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NewsOpen letter to the Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull
Open letter to the Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull

Open letter to the Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull

Tags: Cost of Living FiftyUp Club FiftyUp Club News
Last updated by Chris Zinn on

Dear Malcolm,

As a sixty year-old who is now our prime minister may I congratulate you, at least on behalf of some of our 130,000 members, on your sudden elevation and commend the benefits of joining the FiftyUp Club.

The snap poll alongside this letter on the website may give you some idea as to your current popularity amongst the members who have previously told they are predominantly coalition supporters.

We’re in the midst of the Fair Go For Fifty Ups campaign which seeks to highlight the cost of living issues, pressures and even solutions facing one in five Australians.

Given we are a powerful electoral force and issues such as retirement incomes, tax and GST, health spending and insurance are the bread and butter of politics I thought you might be interested in some interim findings.

It’s our intention to bundle up the 16,000 responses so far, which include some robust statistics and pithy comments, and present them to politicians in Canberra next month. Perhaps you’ll be free?

When it comes to state politicians in particular eyeing off an increasing the GST we are clearly split down the middle.

While 46% say absolutely no change to the system another 46% do support increases to the 10% rate and/or to the base of goods and services on which it is levied.

Another contentious issue under increasing debate is whether the family home should be included in the pension assets test.

When asked what policy was most important to their family situation 42% nominated the family home exemption followed by 15% choosing no changes to superannuation taxes.

Given your predecessor promised there’d be no changes to super in his administration many of us might be forgiven for wondering if this remains the case.

Finally with health lobby groups calling for a review of private health insurance, and the government reportedly due to call one soon, we’d love to know where you stand.

When you were last in charge of the party in 2009 you may recall using your budget reply speech to reject Labor’s means testing of this insurance.

The scrapping of the means test remains seemingly unaffordable but it would be popular with the 51% of our respondents finding it hard to afford but ‘not prepared to go without it’.

Another 16% have had to cancel their cover because it has become a ‘luxury’.

Please consider the above and we shall forward the final poll results as soon as they are in,

 

 Yours Sincerely,

Christopher Zinn

Fifty Up Club Spokesperson

Originally posted on .

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Open letter to the Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon Malcolm Turnbull

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eric
eric from VIC commented:

It sis still the same draconian policies of T Abbott just a different leader I see no reason to celebrate. 

Robert
Robert from NSW replied to eric:

Draconian policies? are you sure you really mean that? if so, take a clear view of that political party "LABOUR" that put us in this position. We are "BROKE" because of the handouts made to get the votes by that Labour group of incompetent politicians. You have no idea - disappointed at your silly comments. 

eric
eric from VIC replied to Robert:

I am gald to hear you are disappointed as that means I must have said something right also we here talk of tax cuts how can we afford tax cuts if the budget was left in such dire straits. Remember the great Budget crisis. 

Robert
Robert from NSW replied to eric:

I am disappointed at your comments sure I am. Now you are talking about a particular issue "tax cuts" and the likes whereas before you just had nothing to say of any consequence at all - just total rubbish.We cannot afford tax cuts "period" - yippie! something that you have just brought about - I never ever said we can afford any "tax cuts" but those lousy Labor politicians thought we could or we should without considering the alternatives. This was followed by the Liberals - to appease the somewhat illiterate elite who were looking for a handout as usual. The budget crisis does exist. What those suicidal Labor idiots did to the country with the massive expenditure and debt crisis had to be fixed. Unfortunately the Liberals faced another mob of idiots in the senate and that has caused a further escalation in the debt factor. Would you prefer to have a massive debt hanging over your head or a decline so as to put "OUR" country in a better financial position? The tax cuts that the Liberals came up with due to Labors promises would have had to have increases in other areas so as to balance the books - Labor would have done the same. The problem was and still is that Labor would not know what to do in the first place - that's what I call an ignorant mob of union backed up politicians with very little or NO private enterprise experience. The Liberals on the other hand would try to minimise the other avenue with tax increases in other areas. Have you heard of debit / credit accounting? If so you would understand - what goes out must come in from somewhere just to balance the books, as they say. Unfortunately, someone somewhere was going to be hit with something, but, for the good of the country, I was prepared to accept whatever that was required to HELP put our country back on track (even from those idiots in the Labor camp if they were elected to government) and this is what you call "DRACONIAN" policies? 

Robert
Robert from NSW replied to eric:

Maybe this is the reason why we are falling behind, because of people like you unfortunately think of "DRACONIAN" policies rather than what can we do for our country instead of what the country can do for "me" attitude. Shame 

Robert
Robert from NSW replied to Robert:

Eric, I don't want to teach you anything, just simple SUMS which might just be too hard for you to comprehend. Eric please get off your high horse and start making intelligent comments - "no" stop, just carry on with your idiotic words of wisdom without knowing what you are writing about. Adios, goodbye, totseins and aufiderzein. 

eric
eric from VIC replied to Robert:

I have done plenty for my country put my life on the line,and as normal when you are going away all the politicians are there for there photo opportunities but when you come back injured or maimed or mentally damaged they don't want to know. 

Gwen
Gwen from QLD commented:

I agree with all .. My main concern is what the policians get when they leave office. Full pension free travel for family free cars & also can work . Pensioners if working get Penalized for each $1'. They should be treated the same as us .. 

Kerrie
Kerrie from NSW commented:

NO change to GST. YES the family home should be included in the assets test. NO changes to superannuation. NO changes to health insurance. 

Lynda
Lynda from QLD commented:

Turnbull the Turmite.......I am absolutely disgusted at what you have done to a wonderful gentleman who was elected to be PM by the people of Australia, you will never be recognised as PM by myself and many others...Tony should have exposed you for the leaking ever since the election..He should never have rewarded you with a Ministry you are not fit to be a backbencher.You are our equivalent of Kevin Rudd...let in any more Muslims and you will be gone at the next election 

Walter
Walter from NSW replied to Lynda:

Sorry Lynda, We elected the Liberal Party, they elect their leader 

Michael
Michael from QLD commented:

While I do not agree with the antics will wait and see what happens at least you may be better than your labour opponent and that is a little better the only thing that does concern me along with the so called refugees is the disgusting morals of these homosexuals a marriage is between a man and a woman an agreement between two people is fair enough as long as it is made legal 

margaret
margaret from NSW commented:

I am a 77 year old, one of the so called rich because my late husband and I planned our retirement and were not entitled to the age pension. I am now finding that each year the extra capital that I have is dwindling and with low interest rates I have to consider carefully how I spend my money. I am certainly one of those that may have to consider if I can afford to keep private heath insurance at a critical time in my life. 

Michelle
Michelle from NSW commented:

I am very disillusioned by ALL politicians. If you are serious about looking after ordinary Australians, please address the outrageous waste by politicians of all parties and the grossly unfair perks offered to elected members. Perhaps if these cost were sensibly addressed Australia's overall financial situation would not be in the sad state that it is. Instead of telling us we need to "tighten our belts" politicians need to lead by example! 

Mick
Mick from NSW commented:

I voted for Tony Abbott. Your leadership is equivalent to BS Bill Shorten, which is fucked! 

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