Having worked most of my life (when not raising kids) I had no expectation of ever being eligible for the Age Pension. But a seminar run by Centrelink gave us new information, I applied, was treated very well by the Centrelink staff, and now can proudly say I'm a pensioner!! And whats more, when my partner reaches the magic age of 65, he will be too!
To make things even better, I've just been to see the Motor Registry, and I will recieve a part-refund on my car rego which was paid recently. And my next drivers licence will be free....
I'm just so grateful. Other countries dont treat their older citizens this well. Bless you Australia!!!
-- Edited by Gerty Dancer on Monday 16th of August 2010 08:36:56 PM
brickies said
12:12 PM Aug 16, 2010
Well Said Gert some time we take things for granted
-- Edited by brickies on Monday 16th of August 2010 06:48:49 PM
Ole Grizzly said
12:24 PM Aug 16, 2010
Hi Gerty, seems not enough Tax is paid in South Australia, as being a pensioner we still pay full Insurance, Vehicle Registration concession, and same for our Drivers Licence.
I thought we are all living in Australia, but the state borders are still like a brick wall and seperate us.
GrumpyOne said
02:19 PM Aug 16, 2010
Hey Old Griz,
The sooner they disband state level government and take it all to a federal level the better we will be off, may be, just may be then we will have a national licensing and registration system where so long as we live in Australia we are entitled to register a vehicle etc... and hold a drivers licence.
As we are all well aware, if we have ended our working life and have decided to travel and see this great country of ours we don't have the right to own a licence or register our cars and vans....unless of course we remain bound by the state laws.
Obviously as travellers we are 2nd class to the rest of the country.......as you can tell this is a very sore point with myself.
Hoo Roo happy days
Grumps
colsa said
05:48 PM Aug 16, 2010
Hi Gerty Dancer welcome to the pension club, what state are you in to get a free drivers licence i might hve to trasnsfer states.
Gerty Dancer said
05:52 PM Aug 16, 2010
I'm in the ACT, although I hesitate to say so. Many people blame us ordinary Canberra citizens for whatever the Federal Government does or doent do, no matter who is in Government. Not many of the actual pollies live here, well not for long!
In the ACT, my Mazda 2 cost $718 to register including 3rd party (green slip) and gst, the Prado was $853. Would be interested in the cost of motor vehicle registration in other states?
-- Edited by Gerty Dancer on Monday 16th of August 2010 07:02:42 PM
tonyd said
07:14 PM Aug 16, 2010
Gee, where do I start? Since becoming a pensioner, I get (a pension, obviously) and some amazing (in WA) discounts. Like about 40 per cent or more off your rates, a big cut in water rates, a bit off the phone bill, quite a bit off the power bill, free driving licence, free public transport (9.30 to 3pm). Unfortunately, the local grog shop still charges the full whack! And I get a 180-page book outlining my discounts at all sorts of places (such as a car battery bloke who gives 20 per cent off). Who'd be young again?
Cheers, Tony
brickies said
07:52 PM Aug 16, 2010
This an interesting post some of us are grateful for what we are given in our old age , and some are not is the glass half empty or half full
Wombat 280 said
07:54 PM Aug 16, 2010
As they say Oil's ain't oils and neither are pension entitlements such as public transport passes
It's taken well over my driving life to see a uniform heavy vehicle licence introduced but they are still state by state issued so why did they bother.
justcruisin01 said
08:03 PM Aug 16, 2010
Quote .........To make things even better, I've just been to see the Motor Registry, and I will recieve a part-refund on my car insurance which was paid recently.
Q. ... What insurance are you refering to , or did you mean rego?
Gerty Dancer said
08:36 PM Aug 16, 2010
justcruisin01 wrote:
Q. ... What insurance are you refering to , or did you mean rego?
Ooooh Sorry. Yes I meant rego!
justcruisin01 said
08:47 PM Aug 16, 2010
BUGGER! thought there may have been a little more there some where.LOL Oh well, can,t win them all.
blaze said
10:56 PM Aug 16, 2010
Gerty Dancer wrote:
I'm in the ACT, although I hesitate to say so. Many people blame us ordinary Canberra citizens for whatever the Federal Government does or doent do, no matter who is in Government. Not many of the actual pollies live here, well not for long!
In the ACT, my Mazda 2 cost $718 to register including 3rd party (green slip) and gst, the Prado was $853. Would be interested in the cost of motor vehicle registration in other states?
