And I will have to wait an extra 2 years now before being eligible for the pension.

Bilko I find it hard to believe BUT I have been assured it is true. I also find it totally degrading, offensive and obscene!!!!

well theres blatant racism in all it's finery for all our pensioners

Local radio has been talking about this for some time.  They are urging people who have received this mail, to go to www.australian government and clear it up.  I mean really, do yhou think it is true.  I don't think so.

I was under the impression refugee's got the equivelent of the dole etc, maybe under a different name to keep someone in an office employed.

What I think sucks is for example...
One of the fine gents or ladies on this forum found a companion from overseas and said companion choose to move to Australia, they would have to work, or the said Nomad would have to show they could support said companion for 2 years, as anyone entering Australia legally (Fiance visa etc) cannot collect any social security payments for two years. Yet you fall off a boat and they look after you.

It's actually fiction according to the web site it give a clear picture. I get cranky when I see these emails about the assylum seekers benefits. If it's true I'd be more than cranky. If it's false I get cranky at the stirrers who spread it around. While I don't think we need anymore immigrants, especially "boat people", I think the truth is probably stranger than this fiction. They cost us enough money. We should put them on a plane if Broome or Darwin, and send them right back to where they come from. Not Indonesia, but where they really come from. Then fine the Indonesians heavily for taking their money to bring them here. Soapbox Dave! Nah, I'm over it. We just have to make sure of all the facts before we go off. Cheers Chris

well I still think they should be stopped before they gain our shores, just a "pirate" gunship patrolling or should that be "lurking" halfway off the indonesian/australian coast would be a deterrent thank christ it's just a bit more spam generated by some drongoe with too much time on his hands I'd hate for something like that to be true!!

Apparently it is FICTION
Got this email yestrday

Centrelink Payments for Pensioners and Refugees - The Real Deal

Hi Folks,

About two years back an e-mail claiming that refugees were paid more than pensioners began the rounds. It was not accurate but many believed it. It has resurfaced in the past month; racist rumours have a supernatural shelf life. It is currently being circulated through the Australian armed forces and stirring the racist pot.

So here is the deal. I know it well because I work with refugees and asylum seekers, and helped those who came out of detention in 2005-2007.

Refugees coming out of detention on Temporary Protection Visas (now about to be abolished) get what is called Special Benefit payments. This is the lowest Centrelink benefit available. In 2005 it was $404.00 per fortnight for singles over 21years (less if you are under 21). They can also get up to $60.00 housing assistance per fortnight. These folk have been found to be refugees and are legally allowed to stay in Australia.

Under this Special Benefit payment they lose dollar for dollar for every dollar earned so for instance if they get part-time work 13.5 hours per week at $15 an hour- then they lose their Centrelink and their housing assistance as well. These folk also are not eligible for any help to get work, English classes or any federally-funded programs. They get no pharmaceutical benefits or assistance with phone and electricity bills. Special benefit has now been increased to $429.80 per fortnight.

See http://www.centrelink.gov.au/internet/internet.nsf/filestores/co038_0801/$file/co038_0801en.pdf

Old age pensioners (single rate) get $546.80 per fortnight.  Plus extra help with pharmaceutical benefits, power and phone bills. This is not a millionaire rate but it is $117 per fortnight more than refugees.

See http://www.centrelink.gov.au/Internet/internet.nsf/payments/pay_how_agepens.htm

You can check the links to see that this information is correct and find out more detail about couple rates, etc.

Please let others know. These false claims that refugees are getting a better deal than aged pensioners are not true and they cause some people to be abusive towards people they identify as refugees.

Thanks for looking for the truth.

Regards
Pamela Curr
Campaigns Co-ordinator
Asylum Seeker Resource Centre 

Hope this helps
Barb

Thank god it's a fake....
There is one simple way to stop boat people comming here, let it be known that Australians do not allow freedom of religious expression much like the country they are leaving.

I still prefer the armed and dangerous patrol boats filled up with the looneys who shoot first and ask questions after, I bet the trickle of asylum seekers will stop

Dave you may be right in your thinking unfortunatley as you are not a looney you are not allowed to put forward such suggestions.
I agree with Granny and others too many people have to much time on their hands to allow them to start these urban myths....

