Budget 2010-2011

[foreigncorrespondent]

Guys, I have been trying to find out what Pensioners will get from this years budget but can't.

I was told that there would be something extra for people on Carers pensions this year, is that true?

I gave up 2 jobs, and a brilliant carer working in Security in order to become the full time and much needed carer for my partner. Now she is on a DSP payment, with two kids as well, and I get both the carers pension and carers allowance, and yet, with the price of food on the rise where we live, we are really struggling. Just food shopping for one week for us, it usually comes to around $250 $300, on top of that we have maintenance for my car, which we can't afford to get rid of, because my partner is on the liver transplant list, and we have to head to Melbourne at a moments notice.

Any help on this matter would be greatly appreciated.

[Violet_Crumble]

1. I don't recall anything in the Budget like that...

I sat through the speech while I was at work putting our department's Budget headline on our site and can't remember it.

Here's the stripped down but still too boring for me to read carefully outline of the Budget if you want to check...

http://www.budget.gov.au/2010-11/content/at_a_glance/html/at_a_glance.htm

My suggestion is that you work out a budget. If you can afford to spend that much on groceries, yr doing okay compared to quite a few people I know...

[foreigncorrespondent]

2. Thanks for that!

I will take a look at it tomorrow.

Can't really afford that in groceries, mate, that is just the essentials for survival for a family of four living in country, Vic.

As for a budget, we already have one, but when you live below the poverty line, budgeting really doesn't help. It is at the point I am considering taking on work again, which means the kids are going to have to do a lot of what I do for my partner.

[Matilda]

3. I've just been going through an analysis of some of the detail,

and for people on a disability pension, there's little joy.

The government is going to review it's assessment of disability pensioners to make it harder to get an allowance.
Those who are clearly incapable of working even 15 hours a week will now be put onto a Newstart Allowance and sent
on a training course, either with a special disability employment agency or a regular one. The idea is to increase
the numbers who can work at least 15 hours a week, thus disaqualifying them from the pension. The single rate for
Newstart is $231 per week. Wow! I imagine you have an allowance for the children, which will help, but it's
putting people under intolerable strain.

The Henry Review recommended an increase in the rental allowance for pensioners, which has increased only by about
2% in the past three years, while rents have increased by 10%. The government has ignored his recommendation. He
also recommended an increase in the unemployment allowance, but that has also been ignored.

I see the rationale for what the government is doing by focussing on debt reduction and therefore depriving the
Opposition of a stick to beat them with, but this isn't what Labor has always stood for. This is what Howard what
would have done, and what Abbott would do.

I'm so sorry for you, and so disappointed in this government. They are letting Abbott spook them.

[foreigncorrespondent]

4. Thanks for that, mate!!!

I have no bloody idea why they want to let Abbott spook them for... there was a poll in The Age yesterday with the majority of voters saying Rudd will win the election again. Abbott leading the right won't give the right a win, that's for sure!


I can understand the government wanting to get people off the DSP if they don't need to be on it, but personally in this area where I am, I know of at least 25 people who are on DSP for real medical, or mental health reasons. They will have a hard time switching my partner over... she has been on DSP for over a year now, and was ordered from her doctor (prior to us finding out about her resent illness with her liver) not to work at all, and that is due to head injuries she received during a hostage situation 5 or so years ago now. She isn't able to do much of anything for long periods of time because of the head injuries... computers can trigger seizures, standing causes dizziness, and lots of other stuff associated with those injuries alone. Mind you, my partner worked hard in her life, started out with the Vic police, moved into modeling, and from there into theatre, tv, and movie acting, and would love to get back into theatre work, but alas to her disappointment, she is unable to.

She does get that family tax thing for the kids as part of her benefit payment, and every cent of that does go on clothing and home schooling the kids.

And you are right, this isn't what Labor stood for. I remember the days when they were for the poor people, and worked hard at getting things for the poor in this country, so much for those days now.

I will get the carer supplement payment at the end of June, but sadly that will go on bills (this is the only chance in a year we get to catch up on bills) I was hoping for a little something in this Budget, so we could spoil the kids a little... they miss out on so much.

Oh well, maybe next year we will see a better Budget!