-politicians, receive obscenely high pensions/super payments plus perks while still earning big salaries. We have to account for every penny above the pension. 

There is a great imbalance in our country, when the GST was introduced we were told it would stop the "black economy" that proved to be false, it is possible to "BUY" an ABN and virtually pay no tax at all! Increasing the GST rate will only hurt the poor! Extremely wealthy people can "rearrange" their finances with devious "creative" accountants in such a way that the Tax Office can not keep up with the shenanigans and then have the hide to claim "we are doing nothing wrong" "we are within the law" At the risk of being called a "commo" I will bring up the finical matters of just 10 "CEO's" that operate in this county, between them $13,547.00 per hour, 24 hours a day, has to come from the pockets of Australian consumers to pay their obscene salaries, One example D. Gygnell CEO Ch. 9 $19.59 million per year, another example former CEO of the Westpac Bank Gail Kelly, 10.98 million per year, more than $1000.00 per hour 24hours a day, yes even while she was asleep! this had to come from the pockets of any body that had any dealings with the Westpac Bank. It is NOT possible to "EARN" that much money, I don't except that she is that "smart" to be able to return that much money to even pay her salary, no one can, there has to be a fiddle going on somewhere, there needs to be a full open enquiry into the corporate operating structure in this country! 

The biggest problem is the opposition, when they were the government all they did was spend, spend, spend and now all they want to do is stop our government from paying off our debts. labour buy votes by giving away money. Both State and Federal Labour Governments always leave an enormous debt for the coalition to pay off. The greens are all for the rights of the non Australians expecting the Australian tax payer to fund all their pie in the sky ideas, while taking our away our rights. 

what chance has Hockey of doing anything with an idiot like Shorten and the clowns in the senate