Errr 230,000 members at $29 equals over $6.6M and what are they going to do with this?



It sounds like someone is making a tidy income.

As I said, BFrank, I dont think its a "not for profit".....and those figures are annual income. They produce a bi-monthly magazine and do some lobbying etc, but I agree that someone or someones are sleeping very well at night there.

I just put it forward as a discussion point as I really think we need some sort of national body to represent us as speaking as individuals gets us nowhere.

National Seniors have been around for years and never done a thing for seniors.

I rang last year - long before all the noise about pensioners and innocently asked why we didnt do something like a petition or a march to Parl House or something to let the pollies know we were here. I was told "We dont do that sort of thing" and I was also told that it was the National Seniors not the National Pensioners that I was speaking to.



Figures below poached from Centrelinks News for Senior 2006 and 2008 editions.



In 2006 single pension base rate was $256.05 per week $5.80 Pharmacy $51.60 per week for rental Assistance



In 2008 single pension base rate is $273.40 per week $5.80 Pharmacy $53.60 per week for rental assistance



An extra $17.35 a week base rate ($8.67 per year) Pharmacy the same and a whopping $2.00 extra rental($1 a year)



Deeming rates were 3% and 5% in 2006 and have gone up each March since.



Food, fuel, utilities, rentals etc have more than double in the past couple of years so this means we are going backwards even the self-funded (see Deeming etc)



Almost forgot utilities were $56.60 now $125.00 and telephone was $21.40 now $22.00 per quarter.



Lets face it the Libs and Labour do not see us as the voting public for some reason and it time we let them know that we do still vote, so do our friends and our families so if all pensioners, aged, self-funded, invalid get together we can still make a difference.

Tessata, you have supplied valuable information and laid bare the problem we all face. If even National Seniors "dont do that sort of thing", what hope do we have of getting our message across to the politicians. As you say, we not only have our own votes, but can influence family and friends etc. We need an active and aggressive representative body to get some action. The alternative is to meekly sit on our hands until well into 2009 until the politicians finish fandangling about with their investigations, committees, green papers, white papers, toilet papers etc and eventually decide to throw us a bone ( and it will be a small one).

I know I am harping on the subject, but individual actions are virtually useless.......we must find a way to use our numbers to intimidate the politicians. The thought of losing one vote doesn't worry them, but the thought of losing thousands or hundreds of thousands will scare them witless.

Tessata how true, you are right on the money (no pun intended).



National Seniors softly softly approach with cap in hand to politicians stands for and accomplishes little. Its possibly why pensioners and the disabled are treated with contempt.



Blind Freddy could realise that's why people take to the streets, to be noticed, gain support from others and make politicians sit up and take notice. When they see just how many prospective votes are walking away they get worried

Quite right......the Victorian pensioners who disrobed in public may have been undignified, but at least got us some great exposure (excuse the pun) in national media. I dont propose to flash "brown eyes" at the world, but we certainly need some innovative action to gain public sympathy and get our point across.

It al starts with someone organising a rally and getting names of Seniors trully willing to support it

and people willing to get there somehow. It would need to be thousands of Pensioners and supporters as it is so very true albeit each one matters, it has to be big, but not sure how many would be willing. Maybe someone here could start a poll and see how many would travel to whereever it is suggested (Of course separate places but same day same time for each State.

Seniors would be heard as it would be huge with media well notified in advance.

Of course it needs advertising so not just this forum knowing about it lol.

It could be done but will it? I think it could with a positive attitude. The trouble with e-mailing is it is very easy to ignore but people en-masse is not so easy.

Phyl.

I agree Phyl......but who can organise this. Four days ago, I posted a plea to the administrators to help us in some form of representation. To date, no response and only 32 people have read it. We seem to be hopelessly fragmented as a group with little prospect of getting our act together. I was certainly not advocating National Seniors when I mentioned them, but we need some voice that can legitimately claim to represent huge numbers......I am at a loss as to where to go from here.

Nothing much happens/will happen unless each person on a pension or supporting people living below the poverty line puts their hand up and says "put my name down" and it gets done.

I never in my life have just let things slide and to be honest if I wanted something "did it" SO many Senior people but just talking and also by a few in one plce at a time may not get the desired effect. Look how many naked bodies the photographer got in most States to do it?

We do not need to get naked just BE THERE wherever the rally is organised to be..............SO how many are willing? Can we brave the Winter? wait until Spring? but say I WILL BE THERE.............................................



Phyl. would......................

I think overcoming the 'cant be bothered attitude' or 'someone else will do it for me' or 'Ive got a doctor's appointment on that day' (selfish people) would be the biggest problem along with those who are staunch Labor supporters and dont want to be seen rocking the boat.



I dont know where everyone lives (and by rights should be under our user name, but that's another story) but picking a date say 2-3 months ahead that doesn't co-inside with any other function nation-wide, and when the weather is better to encourage attendance, might prove tricky. Plus if we had it too soon, Meetoo Kev and his supporters would say we haven't given them enough time to 'implement changes'. Then a phone call to your local talk-back radio station and Today Tonight (once we elect or rope in a volunteer spokesperson) and that would be it. Banners would be up to the individual, but would look good on TV.



Naturally we would want some speakers on the day in each state with invitations sent to the pollies and opposition members so we could howl them down.



I remember a little old lady ( Ivy Skoronski --now deceased I think) protested about Home Invasions on the parliament house steps here in Adelaide. She had the backing of a night-time talk back host and got a large turn out and media coverage and she succeeded in having the law changed.



What do you think?

Phyl and Bfrank, sorry to keep nagging, but trying to put such an undertaking together by ourselves would maybe get 15 to 20 people turn up. Something like this needs BACKING.....we need to advertise, get it in the media, let people know what is happing and generate a groundswell of interest. With the best of good intentions, I cant see us accomplishing this by ourselves.

Today, I looked at the "Greypower" website and sent them an email to ask what they are doing about present Govt inaction on pension rate increases. I would be happy to share any response with anyone interested. Greypower seem to be a fairly open and democratic organisation with the annual membership being a reasonable $10. They are affiliated with COTA. I know very little about them but as I said, they seem quite transparent (mentioned details of bank account balances in their newsletter) etc. They MAY be an organisation worthy of support, but I will keep digging and post any findings.

Something like this needs BACKING



Yes I agree kfchugo hence my reference to the radio announcer's backing in the local protest.



Sure it would be easier to unite with a larger member, media-savvy organisation, IF we can find one with teeth.



Keep digging and lets know what you turn up.

I think many peole give up waiting for something big to happen. Many many many small drops of water make an Ocean.

i.e. thousands of bodies but you are probably right nothing will happen and life is good anyway and maybe Seniors should be satisfied

I know many are very inventive with mince and adding a few herbs and a bit of bread.

Life is still good and surprising how we can be happy with little if we have to and I think Seniors will probably have to :)

All the best

Phyl..

to Phyl, BFrank etc. Like the way you think.

Perth had a rally just over a month ago it was organised in advance by Howard Sattler on the 6PR TALKBACK RADIO

hundreds of people turned up at the Perth Town Hall some in wheelchairs, other barely able to walk with walking sticks etc. Howards programme ran the whole thing live on radio -- interviewing people, talking to the few Pollies that turned up and so on. Then of course before that the Melbourne people gathered in all their glory.

But what we need is a National Pensioners Day -- where every State turns up maybe at Parliament House and we get talk-back radio in each city to do what Howard did and run the rallies live on radio -- daring the Pollies to turn up and naming the ones that dont. Being Nation wide we should get a good TV coverage.-- regards.