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Uber driver makes pensioner fork out thousands after minor accident

<p>In a distressing incident, 80-year-old pensioner Judy Libby has claimed that she was coerced into handing over $2,500 to an Uber driver following a minor car accident in Melbourne's CBD.</p> <p>Judy recounted her ordeal on Melbourne's 3AW Radio on Friday morning, describing the alarming sequence of events that unfolded after she accidentally hit the back of the Uber driver's car.</p> <p><a href="https://www.news.com.au/technology/motoring/motoring-news/an-absolute-nightmare-uber-drivers-sickening-act-to-80yo-pensioner/news-story/f77aa3e46c41532268a712cfc4764877" target="_blank" rel="noopener">According to News.com.au</a>, Judy explained that the driver was stationary when the accident occurred, causing a dent in the boot of his vehicle. The driver, claiming the damage had rendered him unable to work and support his family, demanded compensation. "He said, 'I’m an Uber driver, you’ve ruined the back of my car. I’ve got a wife and child to support; now I can’t work,'" Judy told the radio station.</p> <p>Initially, the driver demanded $4,000, allegedly stating he had obtained a quote from a friend who was a panel beater. When Judy expressed her inability to pay such a sum, the driver proposed a reduced amount of $2,500. They arranged to meet at her local bank, but when the teller grew suspicious and refused the transaction, the Uber driver reportedly drove her to another bank where she was made to withdraw the money.</p> <p>Judy described the driver's demeanour as very angry and the experience as a "nightmare". The situation took a further turn for the worse when she later received a legal letter demanding an additional $8,800 for the damage, with no mention of the $2,500 she had already handed over.</p> <p>Concerned and distressed, Judy informed her daughter, who then reported the incident to the police. The case is now being investigated by the fraud squad. "I wasn’t travelling at a speed to do huge damage. I had no damage on my car, just a few scratches," Judy said. "And he had an older car too, so $8,800; no. I didn’t write it off, I just hit his boot."</p> <p>3AW host Russel Howcroft condemned the incident as "disgraceful", particularly criticising the driver's actions of taking Judy to a bank against her will. "Fancy putting someone in their car and driving them to a bank branch," he remarked.</p> <p>The investigation by the fraud squad will hopefully bring clarity and justice to Judy Libby's troubling experience.</p> <p><em>Image: Lutsenko Oleksandr / Shutterstock</em></p>

Legal

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“What a legend”: Brave Aussie pensioner saves puppy from a snake

<p dir="ltr">An Aussie pensioner has gone the extra mile to save her terrified puppy from a carpet snake. </p> <p dir="ltr">Anne Murphy, a woman from NSW’s Lennox Head, captured the moment her 80-year-old mother went toe-to-toe with the slippery intruder who was terrorising her dog and shared the interaction on a Facebook page called Australian Country Memes. </p> <p dir="ltr">According to Anne, her mother bolted out the door one Monday evening when she heard her dog “screaming”, when she was confronted with the carpet snake. </p> <p dir="ltr">The non-venomous snake had wrapped around the small dog and bitten it on the chin, when the 80-year-old intervened. </p> <p dir="ltr">The woman was “bitten three times” by the snake, before she “caught the snake so it could be taken out to the bush and hopefully not make its way back to her place”. </p> <p dir="ltr">She then took her puppy to the vet, and got home three hours after the incident first happened.</p> <p dir="ltr">The post has since received over 2,000 likes and hundreds comments, hailing the 80-year-old as a “legend“, “gutsy” and a “wonderful woman.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“She is a true blue here. My hat is off to you, amazing lady,” one person wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">Another added, “Way to go! That’s just what country people do. God love her, they don’t make them like that anymore.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Facebook</em></p>

Family & Pets

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"Stuff youse": Pensioner who's never owned a phone fights mobile detection camera fine

<p>A pensioner from New South Wales has disputed a fine he was issued for using his phone while driving, despite never owning a phone. </p> <p>Frank Singh, 77, was captured on a mobile phone detection camera while driving on the Pacific Motorway last September, and was issued a fine for $362. </p> <p>Mr Singh has refused to pay the fine, claiming that he was holding his wallet when the image was captured. </p> <p>He also claims to have never owned a mobile phone or a computer in his life, wondering how the camera made such a mistake. </p> <p>The senior man decided to appeal and take Revenue NSW to court, despite the risk of paying thousands in legal fees if he lost the case.</p> <p>"Looks like I'm guilty on it, but I'm not," he told <em>A Current Affair</em>. </p> <p>"I thought, what the bloody hell is this all about, I don't own a mobile phone. I've never used a mobile phone. What a load of s***."</p> <p>When questioned what the item could be, he said, "I think it could be my wallet."</p> <p>While Mr Singh admitted he can't specifically remember what he was doing at the time, he believes he was possibly placing his wallet on the passenger seat after paying for fuel. </p> <p>Unfortunately, the review of the fine was rejected and Frank was ordered to pay the $362, but he has not given up. </p> <p>"Then I thought stuff youse, I'm not guilty, I don't own a bloody phone," he said.</p> <p>While preparing to appeal the fine once more, Revenue NSW revoked the fine after issuing a letter to Mr Singh saying he would not be required in court following an investigation by the government body. </p> <p>"We have decided to cancel the fine," the letter read. </p> <p>"You little bloody beauty, how good's that," Mr Singh said on hearing the news, before planning to celebrate the win with a beer at his local pub. </p> <p><em>Image credits: A Current Affair </em></p>

