Australian Seniors React to 2025-26 Federal Budget
- Replies 22
With the release of yet another federal budget, we’re taking a moment to spotlight the voices of Australian seniors: our very own SDC members.
Let’s take a look at what your fellow members had to say.
‘A budget for all Australians’... except seniors?
‘There is not one thing in this Budget that alters or benefits my life. My rent alone has gone up by $60/mth while my pension just went up by $9.20/mth. I get half of the electricity support that I got last year. My doctor already Bulk Bills me. Petrol goes up. Groceries go up. Everything has gone up, but I/we get $9.20!! Where does this [Government] think I can keep covering the cost of living increases? And I fear the Dutton [Government] will be just as bad. We are not welfare recipients. We are pensioners who have paid our way all our lives. But I'm 76 years old and single female so I have to rely on this pension... and it just gets harder.’
‘There is nothing in this so-called Budget for all Australians that will be of benefit to me… They won't ever get my vote again.’
‘Nothing in it for me, the last pension rise they gave me was 10c. I am still trying to work out just where to spend that with the rising costs.’
Prioritising one generation over another?
‘I strongly object to the government propping up child care, if you're a parent who wants to work it's not up to the taxpayer to pay for child care. When I was a kid Dad went to work Mum was home looking after us kids and home. If the families want 2 incomes the taxpayers should not have to pay for other people's childcare, this should be taken off the table to make the parents responsible for the full-time care of their children.’
‘I really object to having to contribute to child care for someone else's kids. If you have children it is your responsibility to raise them - not give them to someone else to raise & then the rest of the time they are "kicked & told to get up" rather than being trained in responsible citizenship by their parents.’
‘My mother looked after me until I went to kindergarten. There was no child care support and no daycare centers in those days. And when I was 6 I was given a key to the back door and expected to get home and look after myself until my parents got home. There should be ZERO child support from the taxpayers.’
On the flipside, one member suggested that ‘The ones that might need help are single mums who choose to go back to work rather than rely on Centrelink and those who choose to study to get an alternative job so they can go to work.’
Taxpayer funds wasted on politics?
‘A cut in politicians salaries would help the economy immensely. The job is about making the country viable and that’s not happening, is it?’
‘Instead of Albo wasting taxpayers money on crazy c*** he could have had a budget that was not in deficit and actually helped regular Aussies. But, no, they wanted to spend it on this nonsense:
‘Please, can someone please explain to me why we are paying to build new bases for the US military in our country? If the US wants to have bases here then they should lease (not buy) the land they want & cover the cost of building & all other services they require. This is NOT MY responsibility.’
Something everyone agrees on…
‘Australian Government doesn't care two brass pennies for its older Australian citizens and never will.’
‘Tax cuts are all well and good but they do not help aged pensioners and servicemen and women who not only paid their taxes. THEY WERE WILLING TO DIE FOR THEIR COUNTRY.’
‘IT'S NO JOKE, IT'S AN INSULT.’
In need of support?
I want to thank everyone who engaged in the budget conversation, either by sharing the articles with their friends, commenting or replying to other members.
If you are in need of support, there are a range of resources available and you should never have to bear any burdens alone.
In a previous article, we listed food bank contacts for each state. If you are experiencing food insecurity, please reach out to your relevant state contact.
You might also like to bookmark this list of Mental Health Helplines.
Members, it’s not too late to have your say. Do you expect anything to change in your life as a result of the budget?
Let’s take a look at what your fellow members had to say.
‘A budget for all Australians’... except seniors?
‘There is not one thing in this Budget that alters or benefits my life. My rent alone has gone up by $60/mth while my pension just went up by $9.20/mth. I get half of the electricity support that I got last year. My doctor already Bulk Bills me. Petrol goes up. Groceries go up. Everything has gone up, but I/we get $9.20!! Where does this [Government] think I can keep covering the cost of living increases? And I fear the Dutton [Government] will be just as bad. We are not welfare recipients. We are pensioners who have paid our way all our lives. But I'm 76 years old and single female so I have to rely on this pension... and it just gets harder.’
Did you watch the budget on Tuesday? Image Credit: Shutterstock
‘There is nothing in this so-called Budget for all Australians that will be of benefit to me… They won't ever get my vote again.’
‘Nothing in it for me, the last pension rise they gave me was 10c. I am still trying to work out just where to spend that with the rising costs.’
Prioritising one generation over another?
‘I strongly object to the government propping up child care, if you're a parent who wants to work it's not up to the taxpayer to pay for child care. When I was a kid Dad went to work Mum was home looking after us kids and home. If the families want 2 incomes the taxpayers should not have to pay for other people's childcare, this should be taken off the table to make the parents responsible for the full-time care of their children.’
‘I really object to having to contribute to child care for someone else's kids. If you have children it is your responsibility to raise them - not give them to someone else to raise & then the rest of the time they are "kicked & told to get up" rather than being trained in responsible citizenship by their parents.’
‘My mother looked after me until I went to kindergarten. There was no child care support and no daycare centers in those days. And when I was 6 I was given a key to the back door and expected to get home and look after myself until my parents got home. There should be ZERO child support from the taxpayers.’
On the flipside, one member suggested that ‘The ones that might need help are single mums who choose to go back to work rather than rely on Centrelink and those who choose to study to get an alternative job so they can go to work.’
Taxpayer funds wasted on politics?
‘A cut in politicians salaries would help the economy immensely. The job is about making the country viable and that’s not happening, is it?’
‘Instead of Albo wasting taxpayers money on crazy c*** he could have had a budget that was not in deficit and actually helped regular Aussies. But, no, they wanted to spend it on this nonsense:
- $2 billion to Ukraine (oh, it’s been revised down to ‘over $1.5 billion’ now – how nice)
- $1.44 billion to Pacific Rim countries
- $650 million for a rugby club in PNG
- $450 million for a useless referendum
- $450 million for two new RAAF jets for Albo
- $800 million to cancel the French sub contract
- $500 million for the first payment on the new submarine contract
- $100 million to the WHO (thanks, Penny Wrong)
- $18 Billion (yes, Billion) to build new bases for the US military in northern Australia
- $8 billion for a new submarine base in WA for the US Navy.’
‘Please, can someone please explain to me why we are paying to build new bases for the US military in our country? If the US wants to have bases here then they should lease (not buy) the land they want & cover the cost of building & all other services they require. This is NOT MY responsibility.’
Something everyone agrees on…
‘Australian Government doesn't care two brass pennies for its older Australian citizens and never will.’
‘Tax cuts are all well and good but they do not help aged pensioners and servicemen and women who not only paid their taxes. THEY WERE WILLING TO DIE FOR THEIR COUNTRY.’
‘IT'S NO JOKE, IT'S AN INSULT.’
In need of support?
I want to thank everyone who engaged in the budget conversation, either by sharing the articles with their friends, commenting or replying to other members.
If you are in need of support, there are a range of resources available and you should never have to bear any burdens alone.
In a previous article, we listed food bank contacts for each state. If you are experiencing food insecurity, please reach out to your relevant state contact.
You might also like to bookmark this list of Mental Health Helplines.
Members, it’s not too late to have your say. Do you expect anything to change in your life as a result of the budget?
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