Christmas is a time for giving, not cutting: Gilmore pensioners

More than a dozen pensioners, including one dressed as Santa Claus, chanted their opposition to the proposed pension cuts.

The message was simple - “Christmas was a time for giving not cutting pensions”.

ACTU organiser Lisa Kremmer said as of January 1, thousands of pensioners across the Gilmore electorate will have their part pensions cut or significantly reduced.

“This is causing a lot of older people considerable stress in the lead up to Christmas,” she said.

“We don’t think it’s fair, right or Australian.

“A number of local pensioners have received letters from Centrelink advising their part pensions would be completely removed which means they will also lose entitlements like concession cards as well.”

Ms Kremmer denied claims by Mrs Sudmalis this was another union scare campaign.

“Facts don’t lie,” she said “we have older retirees here who are suffering first hand due to the cuts on January 1.

“It means the little bit of savings they do have they will have to dig into. That was meant to last them for the rest of their years. If they spend that now they are not going to have that to rely on.”

She also denied Mrs Sudmalis claims 90 per cent of pensioners would be better off or won’t be affected by changes made to make the pension more sustainable.

“We believe a better option would be to drop the tax cuts to multinationals and big business,” she said.

“Drop those cuts we’ve got a little bit of money to give everyone a decent retirement and that’s not too much to ask for,” she said.

Unions Shoalhaven representative Tim Montgomery said the cuts would have an impact on the Shoalhaven economy to the tune of up to $16 million.

“These cuts are not only going to make a difference to individual pensioners but also a major difference to the economic circumstances in the seat of Gilmore,” he said.

“People will not be better off, the overwhelming majority of pensioners will be worse off. Some by up to $300 per week. That’s a major cut.

“Gilmore is the second oldest electorate in Australia behind of Lyne on the north coast. These cuts will have an effect especially on the people in the middle ranges of the pension.”

Greenwell Point resident Pat David, who received a letter from Centrelink saying both hers and her husband’s part pensions would be cut, said it was a “kick in the guts”.

“We worked hard all our lives, contributed to our own superannuation and the little amount we received ($77 each a fortnight) allowed us to live a good life,” she said.

“We are not a major burden on anyone. We pay our own private health care but based our retirement on that little extra. We will also lose our concession card allowing us rebates on car registration, electricity and the likes.

“We paid tax all these years and those little concessions certainly helped. This is a real kick in the guts and we will have to reassess what we spend our money on.”

Mrs Sudmalis was not present during the demonstration due to a prior engagement down the coast but did meet with a delegation of three representatives later in the afternoon.

Mrs Sudmalis undertook to take the issue of the cut to concession cards back to the parliament.

“The idea of the cuts is to make pensions affordable for the next 50 years,” she said.

“We had a productive meeting.  I  and they understand in some cases it is unfair on people. In Gilmore 3400 pensioners will be negatively affected but in excess 8000 will be positively affected. You can bet your life you won’t hear a squeak out them or a thank you.

“I can’t put the needs of 3400 people ahead of 8000.

“We  need to try and conserve money for other pensioners so we can try and provide a way for people to live for 30 to 40 years. It’s a national responsibility for the future of people.

“I will take the argument for the concession card back to the head of cabinet.”

In an earlier release Mrs Sudmalis said the claims pensioners would be worse off was another union “scare campaign”.

“Pensions will still go up twice a year, every year, in line with the cost of living. There is no change to this,” Mrs Sudmalis said

“The family home will continue to be excluded from the pension assets test. There is no change to this.

“All pensioners will continue to have access to a health care card.

“The scare campaign is unwarranted, because around 90 per cent of pensioners will be better off or not affected by the changes introduced to make the age pension more sustainable.”

Mrs Sudmalis is organising a series of forums across Gilmore in February to help clarify how the changes will affect people.

Anyone with concerns regarding their age pensions should contact Centrelink’s aged services line on 132 300.