The economic reality may be that offsets and preferential thresholds are no longer be sustainable, but surely taking a swipe at pensioners’ income is below the belt?

Calling for the SAPTO to apply to only those on the Age Pension is an indication that too few of those making calls on policy don’t understand the reality of living in retirement. Having a level of income that discounts you from being able to claim an Age Pension by no means indicates that you are wealthy enough to fully fund your own retirement.

On the face of it, the $1918.20 per fortnight threshold at which you lose an Age Pension entitlement may seem a considerable income, but when you factor in rent, often increased medical bills, and other living allowances, such as utilities, transport costs and food, there’s not much left. There is the assumption that pensioners who don’t receive an Age Pension are wealthy enough to fund their own retirement and are living in multi-million dollar properties – this couldn’t be further from the truth. Many are living below the poverty line, 15 per cent are living in rented accommodation and as for those ‘lucky’ enough to live in a large family home – they’re probably struggling to be able to afford to maintain it and pay their utility bills.

Then there’s the language that is so often used. In his comments, Mr Daley refers to pensioners as “them” and that’s a large part of the problem. Pensioners, over 65-year-olds, retirees, baby boomers, or whatever label you wish to bestow, are people. They are people who have worked, raised families, fought for their basic human rights and in many cases, for their country. And now they are people trying to get by on a limited income when within the community, people simply see “them” as a burden. Mr Daley may well refer to our seniors as “them” because, let’s face it, it’s highly unlikely that he will face the same trials of an underfunded retirement.

It seems that older Australians can’t win. They are blamed for being part of a demographic spike, they are blamed for higher health care costs and they are blamed for living longer. Yet these same ‘guilty’ seniors will face massive bills should they ever need to enter an aged care residence when ‘user pays’ has become the new norm.