Considering the progressive surge in the cost of living lately, it’s only right that we are all looking to the future with the hope of seeing a promising outlook. While many are rejoicing at possible wage growth, there are others whose situation has worsened.

Many pensioners are going through the motions every single day, barely able to scrape by. It’s anxiety-inducing and it shouldn’t be happening.

Fiona, who was in the live audience with other pensioners for Treasurer Jim Chalmers' post-budget Q+A appearance on Thursday night, asked if there was anything she could do to help herself overcome her dire financial circumstances, as she struggles with the surging cost of living.

‘With non-discretionary items rising faster than CPI indexation, welfare recipients like myself are meant to be grateful for (the rise to indexation). What essentials should I be cutting from my budget?’

As part of the routine indexation, the Age, Carer and Disability Support Pensioners will receive a $38.90 increase in the fortnightly allowance for single people and $58.80 for each couple.

After asking the Treasurer what necessities she should forego, a retiree with $20 in her bank account received a grim response. Credit: ABC.

But Fiona expressed that it was still not enough, saying: 'It’s all falling behind. I’m playing catch up.'

The question left Chalmers stumped, as he explained that the government needed to be careful not to make things worse as they straddled a fine line between making sure the economy is okay and guaranteeing that people can still manage.

'The best thing we can do is try and address inflation. That’s what the budget was about,' he explained.

'But I don’t want to pretend to Fiona or to anyone in Fiona’s position that the budget nine nights ago fixed all of these challenges.'

'I do need to be upfront with all of you about the nature of this challenge that we are confronting right now.'

'And our best contribution to this problem is being restrained in our spending.'

Chalmers also emphasised that the government's first budget was 'simple', but as the cost of essentials continues to outpace the growth of welfare payments, is it really 'bread and butter' for struggling Australian households?



Due to the rising cost of living, many Australians are struggling to get by, and some are even falling into deeper financial crises.

It should also be noted that during the online broadcast, Stan Grant, the Q+A host, noticed that Fiona's question focused more on the difficult decisions she was having to make.

For example, she said that she had to choose between getting her eyes checked or seeing a doctor because her GP no longer offered bulk billing.

This observation prompted him to call on Chalmers for more in-depth advice.

However, Chalmers declined to provide Fiona with a direct response. Instead, he said that he recognised the challenges faced by Fiona and others in her situation.

'The cost of living is going through the roof, and that has a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable amongst us, and we understand that,' he added.

'My responsibility to you, Fiona, and to the whole country, is to try and take the right economic decisions, to make sure we are not making inflation worse.'

According to Chalmers, this year's inflation is expected to continue to worsen before peaking.

'Nobody has a perfect crystal ball,' he remarked.

'But the expectations of the Reserve Bank and the Treasury is that this inflation challenge will get a bit worse until the end of the year.'

'The main thing I can do here – the worst thing that could happen for Fiona and for people around Australia – is if we let this inflation get out of control… That’s what I’m trying to avoid.'

In a later statement, Chalmers claimed that he planned to present a 'costed plan with detail' to address the rise in energy prices before Christmas.

He said that the government was thinking about using price controls, subsidies, and taxes but that it would prefer to use regulation.

He said: 'We have a little more work to do on this… But I want to reassure people that we know that electricity price rises are… Intensifying.'

Key Takeaways

• Age pensioners are struggling to keep up with the cost of living, and are having to make tough choices about which essentials to go without.
• Jim Chalmers is struggling to offer hope to pensioners, as he warns inflation is just going to get worse and the government has to straddle a fine line or risk negatively impacting the situation.
• He says the best thing the government can do to try and address inflation is to be restrained in their spending.

Pensions are a crucial, staple part of Australians' finances here in the country. Many Australians rely, at least somewhat, on their pension payments to get by and to keep their heads above water financially.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think the government should implement price caps and subsidies to ease the burden of soaring utility prices? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

 

[Suzanne rose]

They have to put a cap on electricity, the difference between my last 2 bills was just over $200.

I have been on Jobseeker for the past 18 months due to an operation that went terribly wrong in which I have need 2 more surgeries
It has left me in pain and very depress and anxious and there is no way I am fit to work..

