The Greatest Treasurer

[Sojourner]

Many low income workers hitting retirement age used to work another year, put their entire salary or as much as they could of it into their super and have it matched by the Government giving them a good top up at $ for $. It was hardly their fault that Supernauation funds were not mainstream and compulsory when they began their working careers and its seems unfair that older workers lose the right to top up their super to a reasonable level?

[redandblack]

Soj, the government only topped up dollar for dollar up to a 1000 dollars.

[Sojourner]

Pretty sure that was changed also R&B, at one stage, I heard that people were selling houses and having the funds put into Super for the $ for $ scheme! - which likely ended it!

[Jimmy_041]

And who introduced it?
I thought it was $1,500 - did someone reduce it to $1,000?
And who has cut it all together?

[redandblack]

It started at $1500 for $1000 contributed, dropped to $1000 and will now drop to $500, so I don't know who has cut it out altogether

Soj, anyone who sold their house to put in $1000 of undeducted super to gain $1000 or $1500, is an idiot. I think you may be confusing the $ for $ scheme with the general super contribution rules?

It was introduced by the Howard government in 2003, a good policy at that time, IMO.

Many think our debt and spending is too high, but oppose this measure. Proves my point somewhat, I'd think.

[Jimmy_041]

It started at $1500 for $1000 contributed, dropped to $1000 and will now drop to $500, so I don't know who has cut it out altogether

Soj, anyone who sold their house to put in $1000 of undeducted super to gain $1000 or $1500, is an idiot. I think you may be confusing the $ for $ scheme with the general super contribution rules?

It was introduced by the Howard government in 2003, a good policy at that time, IMO.

Many think our debt and spending is too high, but oppose this measure. Proves my point somewhat, I'd think.

Holy $hit Batman - got a positive for the Howard Govt for the people
I will return the favour - a great initiative from the Labor Govt - problem was the tax on it gave little to the people and more to the govt
Labor cut to $1000 and, I think, it is now abolished - I may be wrong, but the reason - cut the revenue slice. This is not a real Labor Govt

[redandblack]

No, it's not abolished. It's now being lowered to $500.

AS I said in my last post, people grizzle about the debt level, but still grizzle when the govt tries to do something about it.

Not a real Labor Govt? Perhaps read past the Daily Telegraph headlines. Pensions way up, tax rates down and only two days ago a significant Family Allowance increase was announced.

Didn't see any headlineds about it, no room after the articles bemoaning people on $150K plus being 'ripped off' by the carbon tax

[smac]

My Nan wants to have a chat with you about the 'pensions way up' part of your post.

She doesn't swear, but she's calling bullshit! A few extra dollars against the cost of living increases and her pension is 'way down'. I pay her electric bill, my brother pays the gas and phone and her standard of living is close to the same it was ten years ago when she paid those bills herself.

[redandblack]

Happy New Year, smac and to your Nan.

I can't see where I said that pensioners are well off. Quite the contrary, I'm always posting about middle and upper income welfare being too high and that it should be more equitable.

I stand by my statement that pensions are way up under this government. It doesn't get any headlines, but the partnered age pension has gone from about $11600 in 2007 to about $14600 now, a far greater increase than in the previous 4 years ($9800 to $11700).

The increase in the single pension has been dramatically more.

I sympathise with your Nan and the cost of living, but the CPI has been around 3% for a long time now. My politics are to encourage better conditions for people such as your Nan and that's backed up by the above actual figures.

I think this is just another example of where it's easier to just blame the government and ignore the facts, perhaps.

[dedja]

Power prices have gone up by far, far more than CPI in the past few years ...

[redandblack]

It's part of the CPI, so other prices haven't gone up as much as 3%.

[Dirko]

It's part of the CPI, so other prices haven't gone up as much as 3%.

Water? Gas? Petrol? Groceries?

Yeah nah they haven't gone up much....

[redandblack]

That'll teach me to quote factual figures.

All the things you mention are in the CPI calculations.

I should just stick to anecdotal evidence and we can abolish the official CPI figures, because it doesn't suit some peoples' arguments.

[Dirko]

That's what I love about you R & B, as soon as someone doesn't agree with you, you're like the kid in the playground who picks up his cricket bat and goes home.

You then throw in a few of these or

You live in your bubble, and keep on rolling sunshine.....

[Q.]

The plural of anecdote is not data.

[redandblack]

That's what I love about you R & B, as soon as someone doesn't agree with you, you're like the kid in the playground who picks up his cricket bat and goes home.

You then throw in a few of these or

You live in your bubble, and keep on rolling sunshine.....

I'm glad you love me, mate.

I don't think I picked up my bat and went home, though. I'm pretty sure I stayed and answered with some facts, something noticeably missing in your posts?

[redandblack]

The plural of anecdote is not data.

Nice work, Q

[Jimmy_041]

No, it's not abolished. It's now being lowered to $500.

AS I said in my last post, people grizzle about the debt level, but still grizzle when the govt tries to do something about it.

Not a real Labor Govt? Perhaps read past the Daily Telegraph headlines. Pensions way up, tax rates down and only two days ago a significant Family Allowance increase was announced.

Didn't see any headlineds about it, no room after the articles bemoaning people on $150K plus being 'ripped off' by the carbon tax

So, you are quite happy that they have attacked the superannuation of the lower wage earners? I give up again....

As for pensions way up

[dedja]

It's part of the CPI, so other prices haven't gone up as much as 3%.

that's statistical utopia, not real world ...

[redandblack]

Well, if I can't argue from facts and I can't argue because I'm biased,

Even after I quote the exact pension figures, showing a far greater increase under the current government, I still get

As for pensions way up

I quote the official CPI figures and I'm told that's not the real world:

Of course it's not, but it's the closest measurement we have to debate the facts and it's not out by so much that we can just ignore it as being irrelevant.

As for superannuation contribution decreases, it was a Labor Government that brought in and is now proposing an increase in the Super Guarantee Levy, which far, far outweighs this measure.

I'll say it again: Pension increases under this government are far greater than under the previous one.

Inconvenient truths, I know, but there you are.......