Legal

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Carer allowance and disability pension set to increase

<p>Over 936,000 Aussies are set to see a cash boost in the new year, as indexation to government payments takes effect from January. </p> <p>Australians receiving youth, student or carer support will receive a 6 per cent boost to their payments, as additional support to help them navigate the rising cost of living. </p> <p>“Australia’s social security system is a safety net that is continually strengthened and improved to support all vulnerable Australians,” Minister for Social Services Amanda Rishworth said.</p> <p>“Through regular indexation, our payments are adjusted in line with changes in the cost of living to retain their purchasing power.”</p> <p>For over 600,000 carers, the Carer Allowance is set to increase to  $153.50 a fortnight, while the Disability Support Pension for Australians under 21 will increase by $31.10 to $44.90 a fortnight. </p> <p>Youth Allowance payments are also set to increase between $22.40 and $45.60 a fortnight, while Austudy payments will increase by between $36.20 and $45.60. </p> <p>The new year increases are being set into motion after a $40 a fortnight increase to youth and student payment rates, which was effective from September 20. </p> <p>A complete list of the new payment increases can be found on the <a href="https://www.dss.gov.au/about-the-department/benefits-payments/previous-indexation-rates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Department of Social Services website</a>.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Pensioner's epic 600-mile journey from England to Scotland on a pony

<p>Jane Dotchin has completed an epic 600-mile (1000 km) journey from England to the Scottish Highlands with her pack pony Diamond, and disabled Jack Russell terrier Dinky.</p> <p>The 82-year-old has been making this seven-week trek every year since 1972, with nothing but her trusted pony, pet dog and a few belongings including a tent, food and water which she carries in a saddlebag.</p> <p>The pensioner travels between 15 and 20 miles a day from Hexham, Northumberland to Inverness in the Scottish Highlands. </p> <p>"I love camping and I love the countryside," she said, according to the <em><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-12735287/Pensioner-82-completes-600-mile-ride-England-Scotland-horse-Diamond-7-week-trip-shes-year-1972.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail</a>.</em> </p> <p>Her dog Dinky, who deformed front legs,  is just as happy to go on the adventure, sitting comfortably in the saddlebag as the world passes by her. </p> <p>She lives on porridge, oatcakes and cheese, and carries an old mobile phone in case of emergencies. </p> <p>Dotchin does not let her eye-patch stop her either, as she is determined to continue the tradition for as long as possible.</p> <p>"I know the route so well, I don’t need to read maps. I can manage if I keep to the routes I know," she told the publication. </p> <p>Dotchin first started long-distance trekking 40 years ago when she rode to Somerset, which was around 300 miles from where she lived, to visit a friend. </p> <p>She has made the journey up north every autumn since, and is an inspiration to many, with those who have spotted her sharing photos and videos of the avid horse rider. </p> <p>"A personal hero passed by just now!" wrote one person, who spotted Dotchin riding her pony back in 2021. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">A personal hero passed by just now! <a href="https://t.co/vcwcdjxMOI">https://t.co/vcwcdjxMOI</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JaneDotchin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JaneDotchin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/BBCScotland?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BBCScotland</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TheScotsman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheScotsman</a> <a href="https://t.co/8qegaOLA3P">pic.twitter.com/8qegaOLA3P</a></p> <p>— Robyn Woolston (@robynwoolston) <a href="https://twitter.com/robynwoolston/status/1441359649387671557?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 24, 2021</a></p></blockquote> <p>"Went to watch a bike race and instead discovered an amazing, adventurous and inspirational woman," wrote another person, who spotted Dotchin in 2022. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CiLfMCVMOOy/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CiLfMCVMOOy/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Eiger X (@eiger.x)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"What an absolute inspiration on a beautiful morning," wrote another, who spotted her a week later. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">When you’re struggling on a morning run and meet the incredible <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/janedotchin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#janedotchin</a> on the path. This 82-year-old rides 600 miles across Scotland every autumn with her horse Diamond and disabled Jack Russell Dinky in her saddle bag. What an absolute inspiration on a beautiful morning. <a href="https://t.co/SuAvQug6dc">pic.twitter.com/SuAvQug6dc</a></p> <p>— 📚🕷Suzy A #CrowMoon 🖤❤️📚 (@writer_suzy) <a href="https://twitter.com/writer_suzy/status/1569965657629794306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p><em>Images: Twitter/ Instagram</em></p>

International Travel

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Millions of Aussies set for a pension boost

<p>Millions of Australians are set to receive a generous cash increase when an imminent welfare payment indexation comes into effect. </p> <p>Those on age pension payments from Centrelink will see a boost to their payment from Tuesday. </p> <p>According to figures from the Department of Social Services, single pensioners will receive an increase of $32.70, taking their payments to $1096.70 a fortnight.</p> <p>Couples on the adult pension will have their fortnightly payments increase by $24.70 to $826.70.</p> <p>Those on Jobseeker will also receive a boost to their payments, as payments will increase by $56.10 a fortnight to $749.20 for single people aged 22 or more with no children, and by $57.30 a fortnight for those with children to $802.50.</p> <p>Single people aged 55 or over will also have payments increased to $802.50 after nine months.</p> <p>Partnered people on Jobseeker will get a $54.80 increase to $686 a fortnight. </p> <p>Centrelink recipients on rent assistance, youth allowance and Austudy payments will also receive a boost to their fortnightly payments. </p> <p>Despite the increases across many welfare recipient groups, the Australian Council of Social Services says the increases are not enough.</p> <p>ACOSS said people almost three quarters of people they had surveyed on income support were eating less or skipping meals as the ongoing cost of living criss worsens. </p> <p>Half of the respondents said the incoming increase would not help at all, prompting the ACOSS to call for income support to at least match the pension rate.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Money & Banking