Since being on jobseeker I've had to really tighten our belt and with all these rises in utilities and food I'm now seeing what people on welfare go through.
I always thought welfare recipients have it too good, why would they work. I now see there is no way anyone could survive for too long on these payments which then goes on to homelessness.
I think the government needs to stop sending so much money overseas and start helping people in our own country and I don't mean just handouts .

 

[Chris 56]

Considering the progressive surge in the cost of living lately, it’s only right that we are all looking to the future with the hope of seeing a promising outlook. While many are rejoicing at possible wage growth, there are others whose situation has worsened.

Many pensioners are going through the motions every single day, barely able to scrape by. It’s anxiety-inducing and it shouldn’t be happening.

Fiona, who was in the live audience with other pensioners for Treasurer Jim Chalmers' post-budget Q+A appearance on Thursday night, asked if there was anything she could do to help herself overcome her dire financial circumstances, as she struggles with the surging cost of living.

‘With non-discretionary items rising faster than CPI indexation, welfare recipients like myself are meant to be grateful for (the rise to indexation). What essentials should I be cutting from my budget?’

As part of the routine indexation, the Age, Carer and Disability Support Pensioners will receive a $38.90 increase in the fortnightly allowance for single people and $58.80 for each couple.

After asking the Treasurer what necessities she should forego, a retiree with $20 in her bank account received a grim response. Credit: ABC.

But Fiona expressed that it was still not enough, saying: 'It’s all falling behind. I’m playing catch up.'

The question left Chalmers stumped, as he explained that the government needed to be careful not to make things worse as they straddled a fine line between making sure the economy is okay and guaranteeing that people can still manage.

'The best thing we can do is try and address inflation. That’s what the budget was about,' he explained.

'But I don’t want to pretend to Fiona or to anyone in Fiona’s position that the budget nine nights ago fixed all of these challenges.'

'I do need to be upfront with all of you about the nature of this challenge that we are confronting right now.'

'And our best contribution to this problem is being restrained in our spending.'

Chalmers also emphasised that the government's first budget was 'simple', but as the cost of essentials continues to outpace the growth of welfare payments, is it really 'bread and butter' for struggling Australian households?



Due to the rising cost of living, many Australians are struggling to get by, and some are even falling into deeper financial crises.

It should also be noted that during the online broadcast, Stan Grant, the Q+A host, noticed that Fiona's question focused more on the difficult decisions she was having to make.

For example, she said that she had to choose between getting her eyes checked or seeing a doctor because her GP no longer offered bulk billing.

This observation prompted him to call on Chalmers for more in-depth advice.

However, Chalmers declined to provide Fiona with a direct response. Instead, he said that he recognised the challenges faced by Fiona and others in her situation.

'The cost of living is going through the roof, and that has a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable amongst us, and we understand that,' he added.

'My responsibility to you, Fiona, and to the whole country, is to try and take the right economic decisions, to make sure we are not making inflation worse.'

According to Chalmers, this year's inflation is expected to continue to worsen before peaking.

'Nobody has a perfect crystal ball,' he remarked.

'But the expectations of the Reserve Bank and the Treasury is that this inflation challenge will get a bit worse until the end of the year.'

'The main thing I can do here – the worst thing that could happen for Fiona and for people around Australia – is if we let this inflation get out of control… That’s what I’m trying to avoid.'

In a later statement, Chalmers claimed that he planned to present a 'costed plan with detail' to address the rise in energy prices before Christmas.

He said that the government was thinking about using price controls, subsidies, and taxes but that it would prefer to use regulation.

He said: 'We have a little more work to do on this… But I want to reassure people that we know that electricity price rises are… Intensifying.'

Key Takeaways

• Age pensioners are struggling to keep up with the cost of living, and are having to make tough choices about which essentials to go without.
• Jim Chalmers is struggling to offer hope to pensioners, as he warns inflation is just going to get worse and the government has to straddle a fine line or risk negatively impacting the situation.
• He says the best thing the government can do to try and address inflation is to be restrained in their spending.

