Century of age pension guessing

This issue is a huge and unavoidable challenge, so much so that Malcolm and Bill must meet for a fine lunch and a bottle of Red at the Commonwealth Club in Canberra, bite the bullet and face the music together. It will be the greatest act of statesmanship in the history of Federation to which we will all stand and cheer.

During the twenty five years that I was Chairman of National Seniors, I met many Treasurers to negotiate pension rises. I can assure you that we did not ever discuss item by item what the pension should be. We simply negotiated what was politically and financially possible in the prevailing economic and social atmosphere.

My vision through those years was that one day every Senior Australian would have Superannuation of such a size that no one would need a pension.

That won’t happen, but it is still the light on the hill and a beacon of hope for those who struggle to live in reasonable circumstances through their twilight years.