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"Entitled" widow sparks outrage over age pension question

<p>An elderly widow has been slammed for writing in to a financial column asking for advice, despite being very well-off.</p> <p>The 88-year-old (NOT pictured here) wrote in to Nine newspapers’ columnist Noel Whittaker asking for advice on how to access a pension after the death of her husband. </p> <p>“My husband and I received a part pension but he passed away and I now have all the assets but no pension,” she wrote to Whittaker’s <a title="www.smh.com.au" href="https://www.smh.com.au/money/super-and-retirement/i-lost-my-pension-when-my-husband-died-can-i-get-it-back-20230718-p5dp2g.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ask Noel </a>column. </p> <p>“I am 88 and own my own home. I have $680,000 in savings and $180,000 in shares. My income is $25,000 p.a. is there anything I can do to get a part pension?”</p> <p>While the question seemed innocent enough, many Aussies were infuriated by the woman's query, sparking outrage on social media.</p> <p>One person pointed out how well off the woman was, mockingly saying, "We have $1m in assets. Can we get the age pension?”  </p> <p>Another person wrote, “Lady you’re 88, where are you getting 25k per year if not investments? You’ll be fine, Karen.”</p> <p>The pile-on continued, with plenty more slamming the woman for being “entitled”, greedy, and mocking her for wanting even more money than she already had to spend over her remaining years.</p> <p>One person added, “How much longer does this person think they’re going to live that they need more than $1 million …”</p> <p>Another person offered their own advice if the last needed more money, encouraging her to use her $680,000 savings, saying "That's what it's there for."</p> <p>Another person summed it up by writing, “The problem with old people these days is they’re too entitled. Back in my day, old people reused their tea bags and were grateful.”</p> <p>Many even commented that the question was the exact kind of “fake” submission dreamt up for columnists to “enrage readers”, and someone posed their own mock question to Whittaker to point out how ludicrous the woman's question was. </p> <p>“I own my own home, have 6 million ingots in assets, and my income is several gold bullion per month. I am 300 years old. I am a fire-breathing dragon. Can I claim the part pension?” they wrote.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Retirement Income

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“A little bit unfair”: Hard-working tradies blast age pension increase

<p dir="ltr">A group of tired tradies have rallied against the “unfair” decision to increase the age of eligibility for the age pension.</p> <p dir="ltr">The tradesmen, all in their 60s, simply said their bodies “can’t handle” working in manual labour until they’re 70, which may be in their future if the eligibility age continues to rise.</p> <p dir="ltr">The age to qualify for the pension was raised from 66 years and six months to 67 on July 1st with the move impacting any Australian born after December 31st, 1956.</p> <p dir="ltr">Experts predict the age could rise even further to 70 by the year 2050 with the news sparking backlash among hardworking Aussies.</p> <p dir="ltr">One man, a concreter in his mid-60s named Steve, said working the manual labour job was already taking a toll on his body and that the new retirement age was “unfair” on those working physically demanding jobs.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Now I'm starting to feel it more in my knees, I've got arthritis in my hands, I've had two back surgeries,” he told <em><a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/australian-tradies-outraged-over-decision-to-raise-pension-age-to-67/5b5c6dda-c995-44ad-bb29-98c625e9d276" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Current Affair</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It does seem a little bit unfair that you have to work all your life.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Peter, who cuts down trees in the Gold Coast for a living, compared the raising of the pension age to the harsh realities of his job.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It's just like climbing a tree,” he said. “The injuries are just climbing all the time, it's getting harder, worse, sorer all the time.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He described what was happening as “very scary”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Unfortunately I thought 65 would be a nice time to retire and get on a pension but now we are talking 67,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Is it going to go up to 68, 69, 70?”</p> <p dir="ltr">Macquarie University Professor Hanlin Shang believes the pension age will need to rise to 70 or government spending will spiral out of control.</p> <p dir="ltr">He and other researchers estimate that the retirement age will rise to 68 by 2030, 69 in 2036 and 70 by 2050.</p> <p dir="ltr">“As Australians live longer than before, it presents a challenge to the government to fund retirees through a pension scheme,” Professor Shang said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite these challenges, Peter said politicians don't understand the burden that working physical jobs has on older bodies.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It would be nice to be a politician sitting on a nice comfortable chair all day in an air conditioned room or office,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They need to come out and see what it's like to do some physical work. That would make them change their mind in trying to stretch this pension out to 67, 68, 69, 70.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: A Current Affair</em></p>

Retirement Income

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Tragic end for pensioner struck by royal motorcade

