In a place often seen as thriving, it's easy to overlook the quiet challenges many continue to face.

For some, making ends meet remains a constant struggle, especially those depending on support systems to get by.

Ongoing discussions about financial assistance have left many feeling left out and unheard.

The current state of Centrelink payments is a pressing issue for many, especially older Australians who have spent their lives contributing to the nation's economy.

Marge, a retiree who voiced her concerns on the ABC program Q&A, encapsulates the sentiment of many when she questions how older Aussies are expected to get by on the current Age Pension.

'How can the government expect us to believe that they know everyone is doing it tough when the latest pension increase for a couple equates to 25 cents per day each?' she said.

Calls to raise Centrelink payments were rejected despite rising costs and community appeals. Credit: Facebook

'Every bill we pay has risen significantly... actions definitely speak louder than words in this situation.'

The disparity between their financial resources and the cost of living is growing wider for those on a fixed income.

Many people share Marge's frustration. They feel that after a lifetime of working and paying taxes, they should not have to pinch pennies in their twilight years.

JobSeeker, another critical Centrelink payment, has also been under scrutiny.

The recent increase of $3.10 per fortnight has been met with dismay, as it does little to alleviate recipients' financial strain.

Economist Nicki Hutley points out that investing in JobSeeker not only benefits the recipients but also the community at large.

According to recent modelling, every additional dollar invested in JobSeeker generates a $1.25 return through healthier individuals, reduced government payments, and improved productivity.

The government's Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee has recommended increasing JobSeeker to 90 per cent of the Age Pension, raising the fortnightly payment from $781.10 to $942.39.

This suggestion, however, has been met with resistance from both major political parties.

Despite the clear benefits, politicians have reaffirmed their stance against increasing the payment, citing budget constraints and the challenge of raising taxes to fund social benefits.

The debate has brought to light the broader issue of prioritising government spending.

Richard Denniss from The Australia Institute offers a provocative perspective, highlighting the billions of dollars in fossil fuel subsidies and the colossal investment in the AUKUS submarine deal as areas where funds could be reallocated to support the country's most vulnerable.

As we navigate these challenging times, we must remember that behind the statistics and political debates are real people struggling to afford necessities.

The question remains: How can one of the wealthiest nations in the world justify not providing adequate support to those in need?

We at the Seniors Discount Club believe a society is judged by how it treats its most vulnerable members.

It's time for a serious conversation about our national priorities and how we can ensure that every Australian has the means to live with dignity.

In other news, millions across the country received a boost to certain support payments from 20 March, affecting various forms of assistance.

These adjustments were part of a regular review tied to shifts in living costs and broader economic factors. You can read more about it here.

Key Takeaways

• Labour and the Coalition have rejected calls to increase Centrelink payments, despite rising cost of living pressures and community group pleas.
• Retirees and JobSeeker recipients have expressed frustration at the modest increases, which they claim are insufficient for meeting basic needs.
• Economist Nicki Hutley suggested that increasing JobSeeker could lead to positive community outcomes, with a good return on investment.
• Political debate continues regarding social security payment levels, with suggestions of reallocating funds from areas such as fossil fuel subsidies to support vulnerable Australians.

Have you or someone you know been affected by the lack of increase in Centrelink benefits? How has this impacted your daily life? Your stories are powerful and can help bring about change. Let's start the conversation in the comments below.

 

[Veggiepatch]

I'm 65, on Jobseeker and it will take me over 16 years to recoup the taxes I have paid over the years in income tax.

I am required to report every month to show I have applied for 15 jobs as per my mutual obligations. My chance of getting employment is 0.0001%.

And people have the hide to call me a dole bludger!

 

[Phantom55]

All the Local MP’s don’t want to hear what you have to say. I have written numerous times to our Local MP as well….but I think all mail from Seniors is shredded….. nothing to see here
Bill Shorten WAS our local MP & I wrote 3 letters to him. Never heard a single word back from him….so what’s he point in writing to them in the 1st place?
They don’t want to hear from us as we are a burden to them….
So very sad…..

if you want a reply ...you need to write when there is an election in the horizon otherwise they are too busy opening shopping centres etc and cant waste time talking to you

 

[Towing]

I am like most aged pensioners and agree we have worked hard all our life to deserve a pension is a no brainer. The un employed are that because they get paid to stay at home and live off our hard earned legacy. Some maybe genuine but most are dole bludgers and young girls falling pregnant and dragging the children up on the govt. funding.