-- Edited by Gerty Dancer on Monday 16th of August 2010 07:02:42 PM
Roughly $580 for disco1 in tassie, little more for our 2002 falcon. No discounts eithe cheers blaze
howdrink said
07:02 AM Aug 17, 2010
Ah but don't forget you can also claim rent assist while you are travelling around on your pension that's another thing that helps you out
Gerty Dancer said
09:14 AM Aug 17, 2010
Only if you dont own a home, Howdrink!! And if you are otherwise homeless you would need that rent assistance I would think.
countryroad said
09:29 AM Aug 17, 2010
RE above....think it's $105 PER Fortnight....so don't go for the deluxe site.......and don't forget you
can only do this IF you don't have a house, but if you have your house money invested...after 12 months, and some
super you may not get any pension anyway....so don't do anything drastic UNTIL you've visited
Centrelink.....after may be too late. Especially if you buy back into city markets.
I guess I'm trying to say be very aware find out every tiny detail don't learn by experience...we've
already done enough of that in earlier days.
-- Edited by countryroad on Tuesday 17th of August 2010 09:30:14 AM
Rolly said
03:31 PM Aug 17, 2010
Gerty Dancer wrote:In the ACT, my Mazda 2 cost $718 to register including 3rd party (green slip) and gst, the Prado was $853.
Would be interested in the cost of motor vehicle registration in other states?
-- Edited by Gerty Dancer on Monday 16th of August 2010 07:02:42 PM
1985 Toyota Landcruiser Stn. Sdn. LPG/Petrol in WA
Licence Fee 0.00 Insurance 222.73 GST on Ins. 22.27 Stamp Duty on Ins. 24.50 Recording Fee 13.05
Total 282.55
The Insurance is personal injury only.
Additional TPO cost 175.76 with RAC insurance.
Caravan Rego.
1976 Baravan, Tare 969Kg, Agg. 1362Kg, for which there is no concession rate:
Licence Fee 49.20
Ins. 10.00
GST on Ins. 1.00
Stamp Duty on Ins. 1.10
Recording Fee 13.05
Total 74.35
I haven't yet got quotes for the caravan insurance.
I hope this helps.
Happywanderer said
04:14 PM Aug 17, 2010
Victoria for my car Registration
TAC premium 154.00 Stamp Duty 15.40 Reg Fee 93.60
Total $263.00
Car Insurance with Aami.
Ratings 1 for life Diamond Safe Driver rewards
$384.00
-- Edited by Happywanderer on Tuesday 17th of August 2010 04:17:54 PM
Gerty Dancer said
04:15 PM Aug 17, 2010
Very interesting thanks Rolly. I'm fast being persuaded to move to WA!! Or Victoria!
Just Cruisin.... dont give up, it might be worth asking your insurance company for a discount. My neighbor did, claiming that their quote was too expensive for "poor pensioners" and she got a discount of over $100!!!
-- Edited by Gerty Dancer on Tuesday 17th of August 2010 08:37:28 PM
petengail said
04:39 PM Aug 17, 2010
You said it gert "god bless aust". Regardless of what our politics are someone has basically got most of it right. We spent most of our life wandering around the world and there is no where like aust. Our last stint was in the USA, you know the place home of the brave land of the free etc etc. On my evening stroll from work to the train I would pass more beggars than in a comparable stroll through New Delhi. We might be broke and we might be buggered, but the pension is paid and the doctor bulk bills. Gotta love it.
tonyd said
04:45 PM Aug 17, 2010
On a vaguely associated topic, is it fair to assume that I am NOT the only person who feels that the election campaign has gone on longer than the World Cup, and is even less interesting?
Heaven help me, I read stories in the papers today about Ben Cousins just to avoid more election tosh.
Cheers, Tony
coyotte said
07:27 PM Aug 17, 2010
N.S.W --- per pensioner
free rego for 1 vechile free 5year driver's licence -- even heavy vechiles
cheers
Coyotte
justcruisin01 said
09:04 PM Aug 17, 2010
Just Cruisin.... dont give up, it might be worth asking your insurance company for a discount.