Pensions are a crucial, staple part of Australians' finances here in the country. Many Australians rely, at least somewhat, on their pension payments to get by and to keep their heads above water financially.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think the government should implement price caps and subsidies to ease the burden of soaring utility prices? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

It would be a blessing to be able to live a normal life,have the normal luxury of birthday,Xmas and to get by each fortnight. I know longer know what it is like to go on a holiday,and to have a bank account.The price of medication and food etc I feel for all of us,isn’t it supposed to be a pleasure to grow older and to enjoy life and it’s little normal daily luxuries.Christine L

 

[Gsr]

I agree, people on any sort of welfare payments are living well below the poverty line. I am approaching 70 but still work 20 hours a week as we simply cannot live on the pension. My husband is retired and due to health issues can’t work. He is in his mid 70s. We haven’t had a holiday since 2016 and unlikely to have any more. We very rarely buy takeaway, on our birthdays if we can afford it, never eat out or go out for a coffee even, can’t afford to go to a show or movie. We own our home from years of hard work and scrimping so are luckier than a lot of people, but still have rates, water bills to pay. We are of the generation where for a good part of our early working lives super did not exist, so we don’t have huge amounts of super to help us, and if we draw too much at once along comes Centrelink and cuts our part pensions to make sure we don’t have enough money to treat ourselves. Oh, but we can downsize our house, well why should we after all the work we have put into it, surely we should be allowed to have some time enjoying living in it. I expect to work until I drop off the perch as I can’t see how I can ever afford to retire.

 

[Suzanne rose]

It would be a blessing to be able to live a normal life,have the normal luxury of birthday,Xmas and to get by each fortnight. I know longer know what it is like to go on a holiday,and to have a bank account.The price of medication and food etc I feel for all of us,isn’t it supposed to be a pleasure to grow older and to enjoy life and it’s little normal daily luxuries.Christine L

And so we should be able to in our later lives

 

[Stinker]

I am a single lady 73 very bad health after years of cancer and chemotherapy.
If in Tasmania where I live, meals are being supplied to school children, can they be made for pensioners.
I tried meals on wheels but they were really bad, the meals made for schoolchildren look wonderful.
Don’t get me wrong I live in a country that pays a pension and that I love dearly. I am so grateful.

 

[Suzanne rose]

A question I recently asked myself ( yes I talk to myself ) how do people manage who have had an accident or come down with a long term illness preventing them from working and who are either paying rent or a mortgage?

My husband hasn't worked for 15 years due to illness in which a medical diagnosis was done and resulted in him losing a large ammount of bowel. He never recovered always very lethargic

I became the only bread winner and this was great for 15 years then I had surgery that turned into my worst nightmare.

I haven't worked for 18 months.
Both my husband and myself were hard workers and luckily paid off our house

This had me thinking how in the hell would someone deal with a major health issue and still pay rent or mortgage !

 

[Suzanne rose]

I am a single lady 73 very bad health after years of cancer and chemotherapy.
If in Tasmania where I live, meals are being supplied to school children, can they be made for pensioners.
I tried meals on wheels but they were really bad, the meals made for schoolchildren look wonderful.
Don’t get me wrong I live in a country that pays a pension and that I love dearly. I am so grateful.

Are you able to receive ndsi I think that's what it is. My mother is 75 and receives it which helps her with a cleaner, lawn mowing and subsidies meals.
If you do get it try Light n easy great meals and is subsidies by NDIS

 

[Donk]

Have got through paying $1100 in one fortnight for medical bills. Both on disability pensions, no super. Moved again, found somewhere that weekly rent is lower, not sure for how long. Power etc going up will push rent up here too. Trying hard to put as much as we can away to cover wife's funeral cost. Terminal cancer doesn't stop the bills, keeping your thoughts above the darkness every day is a constant battle.

 

[Ricci]

I spent years looking forward to my retirement. A chance to travel, see some shows, have some of life's little luxuries that had been forfeited whilst bring up the family and paying off a mortgage with ridiculously high interest rates. I did all the right things, even downsizing into an over 55's village. Now I find myself retired and the dream has turned into a nightmare. My super is tiny as it never came in till I was way over half way to retirement and my wages were never high. Just the basics these days come with a juggling act, buy this this fortnight, buy that next fortnight. put off seeing the Specialist as I can struggle on for another couple of months. Life was not meant to be this hard.