<p dir="ltr">Helen Holland, the 81-year-old woman who was struck by a police motorcade escorting the Duchess of Edinburgh, has died. </p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/elderly-woman-hospitalised-by-royal-motorcycle-escort">Helen was hit on May 10 at the junction of West Cromwell Road and Warwick Road in west London’s Earl’s Court</a>, and was taken to hospital after receiving treatment from paramedics at the scene.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her family confirmed the news of her passing, telling the<em> BBC </em>that while she had fought "for her life for nearly two weeks”, tragically “irreversible damage to her brain finally ended the battle”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Helen had suffered “multiple broken bones and massive internal injuries” in the crash, despite using the “safe route of [a] pedestrian crossing”, according to her son, Martin Holland. </p> <p dir="ltr">In the wake of the devastating incident, her family had announced that Helen was in a coma, with the police later revealing that she remained in a critical condition. </p> <p dir="ltr">In a statement reportedly shared with <em>Sky News</em>, the family had described Helen as a "beautiful, loving, kind, and caring lady who would always put anyone before herself.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The family are deeply saddened and shocked at the news Helen was involved in such a tragic accident.”</p> <p dir="ltr">They went on to share that while she had been 81 years old, she was “sprightly for her age and nothing stopped her living life to the full, spending precious time with her family, muddy walks with the dogs and lunches with friends is what she enjoyed most”, before asking that everyone keep her in their thoughts and prayers. </p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace had announced that Sophie - the Duchess of Edinburgh - had offered her “heartfelt thoughts and prayers” to “the injured lady and her family”, and that she was “grateful for the swift response of emergency services and will keep abreast of developments".</p> <p dir="ltr">An investigation was launched by The Independent Office for Police Conduct soon after the event, and it remains ongoing, with the police watchdog assuring Helen’s family that they would keep them “regularly updated as the investigation progresses".</p> <p dir="ltr">That investigation involved examining footage from neary CCTV as well as footage from police body cameras. Additionally, officers who were present at the scene were to be interviewed, while the organisation sought other witnesses to come forward with any more information they might have.</p> <p dir="ltr">While the family waits for answers, they are also coming to terms with their difficult loss, with Helen’s grandson - Joe Strutter Holland - sharing on Facebook, “rest in peace Nanny (Helen) Holland. One of the kindest and most joyful souls you'll ever of had the pleasure of meeting. Taken before her time.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He went on to note that he was glad his grandmother and his son had gotten the chance to meet, writing 'I'll ensure he knows who you are, till we meet again”. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Facebook, Getty</em></p>

Caring

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"Get a grip": Retirees roasted over tone-deaf pension question

<p>A pair of retirees - and their significant others - have found themselves at the centre of a new online debate, all because of their submission to one financial advice column, and its circulation on social media.</p> <p>Both retirees - each with millions of dollars to their names - submitted their concerns to the <em>Sun Herald</em>’s George Cochrane, hoping for financial advice and a solid strategy moving forward with their respective retirements.</p> <p>The first request saw a 78-year-old man and his 79-year-old wife ask if they should look into selling some of their shares in order to stay below a threshold. </p> <p>The couple were receiving an account-based pension from their self-managed super fund, with a combined total of nearly $2.3 million - he had $1,5999,956 and she had $675,590 as of July 2017.</p> <p>Their combined funds were invested in Australian shares, they noted, and gave them a “healthy return which includes imputation credits”. They went on to share that since 2017, some of their shareholdings had “more than doubled in value”, and that the husband’s contribution to their fund had exceeded “the $3 million limit which the government intends to bring in.”</p> <p>“What will be the tax implications if my SMSF reaches $4 million and my wife’s $1.8 million?” they asked. “Should we sell some of our shares to stay below the $3 million threshold?”</p> <p>The second request came from a 60-year-old woman on behalf of herself and her 50-year-old husband, in which she revealed they had property valued at $4 million, and that they’d accessed her super to pay their $300,000 mortgage. His super, meanwhile, still contained half a million. </p> <p>Additionally, the two had plans to relocate to Europe to a “less expensive property” in order for them to spend more time - and have more funds to put towards - travelling. </p> <p>“We prefer not to work,” she shared, “have no children and intend to spend all our money. What would be a good strategy?”</p> <p>Advice was given, but the column’s wave of response came when The Guardian’s deputy news editor Josephine Tovey shared it to her Twitter, sharing her thoughts on the “generational inequality” it represented, and closing her take with the line “what problems to have”.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Honestly if you want to get your blood up about generational inequality in Australia may I recommended the letters on the Money page of the Sun Herald? What problems to have. <a href="https://t.co/uka3EpbOOj">pic.twitter.com/uka3EpbOOj</a></p> <p>— Josephine Tovey (@Jo_Tovey) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jo_Tovey/status/1660073911944638464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p>Many - mostly those from younger generations, primarily millennials - were quick to side with Tovey, unable to wrap their heads around the idea that the couples’ problems were valid ones. </p> <p>“Oh no. I have TOO MUCH MONEY. What to do, what to do,” one user wrote.</p> <p>“‘I have more money than I know what to do with. Please help’,” another contributed. </p> <p>“I'd ‘prefer not to work’ too but here I am,” one quipped. </p> <p>And as someone else put it, “more than $4 million in assets but too cheap to pay for professional advice. Nothing could be more boomer than this.”</p> <p>“I think that there is huge inequity and variance among Boomers - often depending on the presence or absence of intergenerational wealth,” another user noted. “Ditto with millennials cos of [the] same reason”.</p> <p>However, for every person who was condemning them, another was prepped and ready to come to their defence. </p> <p>“Dear oh dear. Tall poppy syndrome strikes again - Australians are so good at trying to tear down the successful,” one said. “Seriously, get a grip everyone. Good luck to them and I hope they enjoy their respective retirements.”</p> <p>“My partner and I don’t have kids, we live in a modest house and save as much as we can so that we can retire early and travel, we are not landlords, we didn’t inherit any money but we should have about $2 million to retire on, we are working class,” one shared, “doesn’t seem wrong to me.”</p> <p>“They obviously worked hard and earnt it!! Haters going to hate - but good on them - I hope in 20 years when I retire, I have problems like this too,” another wrote. </p> <p>“So they have worked hard all their lives, they don’t have children and they want to travel - why is this an issue?” someone wanted to know, before adding that “they deserve to spend their twilight years in comfort.”</p> <p><em>Images: Twitter</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Elderly woman hospitalised by royal motorcycle escort

