Hi Folks. Do you realise that if you develop a "qualifying disease or disability" for NDIS you must be under 65 years of age.
Unless a particular State provides funding for certain over 65's, you go into an aged care facility (which the Fed Govt is clamping down on with its funding), are entitled to a Disability Pension or will be part funded by a charity like MSWA (I work for them and they fund or partially fund people who don't meet the various govt criteria) - then you are on your own.
Prior to the NDIS, each State funded its own versions of care and age was not generally taken into account.
Guess the oldies will end up in the gutter again...........
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
I really struggle coming to grips with all of the welfare schemes that different governments have introduced over the years, the NDIS scheme is just another one that I don't fully understand. There is only a certain amount of money in the taxpayer bucket - where is the money coming from to pay for it ? I know that people would prefer not to hear this sort of talk but one day we are going to have to realise that we need to live within our means. The real question should be what are we going to give up in order to pay for the things that we believe are the most worthy of funding ? I'm not saying that the NDIS scheme is wrong I am just questioning how we are supposed to pay for all of these additional welfare schemes.
It always looks good when Governments give this and that for the welfare system, but someone has to pay and with only one in three people paying tax it has to come from somewhere.
I also cannot remember, ever, any 'older' people being thrown in the gutter.
The $100 surcharge on WA vehicle rego's has nothing to do with the NDIS.
It is for people who are injured in a motor accident and suffer longterm disability and where they cannot sue a 3rd party or they were in fact at fault.
And Helen, although not wanting to get personal at all, I provide health care for people and if any of us suffer a long term disease/injury which causes you to be disabled and you happen to be over the age of 65 - the age pension and any savings will have to get you through. Or the alternative is to put your name down on a long waiting list to go into an aged care facility where you will be surrounded by people with dementia or Alzheimer's - not a pleasant place if you have a sound mind, but a disabled body.
So yes - the govt is throwing older people into the gutter. Prior to the NDIS, these people were covered by the state govts. And its cheaper in fact to keep sick/disabled people in their own homes than in a public hospital taking up valuable bed space (and contributing to ambulance ramping) or in an aged care facility.
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
Easily paid for the, our Government just needs to stop giving money away to the likes of Adani so they can build a railway line to carry our coal for transport to India.
Cheers
David
it seems this current govt is targeting older people, either reliant on pensions or self-funded - and yet we make up a huge proportion of the potential voters..................
I'm not on an aged pension and I still pay taxes, but in WA's West Australian newspaper about a month ago was a short and sweet letter to our beloved Treasurer thanking him for the $2.50 (or there abouts) that he and his wife received each week for their annual increase. Whoopie !!!
And remember these people have mostly paid taxes all their life, but the compulsory Super scheme has not been running for long enough to provide an adequate payout for our retirees who did not have large wages/salaries when they were working and Super was deducted
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
Unfortunately Bruce, I doubt that even for those who have a full lifetime on the super scheme it will provide a total retirement income.
The rate does not appear high enough, and many now struggle to find full time work, existing on casual and part time hours. And don't mention the rising costs!
I am glad we are 60, and not 16, and trying to make our way in life. Not saying it was a great deal easier for us and we didn't face our own challenges, but I suspect we did enjoy a bit more stability and certainty in employment that at least allowed us to make some firm financial plans. I also suspect a somewhat different financial mindset and priorities were involved as well.
As you say, unfortunately once you get above 50, and especially 60, you hit the demographic that industry and the Government seems to lose interest in reasonably quickly, and finds an easy scapegoat for the ills facing the country. I find it ironic in away, as most of them seem to forget that they are heading this way as well!
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Regards Ian
Chaos, mayhem, confusion. Good my job here is done