Gerty, we have every thing insured with NRMA, cars, van, house, boat.We I finished work I checked all the other ins. companys that were advertising to be better towards the pensioners.They were nowhere near the ball park, let alone in it.
petengail said
05:21 PM Aug 18, 2010
tonyd wrote:
On a vaguely associated topic, is it fair to assume that I am NOT the only person who feels that the election campaign has gone on longer than the World Cup, and is even less interesting? Heaven help me, I read stories in the papers today about Ben Cousins just to avoid more election tosh. Cheers, Tony
gee tony we spent the last two weeks camping with no tv and no paper no radio and i didnt take the computer... the election campaign has three more days to run, and i have hardly heard any of it. came home to a bunch of election mail and it went straight into the recycling, it does peeve me though that we eventually have to pay for it to be sent to us....
Gerty Dancer said
06:30 PM Aug 18, 2010
Thanks Coyotte. I get the picture now. ACT gives a rego discount to pensioners because it is the most expensive to start with! Hmmmm... Definitely feel a move coming on.
Pejay said
08:20 PM Aug 18, 2010
Wasn't there something on another thread that related to rent assistance? I seem to remeber it being said that for each caravan park you stayed in, you had to apply and have a seperate card (or whatever) for each time you move.
Happywanderer said
10:05 PM Aug 18, 2010
Yes there was, you can apply for rent assistance if you stay awhile in the one caravan park, would have to take in receipt I suppose.
countryroad said
10:10 PM Aug 24, 2010
Put into search on top blue line...near list of members
'claiming rent assistance'
it's only back in July 2010
gives info on EXACTLY the requirements by Centrelink...and you can stay as many or as few nights................even one night only as you choose in each CP during each fortnight.
Centrelink don't care how many nights you spend wherever....just that you fill it in as they require.
Think it may have been rockylizard who explained it all.
To make things even better, I've just been to see the Motor Registry, and I will recieve a part-refund on my car rego which was paid recently. And my next drivers licence will be free....
I'm just so grateful. Other countries dont treat their older citizens this well. Bless you Australia!!!
-- Edited by Gerty Dancer on Monday 16th of August 2010 08:36:56 PM
-- Edited by brickies on Monday 16th of August 2010 06:48:49 PM
I thought we are all living in Australia, but the state borders are still like a brick wall and seperate us.
In the ACT, my Mazda 2 cost $718 to register including 3rd party (green slip) and gst, the Prado was $853.
Would be interested in the cost of motor vehicle registration in other states?
-- Edited by Gerty Dancer on Monday 16th of August 2010 07:02:42 PM
Q. ... What insurance are you refering to , or did you mean rego?
Oh well, can,t win them all.
cheers
blaze
RE above....think it's $105 PER Fortnight....so don't go for the deluxe site.......and don't forget you
can only do this IF you don't have a house, but if you have your house money invested...after 12 months, and some
super you may not get any pension anyway....so don't do anything drastic UNTIL you've visited
Centrelink.....after may be too late. Especially if you buy back into city markets.
I guess I'm trying to say be very aware find out every tiny detail don't learn by experience...we've
already done enough of that in earlier days.
-- Edited by countryroad on Tuesday 17th of August 2010 09:30:14 AM
1985 Toyota Landcruiser Stn. Sdn. LPG/Petrol in WA
Licence Fee 0.00
Insurance 222.73
GST on Ins. 22.27
Stamp Duty on Ins. 24.50
Recording Fee 13.05
Total 282.55
The Insurance is personal injury only.
Additional TPO cost 175.76 with RAC insurance.
Caravan Rego.
1976 Baravan, Tare 969Kg, Agg. 1362Kg, for which there is no concession rate:
Licence Fee 49.20
Ins. 10.00
GST on Ins. 1.00
Stamp Duty on Ins. 1.10
Recording Fee 13.05
Total 74.35
I haven't yet got quotes for the caravan insurance.
I hope this helps.
TAC premium 154.00
Stamp Duty 15.40
Reg Fee 93.60
Total $263.00
Car Insurance with Aami.
Ratings 1 for life Diamond Safe Driver rewards
$384.00
-- Edited by Happywanderer on Tuesday 17th of August 2010 04:17:54 PM
Just Cruisin.... dont give up, it might be worth asking your insurance company for a discount. My neighbor did, claiming that their quote was too expensive for "poor pensioners" and she got a discount of over $100!!!
-- Edited by Gerty Dancer on Tuesday 17th of August 2010 08:37:28 PM
free rego for 1 vechile
free 5year driver's licence -- even heavy vechiles
cheers
Coyotte
Gerty, we have every thing insured with NRMA, cars, van, house, boat.We I finished work I checked all the other ins. companys that were advertising to be better towards the pensioners.They were nowhere near the ball park, let alone in it.