 

[Suzanne rose]

Have got through paying $1100 in one fortnight for medical bills. Both on disability pensions, no super. Moved again, found somewhere that weekly rent is lower, not sure for how long. Power etc going up will push rent up here too. Trying hard to put as much as we can away to cover wife's funeral cost. Terminal cancer doesn't stop the bills, keeping your thoughts above the darkness every day is a constant battle.

my are with you

 

[Donk]

Are you able to receive ndsi I think that's what it is. My mother is 75 and receives it which helps her with a cleaner, lawn mowing and subsidies meals.
If you do get it try Light n easy great meals and is subsidies by NDIS

Ndis, what a sick joke! Wife has serious injury to her spine, bump in the car could take her life. Tumour in her brain, causing loss of use of left side of face, neck as well. Also a mass in her chest which rubs against her spine. Other issues too. She can't get NDIS because she doesn't have mental issues. Wasted time and money chasing this false promise. As with pension holders know chasing these shadows, just cause more pain.

 

[Ricci]

Are you able to receive ndsi I think that's what it is. My mother is 75 and receives it which helps her with a cleaner, lawn mowing and subsidies meals.
If you do get it try Light n easy great meals and is subsidies by NDIS

NDIS is not available for pensioners, you have to go through My Aged Care for a welfare package. Help is available, they come and assess your needs. You may have to make a co-payment, (I pay $12.50 per hour for home help and have someone call in for an hour and a half each week). It's not enough time but it's all I can afford.

 

[Suzanne rose]

I spent years looking forward to my retirement. A chance to travel, see some shows, have some of life's little luxuries that had been forfeited whilst bring up the family and paying off a mortgage with ridiculously high interest rates. I did all the right things, even downsizing into an over 55's village. Now I find myself retired and the dream has turned into a nightmare. My super is tiny as it never came in till I was way over half way to retirement and my wages were never high. Just the basics these days come with a juggling act, buy this this fortnight, buy that next fortnight. put off seeing the Specialist as I can struggle on for another couple of months. Life was not meant to be this hard.

It's really not fair, my specialist is $100 , I'm lucky now I've met the Medicare threshold.
I booked with my psychologist and that will cost me $170.

I went to a good psychologist the other day, he was a forensic psychologist and I said to him I liked his straight forwardness with me rather than a pity party. He told me he was happy to help me but he was very very expensive , that was his words .
He told me my meds need to be changed and that I was very depressed, high anxiety and highly stressed although I could have diagnosed that.

How can someone who has mental issues afford to receive help.

 

[Brian Clarke]

Considering the progressive surge in the cost of living lately, it’s only right that we are all looking to the future with the hope of seeing a promising outlook. While many are rejoicing at possible wage growth, there are others whose situation has worsened.

Many pensioners are going through the motions every single day, barely able to scrape by. It’s anxiety-inducing and it shouldn’t be happening.

Fiona, who was in the live audience with other pensioners for Treasurer Jim Chalmers' post-budget Q+A appearance on Thursday night, asked if there was anything she could do to help herself overcome her dire financial circumstances, as she struggles with the surging cost of living.

‘With non-discretionary items rising faster than CPI indexation, welfare recipients like myself are meant to be grateful for (the rise to indexation). What essentials should I be cutting from my budget?’

As part of the routine indexation, the Age, Carer and Disability Support Pensioners will receive a $38.90 increase in the fortnightly allowance for single people and $58.80 for each couple.

After asking the Treasurer what necessities she should forego, a retiree with $20 in her bank account received a grim response. Credit: ABC.

But Fiona expressed that it was still not enough, saying: 'It’s all falling behind. I’m playing catch up.'

The question left Chalmers stumped, as he explained that the government needed to be careful not to make things worse as they straddled a fine line between making sure the economy is okay and guaranteeing that people can still manage.

'The best thing we can do is try and address inflation. That’s what the budget was about,' he explained.

'But I don’t want to pretend to Fiona or to anyone in Fiona’s position that the budget nine nights ago fixed all of these challenges.'

'I do need to be upfront with all of you about the nature of this challenge that we are confronting right now.'

'And our best contribution to this problem is being restrained in our spending.'

Chalmers also emphasised that the government's first budget was 'simple', but as the cost of essentials continues to outpace the growth of welfare payments, is it really 'bread and butter' for struggling Australian households?



Due to the rising cost of living, many Australians are struggling to get by, and some are even falling into deeper financial crises.

It should also be noted that during the online broadcast, Stan Grant, the Q+A host, noticed that Fiona's question focused more on the difficult decisions she was having to make.

For example, she said that she had to choose between getting her eyes checked or seeing a doctor because her GP no longer offered bulk billing.

This observation prompted him to call on Chalmers for more in-depth advice.

