Open letter to Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister     -    Feedback (2) 14-6-08: Congratulations on your letter to the PM. He has asked to be called 'Kevin" though, not 'sir'  after all he's an ordinary bloke - ordinary family, ordinary income - ha-ha.  I don't think pollies get the level of frustration of small people but they certainly get the lobbying by the rich. I don't know what the answer is. I know some labour politicians think it's unfair to pressure Kevin when we didn't little Johnny - then really what would have been  the point to a man who considered the battler to be someone with a brand new four wheel drive. I think Rudd is better so we have some hope. I think Rudd is vulnerable to political embarrassment on the world stage - so plenty of publicity in International newspapers could draw some action.  - would need to be an out there newsworthy stunt. Have you ever looked at the American pension system?  Interestingly it has some very good points.  For instance delaying your retirement for just a short while makes a huge difference to your pension.  Also men and women (partners) are payed as individuals.  There is no married pension.  Think about the justice of that! Consider  the woman who goes out to work all her life - contributes equally and then is entitled to nothing until her husband stops work - and then reduced because she's married. There are other things they could do - Free pharmaceuticals for pensioners Free public transport Separate pensions for husbands and wives == double the single pension for couples Increase the single pension of course More subsidized very low cost housing Free car registration. Free medical/hospital/dental/funeral/education/services. A GST exemption card - used for petrol, car repairs, everywhere we pay the 10% (by use of Healthcare card) Free use of toll roads. I expect there are many more - Oh free broadband and a lap top in every senior's house! OK so they are pretty ambient claims but if lobbied for one after the other or simultaneously pensioners could become enough of a thorn to prick the Rudd paw. Good luck with the campaign- BTW the Labour Government in Vic got away with removing the free part of car rego for pensioners - why- nobody made much noise! Best wishes.........Diana T. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3-7-08: We have received a response from the Australian Government regarding our letter to Kevin Rudd, PM. The letter was written by the Dept of Human Services and states that they are not responsible for the problem, and therefore have passed our letter to the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indige- nous Affairs. Mind you, both these Departments were copied in when we wrote to the PM. It seems to me that the subject is like a "hot potato", and it is being shuffled around amongst themselves. In my opinion that is absolute arrogance and has a distinct smell of 'guilty' written all over it. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14-7-08: Hereunder is the text of an email received from Ani B, which really states how some of our elderly pensioners feel about the miserable hand-out the Rudd government has offered our aged pensioners. Thank you, Ani, for telling it as it is! We have no quality of life - this is obvious... Even voluntary work is made impossible through the cost of fuel. I am 70 years old and the government says they will take care of the pension in the future. Just how much into the future it is going to be?  We don't have THAT much time, we are not children with life in front of us. Our lives is mainly behind us... I think what the government would LOVE to do is give us a lethal injection when we reach pension age.. .Only some foggy religious ideas keeping them from doing it. "Value human life" - indeed!  I am so disappointed in the Labor Government I can not find words!  I wish that we would have only independents ruling us for the benefit of the country, not people with ideologies, who just lie to us. The only thing I can do to make feel better is that now I call the PM  Mr Rude and the Treasurer Mr Swine. They deserve it richly for the way they treat us......Ani --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 25-7-08: After nearly 2 months we received an answer to my letter addressed to the PM dated 26-5-08. I was asking for consideration to increase basic pensions NOW instead of making some aged pensioners wait until late 2009!! As expected and predicted by a number of visitors, the Government via the Treasurer's Dept and a bureaucrat named Ian Davidoff (Economic Policy Adviser) has given us the well rehearsed spiel and often copied by every polly, the run-around and we are the good guys etc,.......... "WE have done this, that and that to help you guys........., and we promise more down the track. " In a page and a quarter they are telling us that they can't be bothered with pensioners. Pensioners don't count in the overall picture. Pensioners are "Have beens", don't bother us anymore! And all this since the election in November 2007. Prior to the elections, there were promises of looking after all Australians, repeat ALL AUSTRALIANS!!! Rudd has become a turn-coat, just like Howard was. All hot air and no substance. You can not trust any politician, not even the dead ones! I have copied the letter for your enjoyment and response. I will reply and try again to sway their unrealistic expectations from our pensioners. Let me have your input, if you wish to make a specific point, by the end of July. Thanks..........webmaster. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Back to: HOME          Back to: Letters           Back to: Original letter      Forward to: Letter to PM (3)