At 79, Geoff came out of retirement for an unexpected reason

When it comes to getting older, it’s easy to think that retirement is the time to take it easy and enjoy the rewards of a lifetime of hard work.

But for one man from North Queensland, leaving the workforce was not the end of his career.



Given the sky-high inflation rates and concerns over the rising cost of living, it’s no surprise that even pensioners are feeling the need to return to full-time work. And 79-year-old Geoff Campbell is no exception.

Mr Campbell has started mowing lawns '14 days a fortnight' to help support his family amid rising cost-of-living pressures.

According to him, he used his credit cards to buy a Jim’s Mowing franchise in May 2022 and filled a gap in the market for lawn-mowing services between Mackay and Townsville.


lawn1.jpg
Mr Campbell came out of retirement to mow lawns in a bid to help support his family. Credit: Skitterphoto/Pexels

Mr Campbell’s experience is not unique; some 16 per cent of aged pensioners have returned to the workforce since retiring, and 20 per cent were considering doing so. This is according to a 2022 survey made by National Seniors Australia.

Out of those surveyed, 60 per cent said they started working again for financial reasons, followed by wanting to stay active (15 per cent).



Mr Campbell told reporters that he had made five attempts to retire after a long career in the mining and construction industry. He then decided to go back into the workforce after a series of financial difficulties hit his family.

‘We’d sold the family farm, and that didn’t turn out too well at all,’ he said.

Mr Campbell continued: ‘We have a daughter and a son-in-law over in Perth, and they’ve fallen upon hard times, and they’re thinking of coming back to live with us ... and me trying to be a hero, I decided to buy this franchise and get it going, and hopefully they might take it over in the future.’

He added that all of his family’s expenses had increased significantly, including food, fuel and power.

However, he did emphasise that he loved keeping active through rewarding work and that his business lets him do just that. Mr Campbell also shared that his business has grown to eight employees and is now booked out several months in advance.


lawn2.jpg
Mr Campbell said he finds mowing people’s lawns ‘rewarding’. Credit: Magic K/Pexels

‘I had many family arguments about having to mow the lawn when I was a child, but now I really enjoy sitting out there on the ride-on mower under my big hat,’ he revealed before adding that he intends to continue working for ‘as long as he can’ while he’s still ‘enjoying it’.

Based on the statistics, more than 90 per cent of respondents to the National Seniors Australia survey said they were concerned about keeping up with the rising cost of living, and a quarter of those respondents said they were ‘extremely concerned’.

Ian Henschke, CEO of National Seniors Australia, said the number of older Australians ‘severely impacted’ by inflation and rising costs over the next 12 months.



He said: ‘We know that, for around a million Australians, the pension is their sole source of income. It's very difficult to live on, and renting is particularly difficult, and even more so for people who live on their own.’

Mr Henschke also shared that older people living in rural and remote areas, those in larger households and people in their 50s who cannot access their super yet, are especially likely to be struggling.

He also explained that people on a pension who try to return to the workforce after retiring could be taxed heavily.

‘We have a very complicated social security system in Australia, which means that if you do work, you actually get penalised for working if you're on a pension beyond a certain amount.’

Work Bonus Scheme

According to the federal government’s Work Bonus Scheme, individuals on the age pension can earn $11,800 from 1 December 2022 to 31 December 2023, after which the limit will drop down to $7,800.

If someone earns over the work bonus limit, their pension is reduced by 50 cents for every dollar earned over that set amount.

Patricia Sparrow, Chief Executive Officer of the Council on the Ageing (COTA), revealed that almost 20 per cent of men and 11 per cent of women over 65 years old remain in the workforce due to financial reasons.

‘The idea that people might be forced out of retirement purely for financial reasons is a worry,’ she explained before adding that people deserve to live comfortably in retirement.