However, Chalmers declined to provide Fiona with a direct response. Instead, he said that he recognised the challenges faced by Fiona and others in her situation.

'The cost of living is going through the roof, and that has a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable amongst us, and we understand that,' he added.

'My responsibility to you, Fiona, and to the whole country, is to try and take the right economic decisions, to make sure we are not making inflation worse.'

According to Chalmers, this year's inflation is expected to continue to worsen before peaking.

'Nobody has a perfect crystal ball,' he remarked.

'But the expectations of the Reserve Bank and the Treasury is that this inflation challenge will get a bit worse until the end of the year.'

'The main thing I can do here – the worst thing that could happen for Fiona and for people around Australia – is if we let this inflation get out of control… That’s what I’m trying to avoid.'

In a later statement, Chalmers claimed that he planned to present a 'costed plan with detail' to address the rise in energy prices before Christmas.

He said that the government was thinking about using price controls, subsidies, and taxes but that it would prefer to use regulation.

He said: 'We have a little more work to do on this… But I want to reassure people that we know that electricity price rises are… Intensifying.'

Key Takeaways

• Age pensioners are struggling to keep up with the cost of living, and are having to make tough choices about which essentials to go without.
• Jim Chalmers is struggling to offer hope to pensioners, as he warns inflation is just going to get worse and the government has to straddle a fine line or risk negatively impacting the situation.
• He says the best thing the government can do to try and address inflation is to be restrained in their spending.

Pensions are a crucial, staple part of Australians' finances here in the country. Many Australians rely, at least somewhat, on their pension payments to get by and to keep their heads above water financially.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think the government should implement price caps and subsidies to ease the burden of soaring utility prices? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

I think it is about time the Government of the day grew some gonads and start making the oil companies pay their way. Australia must be the laughing stock of the world when it comes to big companies not paying any tax. Look at how much tax Finland and other Scandinavian countries charge oil companies. They get huge income from taxing oil companies. Also look at negative gearing and the FREE money that dividends bring to individuals, thanks to John Howard abusing/raping Paul Keatings more than favourable Imputation credits scheme.

 

[Suzanne rose]

NDIS is not available for pensioners, you have to go through My Aged Care for a welfare package. Help is available, they come and assess your needs. You may have to make a co-payment, (I pay $12.50 per hour for home help and have someone call in for an hour and a half each week). It's not enough time but it's all I can afford.

I think they have different tiers the higher the tier the more they pay.
My mother is given alot . She doesn't pay for a cleaner or gardener although she pays a small ammount for meals. Although my brother is now cooking her meals.
She lives 5 hours away from me

 

[Suzanne rose]

Ndis, what a sick joke! Wife has serious injury to her spine, bump in the car could take her life. Tumour in her brain, causing loss of use of left side of face, neck as well. Also a mass in her chest which rubs against her spine. Other issues too. She can't get NDIS because she doesn't have mental issues. Wasted time and money chasing this false promise. As with pension holders know chasing these shadows, just cause more pain.

our government needs to get it right

 

[Rita Mcnamara]

Well I had a letter from my aged care on Thursday stating that they have given permission to home care providers to increase the daily care fee by $11.40. IF THEY WISH TO. WELL THAT WOULD REMOVE $400.00 A YEAR LESS TO BE USED ON ASSISTANCE FOR THE PERSON NEEDING THIRD PART ASSISTANCE, SUCH AS PODIATRY OR PHYSIOTHERAPY.

MAYBE THEY SHOUD INSTEAD PUT A CAP ON THE PERCENTAGE THE PROVIDORS TAKE OUT IF THE CARE PACKAGE BEFORE THEY EVEN DO ANYTHING. NOT HANDING THE THE RIGHT TO INCREASE THE DAILY FEE. WHICH IS ONLY ONE OF THE FEES THE IMPOSE.

 

[Lorraine Veach]

I am a single lady 73 very bad health after years of cancer and chemotherapy.
If in Tasmania where I live, meals are being supplied to school children, can they be made for pensioners.
I tried meals on wheels but they were really bad, the meals made for schoolchildren look wonderful.
Don’t get me wrong I live in a country that pays a pension and that I love dearly. I am so grateful.