Unfortunately, although many of us are unhappy with some immigrants/refugees being foisted upon us by the government without any consultation with the citizens of this country, it is a fact of life that it is going to happen whether we like it or not. There are many rednecks (I know of at least on who belongs to a certain religion who are opposed to those of the Islamic faith) among us who take every opportunity to create hate and bitterness among the general population towards those arriving on our shores. Many years ago it was Italians and other European immigrants, then Vietnamese etc and what marvelous Australians and citizens they have made, with no more "duds" than the general population, but with plenty of high achievers. And what a great diversity they have made to our culture (especially food !). Like those in the field who have made posts here already, be very wary of any claims that in most case have been circulated by those with an axe to grind and that are more likely than not to be false. Aren't we supposed to be the country of "A Fair Go"? Berg

Berg spot on, us Aussies are all for a fair go. Unfortunatley there appear to be several dichotomies well you can only actually have 2 dichotomies (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dichotomy) in which it would appear that if you want to legally imigrate it's no longer simply a case of wandering into the nearest Australian Embassy and asking to immigrate, to do it this way takes years and is costly. The there are the "boat people" now many of these are genuine but they seem to get preferential treatment, they get exceptional advice from somewhere that tells them exactly what to say and how to say it. There are too many questions that remain unanswered, just a couple;
Why do they spend years waiting in Indonesia for a boat to get here on?
Why is it a preponderence of youngish males using children and or babies as threats ie holding them overboard when challenged?
Why do they all want to come here???? That I can answer, we are a soft touch....
Yep the Italians, Greeks, Croatians, Poms, Scots and even Germans have arrived by the steamer load and bought their culture with them, their food etc but they have all done something a few of this group don't want to do and that is assimilate, not all of them just a vocal minority who give the rest a bad name.
I'm glad I don't have to tell genuine from fake.

Yes Basil, agree there are areas of concern to all of us, especially the people smugglers who get rich at promoting illegal immigration and school those who are not true refugees on the art of conning their way into the country. I am as much opposed to this as anyone and it doesn't really help those who are genuine in seeking asylum. I like many others and the government wish there was an easy solution, but if there was it would probably be a crime against humanity and international law. I don't anyone knows the answer including our government, they can only do so much. Hopefully a solution to this problem (at least better than what we have now) can be found in the not too distant future. Berg

The solution is to heavily penalise the Indonesians who own the boats, and charge huge fares of passage to bring those people to Ashmore Reef and other places on the NW shores. One group was found on an isolated beach on the nw coast, living on seafood they scrounged, and fortunately for them, there was a fresh water spring nearby. The Government needs to take the hard line here, and go to the source. The people will keep paying and coming until the smugglers are stopped. I wouldn't go near any of those rotten boats, but then I'm not desperate to leave my country. We have to hit the smugglers hard, and the traffic will stop. The Indonesian Government needs to be involved. Unfortunately, we have become the country of soft options. We need to toughen to protect ourselves. With our troops overseas fighting someone else's war, who's going to protect us? The smugglers know our systems better than we do. They know more about the Coast Watch patrols and Navy activities than most Australians. They use our own laws to find the loopholes. A hard line is the only way to stop it. We don't owe them anything. We don't owe the Indo's anything. Hit 'em hard!

You've got my vote Cruising Granny.......Let me know when you're standing !

I've been plugging The Grey Nomad Party for months now. I'd go mad if I was a polly. Bound by party policy only stifles opinion and progress. Independent pollies can have more clout than those in the mainstream parties. But that's politics. Cheers Chris

Immigation has been going on since this country was founded. We have been through all this before, and it has no end.

Those that have come before, seemed to have adapted and adopted well. The lastest is of concern to me, as they mostly seemed to be of Muslum faith.

While I do not care if anyone has a faith, be it spiritual, pub on sunday or fishing, this religion seems to have one goal.

Religion has caused more wars and division, than anything else. Why, I do not know. I hope those of this faith see Aussie as it is, as those before, and adapt to a better way of looking at life. Have your faith and a good life, without conflict.

Until that happens, we should urge the Govn of the day, to attend to this lastest illegal immigation and stop it. We Aussie need to get tougher, as a soft touch, we will get touched up.

My twobobs worth

Religion is not the cause of wars. It's been used as the reason for wars. It's a form of discrimination used by the people, in the name of religion. In Ireland it was the Catholics vs the Protestants, used as a facade for other political issues. In the Middle East it's the Muslims vs the rest. The problem is there is no negotiation, no reasoning, or no agreeing to disagree. It's the Muslim way or no way, and they will kill until everyone gets the message, or there's no opposition and everyone becomes Muslim. Any way you look at it, they will appear to win, but at what cost? Post WWII those immigrants assimilated, and worked damned hard for their adopted country, and still do. They started their new lives in migrant hostels, not detention centres with high walls and razor wire. They were friends, they didn't force their way in, and they wanted to have a free life in Oz. From early settlement even the convicts eventually assimilated, and it was a shame the early pioneers didn't try to get on with the Aboriginals at the time. Then again the Aboriginals didn't want to, and still won't assimilate with anyone on anyone's terms except their own. That's another story. In SA the German Lutherans assimilated, and worked hard. Many of us are descendants of those hard working immigrants. The most recent immigrants from Asia or the Middle East don't seem to have the same ethics as those before them. Street gangs are infiltrating schools and city streets, and bullying their way in, instead of earning their way in. It's the culture to bully. They don't seem to negotiate. Politely send them home at our expense. That way we won't have to staff the detention centres, feed them, accommodate and clean up after them and put up with their demands, then house them, when they have no real intentions of working here. Send them home.