<p dir="ltr">A pensioner in her 80s is in critical condition after a collision with a police motorcycle that was escorting Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.</p> <p dir="ltr">The rolling motorcade, manned by motorcycle outriders, was escorting the Duchess when the collision happened.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Duchess was being escorted by the Met Police‘s Special Escort Group, who provide armed escorts for Royal Family members, VIPs, protected members of the Government, visiting royals, heads of state and other visiting dignitaries.</p> <p dir="ltr">Met Police released a <a href="https://news.met.police.uk/news/woman-injured-following-collision-with-police-motorcycle-in-west-london-466651#:~:text=A%20woman%20has%20been%20injured,Road%2C%20Earls%20Court%2C%20SW5." target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> that said: “A woman has been injured after being involved in a collision with a police motorcycle in west London.</p> <p dir="ltr">“At approximately 15:21hrs on Wednesday, 10 May a police motorcycle on escort duties was involved in a collision with a member of the public on West Cromwell Road, Earls Court, SW5.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Paramedics from the London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance attended and a woman, aged in her 80s, was taken to hospital.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She remains there in a critical condition. Her family have been informed”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Road closures were in place and two bikes – one with King Charles‘ cypher – were seen inside the cordon after the collision happened.</p> <p dir="ltr">A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace has said: “The Duchess’s heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the injured lady and her family.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She is grateful for the swift response by the emergency services and will keep abreast of developments.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Further comment at this time would not be appropriate while the incident is being investigated.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

News

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Major boost to pension and allowance just days away

<p>The federal government has announced big changes to government allowance, with nearly 5 million Aussies set to benefit from an increase to their pension payments. Read more:</p> <p>Almost 5 million Aussies will receive a major increase to their pension payments as they are indexed to inflation.</p> <p>Recipients of the Age Pension, Disability Support Pension and Carer Payment can expect an increase of $37.50 a fortnight for singles and $56.40 a fortnight for couples combined.</p> <p>The maximum fortnightly rate of the pension is set to increase to $1,064 for singles and $1,604 for couples,  including the pension and energy supplements.</p> <p>Single, childless JobSeeker and ABSTUDY recipients over 22 will receive an extra $24.70 per fortnight.</p> <p>Each half of a couple receiving payments will receive a $22.50 increase per fortnight.</p> <p>Single parents receiving the parenting payment will benefit from an extra $33.90 a fortnight.</p> <p>Single parents on the parenting payment will also receive an additional $33.90 per fortnight, with the rate increasing to $967.90, including the Pension Supplement, Energy Supplement, and Pharmaceutical Allowance.</p> <p>Single, childless recipients of the maximum rate Common Rent Assistance will see an increase of $5.60, receiving $157.20 per fortnight.</p> <p>People who receive the maximum rate and have one or two children will see an increase of $6.58 to $184.94 per fortnight, while those with three or more children will receive an increase of $7.42 to $208.74 per fortnight.</p> <p>According to the federal government, the indexation of social security payments will bring cost-of-living relief for 4.7 million people.</p> <p>Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said the government was supporting Australians most in need.</p> <p>"Australia's social security system exists to support our most vulnerable citizens, and we know they are feeling the pinch," she said.</p> <p>"Indexation is a pillar of our social security system and we want more money in the pockets of everyday Australians so they can better afford essentials.</p> <p>"The increase is an important part of the system and helps those doing it toughest.”</p> <p>The indexation of payments begins on March 20.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

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"I had better make sure I don’t have a heart attack!": Allison Langdon stuns pensioners on the verge of bankruptcy