Your point is very valid. Some just don’t understand that the cost of medical treatments can be very prohibitive and leaves us with no money/savings to fall back on. I get so angry at the unfeeling incompetence of the people we elect to look after all. Possibly too many young and inexperienced in life to have insight. Plus they forget we are the ones who employ them. ie we are their employer!
Sorry to hear of your hardships.

 

[Alexander]

Considering the progressive surge in the cost of living lately, it’s only right that we are all looking to the future with the hope of seeing a promising outlook. While many are rejoicing at possible wage growth, there are others whose situation has worsened.

Many pensioners are going through the motions every single day, barely able to scrape by. It’s anxiety-inducing and it shouldn’t be happening.

Fiona, who was in the live audience with other pensioners for Treasurer Jim Chalmers' post-budget Q+A appearance on Thursday night, asked if there was anything she could do to help herself overcome her dire financial circumstances, as she struggles with the surging cost of living.

‘With non-discretionary items rising faster than CPI indexation, welfare recipients like myself are meant to be grateful for (the rise to indexation). What essentials should I be cutting from my budget?’

As part of the routine indexation, the Age, Carer and Disability Support Pensioners will receive a $38.90 increase in the fortnightly allowance for single people and $58.80 for each couple.

After asking the Treasurer what necessities she should forego, a retiree with $20 in her bank account received a grim response. Credit: ABC.

But Fiona expressed that it was still not enough, saying: 'It’s all falling behind. I’m playing catch up.'

The question left Chalmers stumped, as he explained that the government needed to be careful not to make things worse as they straddled a fine line between making sure the economy is okay and guaranteeing that people can still manage.

'The best thing we can do is try and address inflation. That’s what the budget was about,' he explained.

'But I don’t want to pretend to Fiona or to anyone in Fiona’s position that the budget nine nights ago fixed all of these challenges.'

'I do need to be upfront with all of you about the nature of this challenge that we are confronting right now.'

'And our best contribution to this problem is being restrained in our spending.'

Chalmers also emphasised that the government's first budget was 'simple', but as the cost of essentials continues to outpace the growth of welfare payments, is it really 'bread and butter' for struggling Australian households?



Due to the rising cost of living, many Australians are struggling to get by, and some are even falling into deeper financial crises.

It should also be noted that during the online broadcast, Stan Grant, the Q+A host, noticed that Fiona's question focused more on the difficult decisions she was having to make.

For example, she said that she had to choose between getting her eyes checked or seeing a doctor because her GP no longer offered bulk billing.

This observation prompted him to call on Chalmers for more in-depth advice.

However, Chalmers declined to provide Fiona with a direct response. Instead, he said that he recognised the challenges faced by Fiona and others in her situation.

'The cost of living is going through the roof, and that has a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable amongst us, and we understand that,' he added.

'My responsibility to you, Fiona, and to the whole country, is to try and take the right economic decisions, to make sure we are not making inflation worse.'

According to Chalmers, this year's inflation is expected to continue to worsen before peaking.

'Nobody has a perfect crystal ball,' he remarked.

'But the expectations of the Reserve Bank and the Treasury is that this inflation challenge will get a bit worse until the end of the year.'

'The main thing I can do here – the worst thing that could happen for Fiona and for people around Australia – is if we let this inflation get out of control… That’s what I’m trying to avoid.'

In a later statement, Chalmers claimed that he planned to present a 'costed plan with detail' to address the rise in energy prices before Christmas.

He said that the government was thinking about using price controls, subsidies, and taxes but that it would prefer to use regulation.

He said: 'We have a little more work to do on this… But I want to reassure people that we know that electricity price rises are… Intensifying.'

Key Takeaways

• Age pensioners are struggling to keep up with the cost of living, and are having to make tough choices about which essentials to go without.
• Jim Chalmers is struggling to offer hope to pensioners, as he warns inflation is just going to get worse and the government has to straddle a fine line or risk negatively impacting the situation.
• He says the best thing the government can do to try and address inflation is to be restrained in their spending.

Pensions are a crucial, staple part of Australians' finances here in the country. Many Australians rely, at least somewhat, on their pension payments to get by and to keep their heads above water financially.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think the government should implement price caps and subsidies to ease the burden of soaring utility prices? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

The government is well aware of the greed of the electricity providers and does nothing that I can see to stop it. We are utilising the earths resources at an alarming rate with no thought for later generations. When they are gone what will

Considering the progressive surge in the cost of living lately, it’s only right that we are all looking to the future with the hope of seeing a promising outlook. While many are rejoicing at possible wage growth, there are others whose situation has worsened.