‘It’s critical too that, if older Australians want to continue in the workforce or re-enter the workforce, they should be able to. Unfortunately, too often we see entrenched ageism and other barriers get in the way of that,’ she shared.
Key Takeaways

  • 79-year-old Geoff Campbell bought a Jim's Mowing franchise in May 2022 and has been working to support his family due to financial difficulties.
  • According to a National Seniors Australia survey, 16 per cent of pensioners have returned to the workforce since retiring, and 20 per cent were considering doing so.
  • Rising cost-of-living pressures are a significant concern for older Australians, with 90 per cent of respondents in the survey expressing worry.
  • The Work Bonus Scheme allows pensioners to earn a limited amount of money without affecting their pension, but some still face tax penalties for working beyond a certain amount.
What do you think, members? Are you disappointed that retirement is becoming harder to reach? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments section.
 
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When it comes to getting older, it’s easy to think that retirement is the time to take it easy and enjoy the rewards of a lifetime of hard work.

But for one man from North Queensland, leaving the workforce was not the end of his career.



Given the sky-high inflation rates and concerns over the rising cost of living, it’s no surprise that even pensioners are feeling the need to return to full-time work. And 79-year-old Geoff Campbell is no exception.

Mr Campbell has started mowing lawns '14 days a fortnight' to help support his amid rising cost-of-living pressures.

According to him, he used his credit cards to buy a Jim’s Mowing franchise in May 2022 and filled a gap in the market for lawn-mowing services between Mackay and Townsville.


View attachment 17234
Mr Campbell came out of retirement to mow lawns in a bid to help support his family. Credit: Skitterphoto/Pexels

Mr Campbell’s experience is not unique; some 16 per cent of aged pensioners have returned to the workforce since retiring, and 20 per cent were considering doing so. This is according to a 2022 survey made by National Seniors Australia.

Out of those surveyed, 60 per cent said they started working again for financial reasons, followed by wanting to stay active (15 per cent).



Mr Campbell told reporters that he had made five attempts to retire after a long career in the mining and construction industry. He then decided to go back into the workforce after a series of financial difficulties hit his family.

‘We’d sold the family farm, and that didn’t turn out too well at all,’ he said.

Mr Campbell continued: ‘We have a daughter and a son-in-law over in Perth, and they’ve fallen upon hard times, and they’re thinking of coming back to live with us ... and me trying to be a hero, I decided to buy this franchise and get it going, and hopefully they might take it over in the future.’

He added that all of his family’s expenses had increased significantly, including food, fuel and power.

However, he did emphasise that he loved keeping active through rewarding work and that his business lets him do just that. Mr Campbell also shared that his business has grown to eight employees and is now booked out several months in advance.


View attachment 17235
Mr Campbell said he finds mowing people’s lawns ‘rewarding’. Credit: Magic K/Pexels

‘I had many family arguments about having to mow the lawn when I was a child, but now I really enjoy sitting out there on the ride-on mower under my big hat,’ he revealed before adding that he intends to continue working for ‘as long as he can’ while he’s still ‘enjoying it’.

Based on the statistics, more than 90 per cent of respondents to the National Seniors Australia survey said they were concerned about keeping up with the rising cost of living, and a quarter of those respondents said they were ‘extremely concerned’.

Ian Henschke, CEO of National Seniors Australia, said the number of older Australians ‘severely impacted’ by inflation and rising costs over the next 12 months.



He said: ‘We know that, for around a million Australians, the pension is their sole source of income. It's very difficult to live on, and renting is particularly difficult, and even more so for people who live on their own.’

Mr Henschke also shared that older people living in rural and remote areas, those in larger households and people in their 50s who cannot access their super yet, are especially likely to be struggling.

He also explained that people on a pension who try to return to the workforce after retiring could be taxed heavily.

‘We have a very complicated social security system in Australia, which means that if you do work, you actually get penalised for working if you're on a pension beyond a certain amount.’

Work Bonus Scheme

According to the federal government’s Work Bonus Scheme, individuals on the age pension can earn $11,800 from 1 December 2022 to 31 December 2023, after which the limit will drop down to $7,800.

If someone earns over the work bonus limit, their pension is reduced by 50 cents for every dollar earned over that set amount.