<p>Left with a $25,000 legal bill after taking their retirement village to court over a broken air conditioning unit and losing the case, pensioners Walter and Carola Sadlo were on the verge of bankruptcy.</p> <p>In a heartwarming segment, Allison Langdon told the Sadlo’s that A Current Affair viewers had banded together to bail them out of their financial debt.</p> <p>Walter and Carola’s legal battle began in 2018 when their air conditioning unit broke. The couple had paid an extra $1,375 for air conditioning but maintenance wasn’t covered by the retirement village. Walter said he believed it would be covered, so he tried to fight it in the New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NCAT).</p> <p>After taking the retirement village to court and losing the case, the couple were issued with a bankruptcy notice just two days before Christmas. “I could not believe that somebody could be so vicious and cruel,” Walter said.</p> <p>The couple had also sacrificed their savings to fight the case; $15,000 that Carola inherited from her mother. With this gone, they feared losing their home.</p> <p>Langdon then stunned the couple by telling them, “our viewers have paid your debt.”</p> <p>"I normally don't get emotional. I had better make sure I don't have a heart attack!" Walter said. </p> <p>Not only was their $25,000 legal bill covered, but viewers chipped in almost enough to cover the $15,000 they had to put toward their bill. </p> <p>"Hopefully, there will be village operators who see this story and will show a bit more heart," Walter said.</p> <p><em>Image: A Current Affair</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Detective steals thousands from elderly woman

<p>An elderly woman who was scammed out of $30,000 in an online scam has once again been stolen from, after the police officer helping her recover the money stole her bank details. </p> <p>In May 2021, 74-year-old Sonia was robbed by fraudsters pretending to be NBN workers after they convinced her to transfer the hefty five-figure sum.</p> <p>After discovering it was a scam, Sonia then reported the crime to NSW Police, who sent a detective to her home to investigate.</p> <p>The officer was supposed to be helping Sonia recover her stolen money, but instead tried to use her credit card and banking details and purchase almost $20,000 worth of goods.</p> <p>The police officer fronted Liverpool Local Court on Wednesday where his barrister tried to explain his client's behaviour saying he had gone "off the rails" and fallen into a depression due to the nature of his work.</p> <p>In June 2021, the detective, who cannot be named, attended Sonia's home several times to investigate what happened, often wearing his full police uniform.  </p> <p>To gain her sympathy, he said he had a brain aneurysm and had not yet told his girlfriend or work. </p> <p>According to police documents tendered to the court, Sonia trusted him and he told her she "reminded him of his own grandmother", the <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-nsw/detective-investigating-30k-fraud-on-74yo-woman-steals-her-credit-card-for-16k-shopping-spree/news-story/1823067b8a55dc184f1278ce6a933b69" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Daily Telegraph</a> reported.</p> <p>When he asked to see her online banking details, credit cards and passwords, Sonia gave them to him willingly, assuming they were needed for his ­investigation.</p> <p>The detective tried to buy close to $20,000 worth of items from JB Hi Fi, Big W and Myer, including iPhones, GoPro cameras and Apple Watches.</p> <p>Thankfully for Sonia, none of the attempted purchases went through, as they were all rejected by Sonia's bank as suspicious activity.</p> <p>When Sonia was notified of the attempted transactions, she immediately suspected the detective who had been supposed to be helping her. </p> <p>In court this week, the now former detective pleaded guilty to stealing Sonia's bank details, and will will face Downing Centre District Court in Sydney on May 12th when he will be sentenced.</p> <p>More than 18 months after the events, Sonia is still very troubled by what happened and blames herself.  </p> <p>"I can't switch off a feeling that I was stupid in the first place ... I trusted this guy and then he did that," she said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

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"Sheer terror": Pensioner slapped with five-figure government fine

<p>Pensioner Rosemary Gay opened up about the “sheer terror” she faced upon receiving a letter from the government demanding she pay back the $65,000 Robodebt bill they claimed she had been overpaid. </p> <p>Rosemary’s nightmare began on September 19, 2016, when the letter arrived, an event that Rosemary confesses “turned my life upside down and created an enormous emotional and mental strain on me."</p> <p>The letter detailed that she was required to pay the total of $64,999.17 in overpaid welfare benefits. Centrelink claimed this was because her declared amounts did not reflect what she actually earned during the period of July 9, 2010, to 6 October, 2016.</p> <p>“It turned my life upside down,” Rosemary told the Robodebt Royal Commission on Monday, “I’ve never earned that much money, how could I owe that much money? And the fact I was to come up with it within a matter of three or four weeks, it was sheer terror.”</p> <p>The emotional 76-year-old admitted that she feared she would have to sell her home to cover the debt, and detailed the bleak path she saw before her, “all I could see was that I may be faced with selling my home and losing everything that I had worked for in my 70 years, and I just saw it all going away instantly.”</p> <p>After contacting Centrelink, Rosemary confirmed that what she had reported was the same as what was on the paperwork. She admitted to assuming that would “be the end of it.”</p> <p>Officials at Centrelink eventually told Rosemary that it came down to a “glitch”, and after a review, the total of her debt was reduced to $6,600. </p> <p>Of her Robodebt experience, Rosemary said, “it was a very dark period of time for me and one that is very difficult to re-live. My mental health and physical health, at that stage, were at a very low ebb.”</p> <p>A second review brought a new letter to Rosemary in December 2016, this time stating that her debt had been reduced to $120. </p> <p>Finally in 2020, Rosemary was informed by Centrelink that she would be refunded the $120, with the Coalition government winding up the unlawful scheme - ruled as such by the Federal Court in 2019. It is suspected that more than 381,000 people were affected, and that over $750m was wrongfully recovered from the victims. </p> <p>“I was shocked and angry by this time to think they could initially cause such a traumatic experience to anybody accessing support from a pension,” Rosemary told the Royal Commission, “it will continue to remain with me forever. It’s just something I will never get over and it has had a huge impact on my physical and mental wellbeing … </p> <p>“That they could turn someone’s life upside down and still get it so wrong over and over again.”</p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Disability pensioner calls himself the "unluckiest" lotto winner