Many pensioners are going through the motions every single day, barely able to scrape by. It’s anxiety-inducing and it shouldn’t be happening.

Fiona, who was in the live audience with other pensioners for Treasurer Jim Chalmers' post-budget Q+A appearance on Thursday night, asked if there was anything she could do to help herself overcome her dire financial circumstances, as she struggles with the surging cost of living.

‘With non-discretionary items rising faster than CPI indexation, welfare recipients like myself are meant to be grateful for (the rise to indexation). What essentials should I be cutting from my budget?’

As part of the routine indexation, the Age, Carer and Disability Support Pensioners will receive a $38.90 increase in the fortnightly allowance for single people and $58.80 for each couple.

After asking the Treasurer what necessities she should forego, a retiree with $20 in her bank account received a grim response. Credit: ABC.

But Fiona expressed that it was still not enough, saying: 'It’s all falling behind. I’m playing catch up.'

The question left Chalmers stumped, as he explained that the government needed to be careful not to make things worse as they straddled a fine line between making sure the economy is okay and guaranteeing that people can still manage.

'The best thing we can do is try and address inflation. That’s what the budget was about,' he explained.

'But I don’t want to pretend to Fiona or to anyone in Fiona’s position that the budget nine nights ago fixed all of these challenges.'

'I do need to be upfront with all of you about the nature of this challenge that we are confronting right now.'

'And our best contribution to this problem is being restrained in our spending.'

Chalmers also emphasised that the government's first budget was 'simple', but as the cost of essentials continues to outpace the growth of welfare payments, is it really 'bread and butter' for struggling Australian households?



Due to the rising cost of living, many Australians are struggling to get by, and some are even falling into deeper financial crises.

It should also be noted that during the online broadcast, Stan Grant, the Q+A host, noticed that Fiona's question focused more on the difficult decisions she was having to make.

For example, she said that she had to choose between getting her eyes checked or seeing a doctor because her GP no longer offered bulk billing.

This observation prompted him to call on Chalmers for more in-depth advice.

However, Chalmers declined to provide Fiona with a direct response. Instead, he said that he recognised the challenges faced by Fiona and others in her situation.

'The cost of living is going through the roof, and that has a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable amongst us, and we understand that,' he added.

'My responsibility to you, Fiona, and to the whole country, is to try and take the right economic decisions, to make sure we are not making inflation worse.'

According to Chalmers, this year's inflation is expected to continue to worsen before peaking.

'Nobody has a perfect crystal ball,' he remarked.

'But the expectations of the Reserve Bank and the Treasury is that this inflation challenge will get a bit worse until the end of the year.'

'The main thing I can do here – the worst thing that could happen for Fiona and for people around Australia – is if we let this inflation get out of control… That’s what I’m trying to avoid.'

In a later statement, Chalmers claimed that he planned to present a 'costed plan with detail' to address the rise in energy prices before Christmas.

He said that the government was thinking about using price controls, subsidies, and taxes but that it would prefer to use regulation.

He said: 'We have a little more work to do on this… But I want to reassure people that we know that electricity price rises are… Intensifying.'

Key Takeaways

• Age pensioners are struggling to keep up with the cost of living, and are having to make tough choices about which essentials to go without.
• Jim Chalmers is struggling to offer hope to pensioners, as he warns inflation is just going to get worse and the government has to straddle a fine line or risk negatively impacting the situation.
• He says the best thing the government can do to try and address inflation is to be restrained in their spending.

Pensions are a crucial, staple part of Australians' finances here in the country. Many Australians rely, at least somewhat, on their pension payments to get by and to keep their heads above water financially.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you think the government should implement price caps and subsidies to ease the burden of soaring utility prices? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

The government purse is not limitless but when electricity companies are led by greed and getting as much as they can out of consumers at whatever cost, then the government has to put a stop to it. There is no waffle here. The treasurer has an unenviable task, I agree, but it is within the governments power to put a stop to these increases. They can increase the company tax AND put a cap on prices so that Fiona and her like do not have to worry about where cost of the next meal or doctor's visit is coming from. The government should be looking after the people who elected them and not the bottom line of providers balance sheets. But does this happen? Ask Fiona!!