Patricia Sparrow, Chief Executive Officer of the Council on the Ageing (COTA), revealed that almost 20 per cent of men and 11 per cent of women over 65 years old remain in the workforce due to financial reasons.

‘The idea that people might be forced out of retirement purely for financial reasons is a worry,’ she explained before adding that people deserve to live comfortably in retirement.

‘It’s critical too that, if older Australians want to continue in the workforce or re-enter the workforce, they should be able to. Unfortunately, too often we see entrenched ageism and other barriers get in the way of that,’ she shared.
Key Takeaways

  • 79-year-old Geoff Campbell bought a Jim's Mowing franchise in May 2022 and has been working to support his family due to financial difficulties.
  • According to a National Seniors Australia survey, 16 per cent of pensioners have returned to the workforce since retiring, and 20 per cent were considering doing so.
  • Rising cost-of-living pressures are a significant concern for older Australians, with 90 per cent of respondents in the survey expressing worry.
  • The Work Bonus Scheme allows pensioners to earn a limited amount of money without affecting their pension, but some still face tax penalties for working beyond a certain amount.
What do you think, members? Are you disappointed that retirement is becoming harder to reach? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments section.
I think Australia has just about had enough of this Government and as such the last one as we know. i really think we are as a public on our own to fend for ourselves, I think we would be better off that way at times as these Governments just seem so intent on supporting everyone overseas and not their own here at home.
 
I am an 82-year-old Female, who is still working full time and receive no benefits with exception of the recent Seniors Health Card. It is disappointing as, although we save the Government a pension, pay our taxes we still do not qualify for any of the other benefits i.e. Water Rates, Land rates, Electricity, Motor Registration etc. Surely we have earned the privilege?
 
When it comes to getting older, it’s easy to think that retirement is the time to take it easy and enjoy the rewards of a lifetime of hard work.

But for one man from North Queensland, leaving the workforce was not the end of his career.



Given the sky-high inflation rates and concerns over the rising cost of living, it’s no surprise that even pensioners are feeling the need to return to full-time work. And 79-year-old Geoff Campbell is no exception.

Mr Campbell has started mowing lawns '14 days a fortnight' to help support his amid rising cost-of-living pressures.

According to him, he used his credit cards to buy a Jim’s Mowing franchise in May 2022 and filled a gap in the market for lawn-mowing services between Mackay and Townsville.


View attachment 17234
Mr Campbell came out of retirement to mow lawns in a bid to help support his family. Credit: Skitterphoto/Pexels

Mr Campbell’s experience is not unique; some 16 per cent of aged pensioners have returned to the workforce since retiring, and 20 per cent were considering doing so. This is according to a 2022 survey made by National Seniors Australia.

Out of those surveyed, 60 per cent said they started working again for financial reasons, followed by wanting to stay active (15 per cent).



Mr Campbell told reporters that he had made five attempts to retire after a long career in the mining and construction industry. He then decided to go back into the workforce after a series of financial difficulties hit his family.

‘We’d sold the family farm, and that didn’t turn out too well at all,’ he said.

Mr Campbell continued: ‘We have a daughter and a son-in-law over in Perth, and they’ve fallen upon hard times, and they’re thinking of coming back to live with us ... and me trying to be a hero, I decided to buy this franchise and get it going, and hopefully they might take it over in the future.’

He added that all of his family’s expenses had increased significantly, including food, fuel and power.

However, he did emphasise that he loved keeping active through rewarding work and that his business lets him do just that. Mr Campbell also shared that his business has grown to eight employees and is now booked out several months in advance.


View attachment 17235
Mr Campbell said he finds mowing people’s lawns ‘rewarding’. Credit: Magic K/Pexels

‘I had many family arguments about having to mow the lawn when I was a child, but now I really enjoy sitting out there on the ride-on mower under my big hat,’ he revealed before adding that he intends to continue working for ‘as long as he can’ while he’s still ‘enjoying it’.