I know one girl who waited a few months, did a "part time" TAFE course (so she could put her baby into chidcare) and went into a different career.

 

[Veggiepatch]

Why dont polls have a means test and how come they can access the funds immediately .....are they royalty?special ?...the only job where one can retire on full pay after 8 yrs service.....how terribly Australian our pm earns more than the president of USA and he has 350 million citizens we have 25 million...seems fair enough...I dont think

Albanese and Trump are on par as far as salary goes. Maybe you forget to factor in exchange rates.

Why not bring up Shemara Wikramanayake, the CEO of Macquarie Group, with a reported pay of $29.4 million who has just 20600 to look after?

 

[Phantom55]

I'm 65, on Jobseeker and it will take me over 16 years to recoup the taxes I have paid over the years in income tax.

I am required to report every month to show I have applied for 15 jobs as per my mutual obligations. My chance of getting employment is 0.0001%.

And people have the hide to call me a dole bludger!

you are unemployable (I wold prefer to employ you. as the younger applicants are not very employable) but as an employer it is not viable to employ a person your age ,its the investment an employer has to make when engaging a new employee its just not viable...one would think c'link would know this

 

[Phantom55]

Albanese and Trump are on par as far as salary goes. Maybe you forget to factor in exchange rates.

Why not bring up Shemara Wikramanayake, the CEO of Macquarie Group, with a reported pay of $29.4 million who has just 20600 to look after?

the tax on 29.4 million alone would pay for our pm single handed.and I dont pay a cent towards it I have a choice...the pm is paid by every worker (APP $6m) no choice

 

[Veggiepatch]

you are unemployable (I wold prefer to employ you. as the younger applicants are not very employable) but as an employer it is not viable to employ a person your age ,its the investment an employer has to make when engaging a new employee its just not viable...one would think c'link would know this

Some years ago, I applied for a job as a Plant Operations Manager at a chemical manufacturer. The reason I didn't get the job?

I had more qualifications and experience than the person who interviewed me!

Their loss!

 

[Phantom55]

OMG someone else who thinks these lazy entitled little so and so's should be made to get off their backsides and do something to earn their keep, and you are RIGHT there are so many of them who will never work because they get plenty to live on, ( did not say all ). How dare they put job seeker payments up and not Pensioners, at least they do have the means to get a job (if they want it ), Pensioners on the other hand have done their time and should be paid the MINIMUM Wage, it does not have to go up like wage increases do but we really need enough to actually enjoy our Retirement not scrimp and save to get by.

WHY WORK after expenses ,transport, travel ,clothing , lunches etc it would pay to not work and encourage a black employment situation (which exists now). which will enable migrant workers to work here and send funds home 2 or 3 yrs and one could be rich back home

 

[Mikeyboy2012]

The pathetic Pension rise in March, doesn't come close to inflation. I have no idea how they calculated such a ridiculously small amount as pension increase.

 

[Phantom55]

Until we stop giving people who are capable of working money for nothing and change people’s opinion that retirees/older people are a burden nothing will change. People power is the greatest voice. Older Australians and people who have the means like radio hosts, TV presenters and even this news letter need to join forces to make a noise that the politicians will listen to. Look what the people in Paris did when the government wanted to change the retirement age.
Our problem in Australia is that we want someone else to fight our care or we say “it will be ok mate”

unfortunately our system is controlled by libs (for the bosses ) lab (for the worker) mentality totally untrue these days but so many 'dyed in wool'voters that each election is controlled by the minor parties libs and lab almost knock each other out and the deciding factor is by the fringe parties to. decide our fate. We think we have a vote ...we dont.. we give someone the right to use it the way THEY see fit its the football team way of thinking we always follow X team regardless of win or lose we are the faithful thus we get the govt we DESERVE..and rightly so..pollies do not deserve loyalties as they dont give loyalties, they are there for' TEAM MYSELF'

 

[meanfreddy]

Yes we only got $1.00 each a week in the last pension rise as part pensioners, more like an insult than a handout,when full pensioners get $30 rise we might only get $13.00 so the full pensioner gets further and further in front of us with a much larger gap between us. Germany has the best pension system as you get points during your working life if you want to work 7 days a week and 12 hrs a day you earn good pension points if your a bludger or dont want to work you only get a small amount of points, when it comes to retiring ifyou did not work hard through your working life you only get a misserable pension but a good worker retires on very good points resulting in a good pension, also any of these younger affenders need to be sent to a militery style camp out back in the middle of nowhere and get military style training so they can make a better lifestyle for themselves in later life and stay out of trouble, at the moment they get a slap on tbe wrist and in no time reaffend again

 

[Daibhin]

Maybe if the government jacked up GST to 15% and used that revenue to ensure pensioners get a fair deal.

