Fair Go For Pensioners (FGFP) – a grass roots campaigner for the rights of pensioners and other social security recipients, welcomes the commitments by the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and the Greens to fund through Medicare the dental needs of 3 million pensioners up to $1000 a year, a considerable saving and significant improvement. This has been a major demand of FGFPs since its inception in 2007.
FGFP also notes that in the policies of Labor and the Greens, there are some benefits for pensioners and older Australians, which are most welcome – in relation to Health, Aged Care and the Environment, seriously threatened by climate change.
In contrast, the Liberal-National Parties made only one commitment that is a one-off payment of $75.00 per single pensioner and $125 per couple of pensioners to “ease the burden of the energy costs”. They will also maintain their policy to raise the retiring age to 70 years.
FGFP is disappointed that there us no commitment to raise the Aged Pension payment that has remained static since 2013, and to increase the generally recognised inadequate Newstart Allowance payment. FGFP calls for the immediate rectification, if the Fair Go for all slogan is to have a deeper meaning for the most needy and vulnerable sections in our community, i.e. pensioners, single mothers, the unemployed and the ‘working poor’.
FGFP believes the policies/commitments of the ALP and Greens offer a better deal and deserve the support of pensioners and all the other social security recipients for the May 18th Elections.
Implementation of those progressive changes and adoption of the demands still unmet, will require continuous mass campaigning and co-operation between the ALP and the Greens.
FGPG notes with alarm the increase in impoverishment of the ever growing numbers of Australians living below the poverty line and calls for a national anti-poverty action plan.
President John Speight
Vice President George Zangalis