Based on the statistics, more than 90 per cent of respondents to the National Seniors Australia survey said they were concerned about keeping up with the rising cost of living, and a quarter of those respondents said they were ‘extremely concerned’.

Ian Henschke, CEO of National Seniors Australia, said the number of older Australians ‘severely impacted’ by inflation and rising costs over the next 12 months.



He said: ‘We know that, for around a million Australians, the pension is their sole source of income. It's very difficult to live on, and renting is particularly difficult, and even more so for people who live on their own.’

Mr Henschke also shared that older people living in rural and remote areas, those in larger households and people in their 50s who cannot access their super yet, are especially likely to be struggling.

He also explained that people on a pension who try to return to the workforce after retiring could be taxed heavily.

‘We have a very complicated social security system in Australia, which means that if you do work, you actually get penalised for working if you're on a pension beyond a certain amount.’

Work Bonus Scheme

According to the federal government’s Work Bonus Scheme, individuals on the age pension can earn $11,800 from 1 December 2022 to 31 December 2023, after which the limit will drop down to $7,800.

If someone earns over the work bonus limit, their pension is reduced by 50 cents for every dollar earned over that set amount.

Patricia Sparrow, Chief Executive Officer of the Council on the Ageing (COTA), revealed that almost 20 per cent of men and 11 per cent of women over 65 years old remain in the workforce due to financial reasons.

‘The idea that people might be forced out of retirement purely for financial reasons is a worry,’ she explained before adding that people deserve to live comfortably in retirement.

‘It’s critical too that, if older Australians want to continue in the workforce or re-enter the workforce, they should be able to. Unfortunately, too often we see entrenched ageism and other barriers get in the way of that,’ she shared.
Key Takeaways

  • 79-year-old Geoff Campbell bought a Jim's Mowing franchise in May 2022 and has been working to support his family due to financial difficulties.
  • According to a National Seniors Australia survey, 16 per cent of pensioners have returned to the workforce since retiring, and 20 per cent were considering doing so.
  • Rising cost-of-living pressures are a significant concern for older Australians, with 90 per cent of respondents in the survey expressing worry.
  • The Work Bonus Scheme allows pensioners to earn a limited amount of money without affecting their pension, but some still face tax penalties for working beyond a certain amount.
What do you think, members? Are you disappointed that retirement is becoming harder to reach? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments section.
Sadly, many of the us failed to plan for retirement. I have runned several webinars on retirement income planning and find especially women, tend to rely on the spouses as their retirement income. They do not set aside funds for retirement and some finacial planners encourage them to spend any saving towards paying their mortgage etc. It is good avice too, but why not set aside some funds for retirement rather than rely on welfare payments. I often say, you can down size your lifestyle but NOT downgrade it when we get old. A little planning goes along way.

Australia has a growing aging population, can we rely on the government for more handouts??? It is not fair for the workforce to carry this aging pupulation. It is not too late for us seniors to take a look at how we are spending and also examine our sources of income. Yes, some of us may have to go back to work, but it has its benefits to keep us current with the community. If health does not permit , then that is not an option. It keeps us mentally and physically fit.
Yes cost of living is going up. I am sure we can cut some of those unnecessary expenses and be more mindfull of how we spend. Again it is about downsizing not downgrading our lifestyle.

I did plan my retirement and today I am able to enjoy the same lifestyle as I had whilst I was working. My expenses are minimal, but I am still able to save for a holiday. I do some part time casual work, more to keep me alert and mentally challenged.
 
As a pensioner, and still working occasionally to keep sane, and the money comes in handy, BUT I'm totally p*ssed off with the fact that despite getting taxed on any earnings(so Government doesn't miss out!!) I still lose a chunk of my pension!!!! Local Federal member doesn't see our problem!!!!!!!
 
