Little cash for food, home rents

Sorce: Wangaratta Chronicle - 15.09.08

Written by JACQUIE SCHWIND.

WANGARATTA’S single aged pensioners are turning to local charities to help them subsist.

Government politicians, such as deputy prime minister, Julia Gillard, and treasurer Wayne Swan, recently admitted they could not live on the single aged pension but promised no significant increases in the short-term.

St Vincent De Paul regional council president, Peter Patton, said the charity was constantly assisting those on the pension, with food and financial help, and a major factor was the cost of commercial rental properties.

"One of the reasons we have to assist them is more than 30 per cent is going on accommodation," Mr Patton said.

"They don’t have enough for the normal necessities of life."

Mr Patton said other factors impacting on pensioners’ ability to cope financially included sickness and travel costs.

"They are the ones who lack food and get behind with accounts and bills."

Mr Patton said it was a reality, not a myth, that tinned baked beans and jam sandwiches were a common diet for people on the single aged pension and people were either going without basic items or accessing charity support.

"They’re probably having to get clothing and bedding from people such as us because they can’t afford it elsewhere."

Mr Patton said a significant increase in the single aged pension was definitely warranted.

"We are condemning these people to live in a second rate society."

Sophie Mirabella (MHR, Indi) and the federal Liberal/National Opposition have called for an urgent increase of $30 per week in the base rate of the single aged pension.

The coalition’s legislation will be introduced to the Parliament in the next sitting.

"The Prime Minister and a conga line of Labor ministers have stated ‘living on the single aged pension is very, very tough’, yet the government expects over 850,000 older Australians to do so," Mrs Mirabella said.