SDC members react To $2.34 a day Centrelink pension increase
- Replies 58
Last Thursday, we shared the news of Centrelink’s September 20 indexation. It was confirmed that recipients of the Age Pension, Disability Support Pension and Carer Payments can expect an increase of $32.70 a fortnight for single pensioners and $49.40 for couples ($24.70 each) to go into effect later this month.
The increase comes as part of the twice-yearly indexation and provides an additional $2.34 per day.
Missed the news? You can catch up on the full article here.
But what did SDC members have to say? We’ve compiled a selection of comments below.
Of the increase, member @TessM had this to say: ‘Not really that much for the Age Pension, but better than nothing, I guess.’
Member @Rob44 said: ‘Wow. Amazing! The utter generosity! Just over $26,000 per year for the single bloke's pension! It might even be $27,000 a year! That was the poverty level for a family back in 1989. What are our politicians getting, just as allowances? Well, the Mayor of Melbourne City gets a pittance of a wee bit more than $250,000pa, and even our long-suffering Melbourne City Councillors get $57,000pa. Thank goodness the LNP Premier of Tasmania has just had a pay rise of $161 000 pa.; otherwise, the poor dear might starve and not be able to afford heating.’
‘The generosity of Australia to its elderly is stunningly amazing!’ they continued.
Member @Glo72 said: ‘I am glad that I will get a rise. Every dollar is a help.’
Member @ChristyMahon said: ‘This is bull****. 3L of milk at local supermarkets in this 2799 region is now $6.50 (price increase since last pension increase: 50%), and diesel is now $2.10 (increase since last pension increase: 10.5%. I could go on to demonstrate the CPI figures used by the government are purposefully fraudulent. The actual CPI increase since March is in the region of 40% for staple commodities. The actual pension increase: 3%.’
Member @PeeBo added: ‘What a bl**** joke this interval payment is. It is a joke that the single and couple payments are so vastly different when both have the exact costs for electricity, rates, mortgage, and transport. The only things that come slightly cheaper for a single are clothes and food.’
‘The cost of living has risen so much that this rise is lost on the first shop of the year, not to mention the increase in rates and electricity. I am a single pensioner and have been monitoring costs. My food bill is about the same every fortnight, with no luxuries, just the bare basics. Just before COVID, the shopping bill averaged $5.70 an item; last week, an almost identical shop was $8.67 per item. And it is still increasing.’
‘I don't have the ability because of health to go and earn extra. If I could, I would. The job I did have was when Centrelink had the robot fiasco, and I had to pay back just $ 8,000 initially. They said it was $24000 until I questioned, but I still got stung for an overpayment, which should have been about maybe $600, an error on my part on declaring.’
‘The government does not care about pensioners and just needs to be seen doing, while they hand out millions of extras on badly organised infrastructure contracts and handing out handouts to overseas countries whose people hardly see the benefit of such charity.’
Member @Janmf said: ‘I’m very grateful for the rise, but the way that everything has risen, it won’t make much difference. My friend and I were saying that this is the first time that we have ever had to really watch what we spend on food. The little chocolate or bikkie no longer exists. She is on JobSeeker and is very lucky to own her own home. I’m still paying a mortgage, but we are both better off than having to rent.’
Member ‘IAN3005’ said: ‘An insult to the intelligence... enough for 1/2 tank of petrol. We need an increase of $628.29 a month as rent has increased by that much. Give me a break.’
As member@granmacub aptly put, the increase ‘barely scratches the surface for 99% of pensioners’.
The reactions to this announcement highlight the complex and varied experiences of those who rely on the age pension to make ends meet.
So how do you feel? What is $2.34 per day going to do for you? We want to hear from you, so have your say in the comments below.
We hope that by amplifying the voices and perspectives of Centrelink pensioners and SDC members, we can foster greater empathy, understanding, and advocacy. The more our voices are heard, the greater the chance of change.