Unfortunately we and many others who are retirement age now haven’t had the benefit of super for most of our working lives. When super came in unless you were in the public service or working for the government super contributions were pretty low. Public servants and government workers have always had higher super contributions paid, courtesy of the taxpayers. People like my husband and I who were low income earners never had enough super to be much help now hubby has retired. I still work part time and work at elections, census to earn money to top up our pensions, which we lose part of because I work and still pay tax. We scrimped and saved all our working lives to pay off our home, if we still had a mortgage we wouldn’t be able to manage. Everything we own we have worked for, we never received any inheritance from anyone to help us as our parents never had anything to leave. Depending how long we live and how our health holds up we would like to be able to keep our home at least to leave to our children and grandchildren with the hope their lives are easier than ours has been, and that they get to enjoy, not just struggle through their retirements like we are.
 
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When it comes to getting older, it’s easy to think that retirement is the time to take it easy and enjoy the rewards of a lifetime of hard work.

But for one man from North Queensland, leaving the workforce was not the end of his career.



Given the sky-high inflation rates and concerns over the rising cost of living, it’s no surprise that even pensioners are feeling the need to return to full-time work. And 79-year-old Geoff Campbell is no exception.

Mr Campbell has started mowing lawns '14 days a fortnight' to help support his amid rising cost-of-living pressures.

According to him, he used his credit cards to buy a Jim’s Mowing franchise in May 2022 and filled a gap in the market for lawn-mowing services between Mackay and Townsville.


View attachment 17234
Mr Campbell came out of retirement to mow lawns in a bid to help support his family. Credit: Skitterphoto/Pexels

Mr Campbell’s experience is not unique; some 16 per cent of aged pensioners have returned to the workforce since retiring, and 20 per cent were considering doing so. This is according to a 2022 survey made by National Seniors Australia.

Out of those surveyed, 60 per cent said they started working again for financial reasons, followed by wanting to stay active (15 per cent).



Mr Campbell told reporters that he had made five attempts to retire after a long career in the mining and construction industry. He then decided to go back into the workforce after a series of financial difficulties hit his family.

‘We’d sold the family farm, and that didn’t turn out too well at all,’ he said.

Mr Campbell continued: ‘We have a daughter and a son-in-law over in Perth, and they’ve fallen upon hard times, and they’re thinking of coming back to live with us ... and me trying to be a hero, I decided to buy this franchise and get it going, and hopefully they might take it over in the future.’

He added that all of his family’s expenses had increased significantly, including food, fuel and power.

However, he did emphasise that he loved keeping active through rewarding work and that his business lets him do just that. Mr Campbell also shared that his business has grown to eight employees and is now booked out several months in advance.


View attachment 17235
Mr Campbell said he finds mowing people’s lawns ‘rewarding’. Credit: Magic K/Pexels

‘I had many family arguments about having to mow the lawn when I was a child, but now I really enjoy sitting out there on the ride-on mower under my big hat,’ he revealed before adding that he intends to continue working for ‘as long as he can’ while he’s still ‘enjoying it’.

Based on the statistics, more than 90 per cent of respondents to the National Seniors Australia survey said they were concerned about keeping up with the rising cost of living, and a quarter of those respondents said they were ‘extremely concerned’.

Ian Henschke, CEO of National Seniors Australia, said the number of older Australians ‘severely impacted’ by inflation and rising costs over the next 12 months.



He said: ‘We know that, for around a million Australians, the pension is their sole source of income. It's very difficult to live on, and renting is particularly difficult, and even more so for people who live on their own.’

Mr Henschke also shared that older people living in rural and remote areas, those in larger households and people in their 50s who cannot access their super yet, are especially likely to be struggling.

He also explained that people on a pension who try to return to the workforce after retiring could be taxed heavily.

‘We have a very complicated social security system in Australia, which means that if you do work, you actually get penalised for working if you're on a pension beyond a certain amount.’

Work Bonus Scheme

According to the federal government’s Work Bonus Scheme, individuals on the age pension can earn $11,800 from 1 December 2022 to 31 December 2023, after which the limit will drop down to $7,800.

If someone earns over the work bonus limit, their pension is reduced by 50 cents for every dollar earned over that set amount.

Patricia Sparrow, Chief Executive Officer of the Council on the Ageing (COTA), revealed that almost 20 per cent of men and 11 per cent of women over 65 years old remain in the workforce due to financial reasons.

