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

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

Tags: Consumer Action Consumer Quickshot FiftyUp Club
Last updated by Chris Zinn on

As debate hots up before the Federal Budget, it’s time to gauge the views of those most affected by the hip-pocket issues being discussed – the over-50s.

The 120,000-member FiftyUp Club has today launched its second annual pre-Budget survey, asking the over-50s what they think about:

  • Pensions and superannuation
  • Negative gearing,
  • The GST and
  • Working to age 70

Consumers over 50 can now give their views HERE on big questions such as whether access to the pension should be more strict, the GST should be extended, or negative gearing should be ended.

They’ll also be asked about work experiences ahead of the inquiry into discrimination against older workers, announced this week (see Appendix).

Last year’s FiftyUp Club Budget Survey attracted more than 6,500 responses on pensions, Medicare and other issues and was presented to the federal government. The same will be done this year.

“Big decisions in these areas affect us not just now but well into the future and will impact on how we plan, save and prepare — so it’s vital we have a voice in these debates,” says FiftyUp Club guest commentator Christopher Zinn.

“As a group with age and experience, but not always money and influence, we need to let decision-makers know what we think before it’s too late.”

The FiftyUp Club has over 120,000 members and uses their buying power to negotiate special offers and lobby on their behalf. It’s free to join at FiftyUpClub.com

Click Here to take our 5-Minute Survey

 

 

APPENDIX

Recent Budget Related News

  1. ‘Stop rich from using negative gearing to offset wages, save $1b : ACOSS’, Sydney Morning Herald, 16 April 2015 by Nassim Khadem Read Here
  2. ‘How a 12 per cent GST could deliver a $100,000 earner an income-tax cut of $34 a week’, News.com.au, 1 April 2015 by John Rolfe Read Here
  3. 'Tony Abbott pledges to protect our superannuation: No changes during his term of government and beyond’, The Daily Telegraph, 16 April 2015 by Simon Benson Read Here
  4. ‘Age Discrimination: Federal Government inquiry to examine barriers older workers face in finding jobs’, ABC Online, 15 April 2015 by Nick Dole Read Here
  5. ‘Opinion: Politicians can’t be trusted to make decisions about superannuation’, Courier Mail, 15 April 2015 by Jeff Kennett Read Here
Originally posted on .

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

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josevata
josevata from NSW commented:

Workers who have paid taxes all their working life are struggling on the pension while some boat refugee is living a good life in a detention centre with all the perks. Men and women worked their hearts.out to build this country and deserve to be looked after.Why bring people in who irritate the government like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes. Pensioners who worked and paid taxes all their working lives deserve better. 

Michael
Michael from NSW commented:

I paid my taxes throughout my working life, paid off two mortgages and thought to have adequate super. Not any more with current interest rates as they are. Even another 2% would make a vast difference. The pollies, what a bunch of takers they are. Trying every avenue they can to reduce the likes of the pension but looking the other way when it comes to looking after their own nest egg. 

Someone
Someone from VIC commented:

David from Vic I worked shiftwork for 30 years and paid off a mortgage with interest rates at 18% without government assistance to look after "my children" because I was happy to live in a 3 bedroom house and 1 old car .Why,now that I am retired,should I have to help shiftworkers who have set up their lives living beyond their means(big house and 2 new cars) What about cutting out one level of government (state or local ) and get religious groups to pay tax. 

Someone
Someone from NSW commented:

Years ago we did not want price & wage freeze or Australia card we have to decide on then know 

Raylene
Raylene from NSW commented:

We are late 70s. Husband worked until he was 75 we paid tax on money invested in super funds. Our funds are limited & there is basically no interest we are healthy & get a health card. I wonder why we are put in the same basket as the baby boomers when we are prewar models! We had very little time to make our super!!! 

LEE
LEE from NSW commented:

What is it with the fixation on housing affordability? Dropping interest rates doesn't make houses more affordable, it increases the willingness of bidders to pay more. The first step should be to stop sales of property to overseas investors. In our previously modest suburb we regularly have houses sold on the first weekend sight unseen by absentee bidders - sometimes paying >25% above the estimated value. Our street has 14 houses - two are vacant owned by absentee landlords. 

Christopher
Christopher from QLD commented:

Cut out the immoral perks for former pollies and stop the lefties being so obstructionist when the Government is trying to fix the mess that it inherited! 

Frank
Frank from NSW commented:

Why did we let the labor government get us into this mess? Wayne Swan the best treasurer we ever had, you must be joking, look at the mess we are in now. 

helen
helen from NSW commented:

Australia used to be the lucky country, sadly this is no longer true. When we purchased our first home in 1985 it cost approximately 4 times my moderate annual wage. Now my children need approximately 11 times their annual income to purchase the same type of property . Years of low interest rates, negative gearing and restrained wages have contributed to housing inaffordability. For the record my children can not even afford a one bedroom unit in dire need of renovation in the current Sydney market. They pay taxes so that greedy investors can outbid them and negative gear to avoid paying their fair share. Enough is enough! 

Alex
Alex from NSW commented:

Talk of an increase in the GST and a lowering of income taxes will directly impact self funded retirees. Why try to hit the very people who have enriched this country so much. I have never put my hand out for government welfare and never will but if any government wants to have a go at us then maybe its time to move offshore and take our wealth with us, 

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