Cruising Granny wrote:

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I've been plugging The Grey Nomad Party for months now.
I'd go mad if I was a polly. Bound by party policy only stifles opinion and progress.
Independent pollies can have more clout than those in the mainstream parties.
But that's politics. Cheers Chris

---

Yes Granny we know what you've been plugging.... Look I support you 200% but then I'm not your average GN I guess. I put up a poll re support for a party and what happened? Let me tell you - because we GN's are a bunch of weak unorganised, aged, apathetic old fools we do nothing but bitch and whinge about it. Hell your average male GN could not organise to get himself laid in Hay st, Kings X or Fyshwick even if he had a pocket full of cash and your average female GN would prefer that he did go and look elsewhere because she is to disorganised to remember to buy some hormones to keep her interested....

The younger generation don't want us in charge, they know we have the numbers but they are so thankful that we are as above.
I think unless we can find another Peter Lalor to organises us we are as Private Fraser says - DOOMED.
I think you should watch some re runs of Yes Minister or follow the adventures of the Hollow Men on ABC TV to get the proper perspective on this.

Sorry Basil, disagree

In so much as isolating Gn as being "not involved". My experience is that it is across the board, all age groups.

Everyone leave it to "someone" else to carry the banner, but will winge and moan, all the same. If you carry the banner, you still get kicked up the backside by someone. I think thats why most do not "get involved" or stop being involved.

I know, as I have carried several banners, and will never again.

Yepmakes you hopping made we came out as £10 poms worked bl dy hard brought up four kids who in turn work bl dy hard and we never got anything given to us we were in hostels and just got on with living and working in a country that we chose. And what a great one it is too don`t let the Pollies ruin it for us. Helena.

Just today on the news is the report of acid dousing during a home invasion. Apparently some of our "happy" immigrants, fighting their war over here. Do they really want to be "free"? I think not. As far as carrying a banner or speaking up. If I believe in something, and I believe it to be right, I'll fight until my nails bleed. If it's worth fighting for, you can count on me. Just call me "Bucket Mouth" when I'm not Cruising Granny. I've taken on politicians and political parties, Centrelink, an Insurance company about work cover, and a superannuation organisation about what was rightfully mine when I retired. The power of the pen is a strong power indeed. Too many people say, "It's not my problem", or "there's nothing I can do", and that's exactly what they do - nothing. And then they whinge to anyone who listens, but do nothing. Maybe my years as a journo gave me the confidence to take on the causes, and the means to locate the target of my discontent. We are never too old to learn. Cheers Granny

This email has now done the rounds of talk back radio with outrage expressed by all concerned BUT THERE HAS BEEN AN ADMISSION ( from a govt minister) that anomallies did exist but have now been corrected, so maybe it was not so far from the truth. One social commentator ( didn't specify her quals) was really getting into the people responsible for starting the email. The Host Tim Webster expressed my sentiments; "if you come here for a better life leave the worries and strife you are trying to flee behind you" Went on to say that one radical middle eastern site refers to the Iranians as Persians and Persia hasn't existed since 1935. No one can explain where in the Koran it says that all Americans have to be exterminated, America had not been settled and was not even known about when the Koran was written.
Personally I blame 2 people Hitler and Churchill, between them they started all this current Middle Eastern strife when you look at it with the benifit of hindsight.
Strewth having a stoush is one thing but continuing to stoush when you have lost the cause years ago is just un Australian.

Cruising Granny wrote:

---

Just today on the news is the report of acid dousing during a home invasion.
Apparently some of our "happy" immigrants, fighting their war over here.
Do they really want to be "free"? I think not.

As far as carrying a banner or speaking up. If I believe in something, and I believe it to be right, I'll fight until my nails bleed. If it's worth fighting for, you can count on me.
Just call me "Bucket Mouth" when I'm not Cruising Granny.
I've taken on politicians and political parties, Centrelink, an Insurance company about work cover, and a superannuation organisation about what was rightfully mine when I retired.
The power of the pen is a strong power indeed.
Too many people say, "It's not my problem", or "there's nothing I can do", and that's exactly what they do - nothing. And then they whinge to anyone who listens, but do nothing.
Maybe my years as a journo gave me the confidence to take on the causes, and the means to locate the target of my discontent.
We are never too old to learn. Cheers Granny

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Granny one thing I value more closeley than my Gold Card is your right to express your opinion. Being a Bucket Mouth is in fact quite an honour. Even being a red neck is an honour. Unless someone stands up to be counted nothing happens because those who have the power will always take the softest option that still ensures their re-election and unless there is a perception that the public at large who are mainly appathetic are demanding a something be done to resolve an issue then it's simply solved by sending the media off on another tack.
I for one salute anyone who takes a stand, look at what happens overseas in very Urbane countries like Italy if the govt does something unpopular compared with Australia, I think we can be too laid back for our own good sometimes.