‘The idea that people might be forced out of retirement purely for financial reasons is a worry,’ she explained before adding that people deserve to live comfortably in retirement.

‘It’s critical too that, if older Australians want to continue in the workforce or re-enter the workforce, they should be able to. Unfortunately, too often we see entrenched ageism and other barriers get in the way of that,’ she shared.
Key Takeaways

  • 79-year-old Geoff Campbell bought a Jim's Mowing franchise in May 2022 and has been working to support his family due to financial difficulties.
  • According to a National Seniors Australia survey, 16 per cent of pensioners have returned to the workforce since retiring, and 20 per cent were considering doing so.
  • Rising cost-of-living pressures are a significant concern for older Australians, with 90 per cent of respondents in the survey expressing worry.
  • The Work Bonus Scheme allows pensioners to earn a limited amount of money without affecting their pension, but some still face tax penalties for working beyond a certain amount.
What do you think, members? Are you disappointed that retirement is becoming harder to reach? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments section.
Iife Wasn't meant to be easy, under Albanese.
 
Last edited:
When it comes to getting older, it’s easy to think that retirement is the time to take it easy and enjoy the rewards of a lifetime of hard work.

But for one man from North Queensland, leaving the workforce was not the end of his career.



Given the sky-high inflation rates and concerns over the rising cost of living, it’s no surprise that even pensioners are feeling the need to return to full-time work. And 79-year-old Geoff Campbell is no exception.

Mr Campbell has started mowing lawns '14 days a fortnight' to help support his amid rising cost-of-living pressures.

According to him, he used his credit cards to buy a Jim’s Mowing franchise in May 2022 and filled a gap in the market for lawn-mowing services between Mackay and Townsville.


View attachment 17234
Mr Campbell came out of retirement to mow lawns in a bid to help support his family. Credit: Skitterphoto/Pexels

Mr Campbell’s experience is not unique; some 16 per cent of aged pensioners have returned to the workforce since retiring, and 20 per cent were considering doing so. This is according to a 2022 survey made by National Seniors Australia.

Out of those surveyed, 60 per cent said they started working again for financial reasons, followed by wanting to stay active (15 per cent).



Mr Campbell told reporters that he had made five attempts to retire after a long career in the mining and construction industry. He then decided to go back into the workforce after a series of financial difficulties hit his family.

‘We’d sold the family farm, and that didn’t turn out too well at all,’ he said.

Mr Campbell continued: ‘We have a daughter and a son-in-law over in Perth, and they’ve fallen upon hard times, and they’re thinking of coming back to live with us ... and me trying to be a hero, I decided to buy this franchise and get it going, and hopefully they might take it over in the future.’

He added that all of his family’s expenses had increased significantly, including food, fuel and power.

However, he did emphasise that he loved keeping active through rewarding work and that his business lets him do just that. Mr Campbell also shared that his business has grown to eight employees and is now booked out several months in advance.


View attachment 17235
Mr Campbell said he finds mowing people’s lawns ‘rewarding’. Credit: Magic K/Pexels

‘I had many family arguments about having to mow the lawn when I was a child, but now I really enjoy sitting out there on the ride-on mower under my big hat,’ he revealed before adding that he intends to continue working for ‘as long as he can’ while he’s still ‘enjoying it’.

Based on the statistics, more than 90 per cent of respondents to the National Seniors Australia survey said they were concerned about keeping up with the rising cost of living, and a quarter of those respondents said they were ‘extremely concerned’.

Ian Henschke, CEO of National Seniors Australia, said the number of older Australians ‘severely impacted’ by inflation and rising costs over the next 12 months.



He said: ‘We know that, for around a million Australians, the pension is their sole source of income. It's very difficult to live on, and renting is particularly difficult, and even more so for people who live on their own.’

Mr Henschke also shared that older people living in rural and remote areas, those in larger households and people in their 50s who cannot access their super yet, are especially likely to be struggling.