That would mean another five percent on what we all buy because most items have GST on them. There's very little that doesn't have GST on it, so that is going to make everyday things cost us more.

And we already can expect a price hike because of Trump and his tarrifs, companies will not absorb the amount, so it will be the people who get hit again and, you can bet there will be a bit more added to whatever percentage those tarrifs impose.

On just one item yesterday that I used to buy as a little treat for myself, one that had already gone for $4.50 to $6.00, went up to $7.50 two days ago. I did not buy it, but others will have.

 

[Chicky]

Every rise us pensioners get there is a rise in foods and bills . I know the pension is just to survive but it's getting hard to even do that. I would like to see the Politicians go for a month on the pension, a couple have tried and couldn't cope over the years. But nothing changed. We are still in the leaking boat.

 

[Chicky]

If the pretend "corporate" government in Canberra stopped sending 100,s of millions of taxpayer dollars overseas and looked after Australians first, we would be better off. And also, reduce the size of their "corporate" government by 90%.

Totally agree

 

[Veggiepatch]

Some people would still whinge even if the Aged Pension, Disability Support Pension and Jobseeker payments were DOUBLED!

Maybe you should migrate to somewhere like Somalia and see how you would fare.

 

[Bill MacL]

It's about time the Federal Government paid back retirees the money they put into general revenue from the Age Pension fund that workers paid in from their wages. This Tax was separate from the general tax on wages! We are not Welfare Recipients!

They could not afford to give themselves a pay rise if they did that.

 

[JohnBG]

Aged Pension increase is a joke, can't even buy a 10oz beer

 

[glazer]

I started to read all the comments and didn’t finish because it’s obvious we are all in agreement of how pathetic this government is.
To say the least, and so degrading to be treated with no respect whatsoever, after reaching an age when life is getting harder, not easier after years of working and paying tax, paving the way for the younger generation who now seem to be the flavour of the month, leading up to the election.
Of course they count, but it seems the older generation are in the “hard basket” too difficult to deal with, just die and go away. Yeah, I reckon that’s what some of these moron politicians would think.
My partner is 73 and has gone back to work part time to make ends meet so we have a roof over our heads and Centrelink in their great wisdom penalise us BOTH, where they get that reasoning heavens knows. It’s never been explained properly. The miserable amount your untitled to earn before this happens is dismal. We never receive the full amount of pension that is due to us and that’s all we ask for. To be dealing with cancer and handling this pressure is unbelievable with no help from Centrelink or any politician to actually have the nouse to stand up for the pensioners and do the compassionate and right thing.
Centrelink should not have anything to do with pensioners wanting or NEEDING to work, let the tax department sort it out at tax time. I could go on for ever about this but it drains you and paves the way for depression to set in.
National Seniors need a strong voice to help us.

 

[Skeeta22]

Things are definitely very tough for those relying on Centrelink payments. I am on an Aged Pension and have cut back on fruit and veggies and meat, my weekly purchase of fruit consists of 2 bananas and 3 apples, my vegetable purchases have been curtailed and meat? well don't eat meat more than once a week now. Pretty tough to manage and pay bills on time. The Aged Pension should be at least the basic wage then we might stand a chance to eat properly and not have to worry so much about how we're going to get the nutrition we need and put a good meal together. The Politicians just don't give a dam.

 

[Janice-R]

I knew an NDIS worker in my regional city who told me that a single mum rents a house and has 4 children, which she says all have a disability. This NDIS worker used to visit them a lot to see how they were going etc etc, which was his job as she was one of his clients. He told me that there was nothing wrong with the mum or the children, and that she gets $140,000 a year from the government. And no, she is not aboriginal, she's as white as me.

Gosh! This country is stuffed and alarmingly there are thousands more Nation wide receiving this welfare payment