<p>When a disability pensioner struck gold playing the lotto, he thought his luck was starting to turn, until a harsh ruling from Centrelink put a swift end to his celebrations. </p> <p>Craig Hill had never won anything playing the lotto, until his numbers finally came up last month. </p> <p>While it wasn't "the big prize", Hill claimed the second division win in The Lott's "Set for Life" draw.</p> <p>"The main prize is $20,000 a month for 20 years. But this was second division, which is $5000 a month, for 12 months," Hill said.</p> <p>It was a tidy sum of $60,000 to help pay off the mortgage.</p> <p>"It's probably the dream of every Australian to win," Hill told <em>A Current Affair</em>.</p> <p>"I'm very disappointed. I mean, you only ever win the lottery once. It's not a big prize."</p> <p>After he was notified of his winnings, he thought he would do the right thing and tell Centrelink of the money he was soon coming in to. </p> <p>"Initially, they said 'it's a lottery win, so therefore it doesn't affect your pension'," he recalled.</p> <p>"I rang back later and (they) said, 'because you're a professional gambler now, you're getting paid monthly, it does affect your pension'."</p> <p>If The Lott had paid Hill his winnings as one lump sum, it wouldn't have affected his fortnightly pension payments.</p> <p> </p> <p>But because his winnings are being paid over 12 months, Centrelink considers it an income from professional gambling.</p> <p>As a result, his pension has now been slashed from around $820 a fortnight to just $328, with his wife's carer's payment has been affected too.</p> <p>"When I said I wanted it reviewed, they said are 'we going to apply the $5000 to your wife's carers allowance … because that's welfare as well'," Hill said.</p> <p>Because of the lotto win, the couple is losing around $2000 a month.</p> <p>The pensioner tried to ask The Lott to pay the money as a lump sum, but was told it didn't meet its criteria for an exceptional circumstance.</p> <p>Now he's hoping for changes to be made to the rules.</p> <p>"It has taken me 40 years to win a prize of the lottery … apart from $8 last week," Hill said.</p> <p>"At 61 I really haven't got another 40 years to wait to win another one."</p> <p>Craig's message to Centrelink is, "I'm not your enemy."</p> <p>"I'm just a bloke that's struggling to make a living," he said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: A Current Affair</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Jim Chalmers confronted by struggling pensioner over the cost of living crisis

<p>A struggling pensioner with just $20 in her bank account has quizzed treasurer Jim Chalmers on what essentials she should be forced to give up in order to keep up with the surge in cost of living prices. </p> <p>The Treasurer appeared on ABC's <em>Q+A</em> on Thursday night for a post-budget breakdown, when Fiona got her chance to ask him a question. </p> <p>“With non-discretionary items rising faster than CPI indexation, welfare recipients like myself are meant to be grateful for (the rise to indexation). What essentials should I be cutting from my budget?” she said. </p> <p>Age, Carer and Disability Support Pensioners will receive a rise of $38.90 a fortnight for singles and $58.80 for couples as part of routine indexation, but Fiona said it was still not enough.</p> <p>“It’s all falling behind, I’m playing catch up,” she said.</p> <p>Her desperate plea left Chalmers struggling to offer her any hope, as he warned inflation would continue to rise, forcing the government to make difficult decisions. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jim Chalmers spruiked the simplicity of his first budget, but as the price of items rises faster than the rate of welfare - is it really ‘bread and butter’ for struggling households? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/QandA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#QandA</a> <a href="https://t.co/p0eECVajlR">pic.twitter.com/p0eECVajlR</a></p> <p>— QandA (@QandA) <a href="https://twitter.com/QandA/status/1588105528353296384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 3, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p>“The best thing we can do is try and address inflation. That’s what the budget was about,” he said. </p> <div id="indie-campaign-DifJheZrCrms7j4pmefw-0" data-campaign-name="NCA FINANCE Cashed Up Newsletter OneClick SignUp" data-campaign-indie="newsletter-signup" data-jira="TSN-268" data-from="1645448400000" data-to="1680181200000"></div> <p>“But I don’t want to pretend to Fiona or to anyone in Fiona’s position that the budget nine nights ago fixed all of these challenges. "</p> <p>“I do need to be upfront with all of you about the nature of this challenge that we are confronting right now."</p> <p>And our best contribution to this problem is being restrained in our spending.”</p> <p>Dr Chalmers was called up by host Stan Grant, who said Fiona’s question had been more about hard decisions she was having to make. </p> <p>For example, she said she had to make the choice to go for an eye scan rather than go to a doctors appointment because her GP no longer bulk bills. </p> <p>Dr Chalmers was unable to give Fiona a straight answer, rather saying he understood how difficult it was for people in a similar position.</p> <p>“The cost of living is going through the roof, and that has a disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable amongst us, and we understand that,” Dr Chalmers said. </p> <p>“My responsibility to you, Fiona, and to the whole country, is to try and take the right economic decisions, to make sure we are not making inflation worse.”</p> <p>“The main thing I can do here – the worst thing that could happen for Fiona and for people around Australia – is if we let this inflation get out of control … That’s what I’m trying to avoid.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Q+A / Getty Images </em></p>