He also explained that people on a pension who try to return to the workforce after retiring could be taxed heavily.

‘We have a very complicated social security system in Australia, which means that if you do work, you actually get penalised for working if you're on a pension beyond a certain amount.’

Work Bonus Scheme

According to the federal government’s Work Bonus Scheme, individuals on the age pension can earn $11,800 from 1 December 2022 to 31 December 2023, after which the limit will drop down to $7,800.

If someone earns over the work bonus limit, their pension is reduced by 50 cents for every dollar earned over that set amount.

Patricia Sparrow, Chief Executive Officer of the Council on the Ageing (COTA), revealed that almost 20 per cent of men and 11 per cent of women over 65 years old remain in the workforce due to financial reasons.

‘The idea that people might be forced out of retirement purely for financial reasons is a worry,’ she explained before adding that people deserve to live comfortably in retirement.

‘It’s critical too that, if older Australians want to continue in the workforce or re-enter the workforce, they should be able to. Unfortunately, too often we see entrenched ageism and other barriers get in the way of that,’ she shared.
Key Takeaways

  • 79-year-old Geoff Campbell bought a Jim's Mowing franchise in May 2022 and has been working to support his family due to financial difficulties.
  • According to a National Seniors Australia survey, 16 per cent of pensioners have returned to the workforce since retiring, and 20 per cent were considering doing so.
  • Rising cost-of-living pressures are a significant concern for older Australians, with 90 per cent of respondents in the survey expressing worry.
  • The Work Bonus Scheme allows pensioners to earn a limited amount of money without affecting their pension, but some still face tax penalties for working beyond a certain amount.
What do you think, members? Are you disappointed that retirement is becoming harder to reach? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments section.
 
I happy for this particular man’s plight and bless his hard working heart,
As business owners survived covid but have not quite survived the fall back of covid.
I admire him!!
However for us there is no possible way I could work due to health @62 hmm 🤔 grateful I am
Which helps me appreciate this story even more.
 
It is true we have all paid taxes in some form during our working lives. However, and I am on a pension, I dont feel it is the government's responsibility to give us a handout. I was a stay at home mum, with a mechanic husband, so our lives were not extravagant. I did return to work once my children were older though. I know how to survive on what I have, and I dont feel the government should be made to give me the life I would love to lead. I am happy with what I have. But I do think that once you reach a certain age, regardless of your pension status, work life, or being self funded, you should get the benefits of water rates, registration, etc concessions. There should be some perks to being a senior.
 
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It is true we have all paid taxes in some form during our working lives. However, and I am on a pension, I dont feel it is the government's responsibility to give us a handout. I was a stay at home mum, with a mechanic husband, so our lives were not extravagant. I did return to work once my children were older though. I know how to survive on what I have, and I dont feel the government should be made to give me the life I would love to lead. I am happy with what I have. But I do think that once you reach a certain age, regardless of your pension status, work life, or being self funded, you should get the benefits of water rates, registration, etc concessions. There should be some perks to being a senior.
Salute to you!(y)
 
I am an 82-year-old Female, who is still working full time and receive no benefits with exception of the recent Seniors Health Card. It is disappointing as, although we save the Government a pension, pay our taxes we still do not qualify for any of the other benefits i.e. Water Rates, Land rates, Electricity, Motor Registration etc. Surely we have earned the privilege?
In WA, we have concessions in water rates, No Land Taxes on personal residence, a small concession on electricity. No concession on Car registration. I am happy with what we recieve. After 9.00am to 3.30pm, public transport - trains and buses, free ride for seniors. Many cafes and restuarants offer concessions for seniors. No complaints.
 
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Apart from working on a (currently) permanent part time position, I also run my own business via an Agency and on the advice of my Accountant, do not disclose my meagre earnings to Centrelink.
 
Apart from working on a (currently) permanent part time position, I also run my own business via an Agency and on the advice of my Accountant, do not disclose my meagre earnings to Centrelink.
So you are defrauding the Australian taxpayer who pays your Centrelink pension
 

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