I find it obscene that 85 people own almost half of the worlds wealth.

[margomeoz]

No wonder I like the idea of socialism that is disgusting, especially when Abbott is now going to see what he can pry from aged pensioners.

The other 50% of people deserve a share in this wealth they helped earn it for the 85 people.

[catsnknots]

Here is s question.... 

Should a little old lady, living on her own in a four bedroom house: beach front in Sydney say, get the pension when her house is worth $1.9 million dollars. 

Should she have to use her investment in her family home and support herself or should that home be quarantined from the assessment? 

[spotweldersfriend]

Does that 'little old lady' own a bird named Tweetie Pie?

[freakiness]

http://thehoopla.com.au/obscene-wealth-fat-cats/

By Tracey Spicer

January 21, 2014

Australians all let us rejoice: We’ve come second on a worldwide list of fat cats.

Our richest one percent has doubled its share of national income since 1980.

Buried in an Oxfam report, which found just 85 people control the same amount of wealth as half the world’s population, is a graph showing Australia’s proud place.

[the_hawk*]

---

@catsnknots wrote:

Here is s question.... 

Should a little old lady, living on her own in a four bedroom house: beach front in Sydney say, get the pension when her house is worth $1.9 million dollars. 

Should she have to use her investment in her family home and support herself or should that home be quarantined from the assessment? 

---

and why should the little old lady that has lived there her whole life and has the medical services needed have to sell up and move to the far out skirts of a city or even country town just so she can live in a house some bureaucrat says that all you can afford now.

[the_hawk*]

---

@**meep** wrote:

---

@lyndal1838 wrote:

What are they trying to pry from Pensioners?

---

Nothing. 

---

what they are trying to do is to take away $150 a week from as many as posible single disability pensioners by moveing them to newstart and dropping them further into porerty and hardship

[catsnknots]

---

@the_hawk* wrote:

---

@catsnknots wrote:

Here is s question.... 

Should a little old lady, living on her own in a four bedroom house: beach front in Sydney say, get the pension when her house is worth $1.9 million dollars. 

Should she have to use her investment in her family home and support herself or should that home be quarantined from the assessment? 

---

and why should the little old lady that has lived there her whole life and has the medical services needed have to sell up and move to the far out skirts of a city or even country town just so she can live in a house some bureaucrat says that all you can afford now.

---

Isn't a home an investment? Should we not use our investments to support ourselves when we retire? 

[debra9275]

---

@catsnknots wrote:

Here is s question.... 

Should a little old lady, living on her own in a four bedroom house: beach front in Sydney say, get the pension when her house is worth $1.9 million dollars. 

Should she have to use her investment in her family home and support herself or should that home be quarantined from the assessment? 

---

Cat why should someone who has obviously worked hard to set up a good family home and paid taxes and dues all their working lives have to give up their home because they no longer earn an income. These older people once supported a younger and older generation themselves. Don't they also deserve the pension if they need it?.

Its my opinion the family home should be exempt. The cost of housing is enormous now and I wonder how our children are ever going to be able to afford to buy homes of their own I think the next generation is going to have to rely somewhat on famly assets that's being passed down from the parents, like they do in the UK. Keep the family home in the same family for generations perhaps

[the_hawk*]

---

@catsnknots wrote:

---

@the_hawk* wrote:

---

@catsnknots wrote:

Here is s question.... 

Should a little old lady, living on her own in a four bedroom house: beach front in Sydney say, get the pension when her house is worth $1.9 million dollars. 

Should she have to use her investment in her family home and support herself or should that home be quarantined from the assessment? 

---

and why should the little old lady that has lived there her whole life and has the medical services needed have to sell up and move to the far out skirts of a city or even country town just so she can live in a house some bureaucrat says that all you can afford now.

---

Isn't a home an investment? Should we not use our investments to support ourselves when we retire? 

---

while its an investment in our security in old age that we have a roof above our heads that no one can or should be able to take from us.

If the government does things like this then there will be no insentive to save and go without to buy a house for old age security and [eople may as well just have a good time all their lives and let the tax payer provide a house for the old age via rent assistance.

In fact I can see that many home owners in there late 50s now faced with the idea of haveing to work till 70 and then having to sell their homes will just say stuff it, we will sell now and retire early and live of our house money, go traveling and enjoy life now because its going to be ripped from us anyway. then we can hold our hands out for a pension and rent assistance and all the consessions.

do you think that will help  

[catsnknots]

I just think it needs to be looked at... 

We will not be able to support all people when they get older, the cost to society is going to be so incredibly huge. 

I have seen how much it costs to look after people as they age and there is no way that we will be able to give the appropriate amount of care to those that need it. 

Some people will have ot make hard decisions and it is not going to be liked. 

I think the home of the pensioner should be exempt but not the "family" home. To just keep a home of that value just because a person grew up in it might not be affordable in the long term. People will need to take on some responsibility. Maybe a reverse mortgage that is paid upon the passing of the individual by selling the home? Guaranteed by the government? 

When a person is supported by the government for 20 years on a pension and then the multi million dollar home is sold off upon their passing and shared between the kids is that the right way to go or should the right thing to do be to pay back some of that assisted living? 

I don't know but think that the conversation is worth having. 

[debra9275]

the other thing about the elderly and family homes is that for those elderly people who need care and have to go into nursing homes,  their families have to sell the home to fund that.  so  we don't entirely support older people, don't their pension cheques also get taken by the nursing homes?

& I agree with hawk, there would be no incentive. Why would anyone bother  to go without and buy a home when you could just live your life having a good time