If this situation has brought up unpleasant emotions, please consider contacting one of the many mental health hotlines listed here for support. And remember, you’re never alone.
The increase comes as part of the twice-yearly indexation and provides an additional $2.34 per day.
Missed the news? You can catch up on the full article here.
But what did SDC members have to say? We’ve compiled a selection of comments below.
Of the increase, member @TessM had this to say: ‘Not really that much for the Age Pension, but better than nothing, I guess.’
What will you spend your $2.34 per day on? Image Credit: Shutterstock
Member @Rob44 said: ‘Wow. Amazing! The utter generosity! Just over $26,000 per year for the single bloke's pension! It might even be $27,000 a year! That was the poverty level for a family back in 1989. What are our politicians getting, just as allowances? Well, the Mayor of Melbourne City gets a pittance of a wee bit more than $250,000pa, and even our long-suffering Melbourne City Councillors get $57,000pa. Thank goodness the LNP Premier of Tasmania has just had a pay rise of $161 000 pa.; otherwise, the poor dear might starve and not be able to afford heating.’
‘The generosity of Australia to its elderly is stunningly amazing!’ they continued.
Member @Glo72 said: ‘I am glad that I will get a rise. Every dollar is a help.’
Member @ChristyMahon said: ‘This is bull****. 3L of milk at local supermarkets in this 2799 region is now $6.50 (price increase since last pension increase: 50%), and diesel is now $2.10 (increase since last pension increase: 10.5%. I could go on to demonstrate the CPI figures used by the government are purposefully fraudulent. The actual CPI increase since March is in the region of 40% for staple commodities. The actual pension increase: 3%.’
Member @PeeBo added: ‘What a bl**** joke this interval payment is. It is a joke that the single and couple payments are so vastly different when both have the exact costs for electricity, rates, mortgage, and transport. The only things that come slightly cheaper for a single are clothes and food.’
‘The cost of living has risen so much that this rise is lost on the first shop of the year, not to mention the increase in rates and electricity. I am a single pensioner and have been monitoring costs. My food bill is about the same every fortnight, with no luxuries, just the bare basics. Just before COVID, the shopping bill averaged $5.70 an item; last week, an almost identical shop was $8.67 per item. And it is still increasing.’
‘I don't have the ability because of health to go and earn extra. If I could, I would. The job I did have was when Centrelink had the robot fiasco, and I had to pay back just $ 8,000 initially. They said it was $24000 until I questioned, but I still got stung for an overpayment, which should have been about maybe $600, an error on my part on declaring.’
‘The government does not care about pensioners and just needs to be seen doing, while they hand out millions of extras on badly organised infrastructure contracts and handing out handouts to overseas countries whose people hardly see the benefit of such charity.’
Member @Janmf said: ‘I’m very grateful for the rise, but the way that everything has risen, it won’t make much difference. My friend and I were saying that this is the first time that we have ever had to really watch what we spend on food. The little chocolate or bikkie no longer exists. She is on JobSeeker and is very lucky to own her own home. I’m still paying a mortgage, but we are both better off than having to rent.’
Member ‘IAN3005’ said: ‘An insult to the intelligence... enough for 1/2 tank of petrol. We need an increase of $628.29 a month as rent has increased by that much. Give me a break.’
As member@granmacub aptly put, the increase ‘barely scratches the surface for 99% of pensioners’.
The reactions to this announcement highlight the complex and varied experiences of those who rely on the age pension to make ends meet.
So how do you feel? What is $2.34 per day going to do for you? We want to hear from you, so have your say in the comments below.
We hope that by amplifying the voices and perspectives of Centrelink pensioners and SDC members, we can foster greater empathy, understanding, and advocacy. The more our voices are heard, the greater the chance of change.
If this situation has brought up unpleasant emotions, please consider contacting one of the many mental health hotlines listed here for support. And remember, you’re never alone.
.png){kind=icon}
you will be better off