Retirement Income

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Gender pension gap: why women save less - and why that’s changing dramatically

<p>One issue <a href="https://www.scottishwidows.co.uk/knowledge-centre/gender-pension-gap/">that has</a> attracted <a href="https://prospect.org.uk/article/what-is-the-gender-pension-gap/#:%7E:text=The%20gender%20pension%20gap%20is,gap%20that%20year%20(17.3%25).">growing attention</a> in <a href="https://www.aviva.co.uk/aviva-edit/your-money-articles/women-know-gender-pension-gap/">recent years</a> is the “gender pension gap” – the fact that on average, women have lower private pension wealth and lower income in retirement than men. But before rushing to conclusions about how to “fix” this, it is crucial to understand what lies behind any pension differences between men and women. </p> <p>There are three main potential drivers behind this phenomenon:</p> <ol> <li> <p>Different labour market experiences: the “<a href="https://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/10358">gender pay gap</a>”, and the fact that <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Duration_of_working_life_-_statistics#:%7E:text=In%202019%2C%20the%20estimated%20expected,aged%2015%20years%20and%20more">men have</a> longer paid working lives than women;</p> </li> <li> <p>Different investment strategies: when it comes to <a href="https://www.gov.uk/pension-types">defined contribution pensions</a>, <a href="https://s-h-w.com/news-articles">men choose</a> to invest in portfolios with a higher expected rate of return.</p> </li> <li> <p>Different saving rates: as <a href="https://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/15425">we investigate</a> below, men and women may also differ in how likely they are to be offered a pension in their job, or tend to work for employers that contribute more or less to a pension, or tend to make different contributions themselves.</p> </li> </ol> <p>Importantly, the role of these potential drivers will have changed over time for various reasons. Mothers <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/articles/familiesandthelabourmarketengland/2019#:%7E:text=In%20April%20to%20June%202019%2C%20three%20in%20four%20mothers%20with,mothers%20in%20employment%20in%202000.">have increasingly participated</a> in the labour market over the years, for example. Final salary pensions have been reformed to career average schemes, which in particular reduced the generosity for long stayers and those with stronger pay growth, <a href="https://www.pensionspolicyinstitute.org.uk/sponsor-research/research-reports/2013/17-05-2013-the-implications-of-the-coalition-governments-public-service-pension-reforms/">affecting men</a> more than women. Also, <a href="https://www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk/about-pensions/pensions-basics/automatic-enrolment">automatic enrolment</a> has been introduced for workplace pensions, which affected everyone’s participation in them. </p> <p>Gaps in pension income today may therefore reflect labour markets and pension arrangements from many years ago, and the gap in pension income for current working-age individuals may be quite different when they reach retirement. In an ongoing programme of work at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, funded by the <a href="https://www.nuffieldfoundation.org/">Nuffield Foundation</a>, we are examining in detail differences in pension saving rates between men and women that will contribute to a future “gender pension gap” for today’s working age individuals. </p> <h2>Making sense of the gap</h2> <p>In a <a href="https://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/15421">first publication</a>, we have documented differences in average pension saving between male and female employees before the introduction of <a href="https://www.pensionsadvisoryservice.org.uk/about-pensions/pensions-basics/automatic-enrolment">automatic enrolment</a> in 2012. We found that on average across all employees (whether saving in a pension or not), women of all ages actually contributed more as a proportion of their earnings each year than men. </p> <p>However, this was driven by the fact that women were more likely to work in the public sector, where contribution rates are typically higher. Examining average pension saving among men and women within each sector reveals a different pattern. The average saving rates of male and female employees were similar until around age 35 but then diverged, with average contributions continuing to increase with age for men but not changing for women. </p> <p>The graphs below unpick what was driving this pattern among private-sector employees in Great Britain (though the pattern was broadly similar for public-sector employees). It was caused by the extent to which men and women participated in a pension. </p> <p>The proportion of men and women saving anything in a private pension was similar until around age 30 but then diverged, with men increasingly likely to be saving in a pension as they get older, while women’s pension participation plateaued. On the other hand, average contribution rates for those saving in a pension were actually slightly higher as a share of earnings among women than men. </p> <p><strong>Pension participation in overall savings</strong></p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/graph-1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><strong>Average contribution rates in pension savings</strong></p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/graph-2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p>What might have been driving differences in pension participation? The timing of the divergence in people’s lives mirrored the evolution of the gender gaps <a href="https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/earningsandworkinghours/bulletins/genderpaygapintheuk/2020">in pay</a>, <a href="https://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/13673">commuting</a> and <a href="https://www.ifs.org.uk/publications/14032">firm productivity</a>, and suggested that the arrival of children and related employment decisions was an important factor. </p> <p>So in our ongoing programme of research we are examining whether the gap in pension participation is associated with the arrival of children, and the extent to which female employees received a different pension offer from their employer, or made different saving decisions when presented with the same offer as male employees. </p> <h2>Effect of automatic enrolment</h2> <p>The introduction of automatic enrolment into workplace pensions has substantially changed pension-saving behaviour – in particular, substantially increasing pension participation among employees targeted by the policy. The graph below shows the proportion of male and female employees of different ages who were saving in a private workplace pension in 2012 and 2019 in Great Britain. </p> <p>The pattern in 2012 is represented by the two sets of dashed lines, with men again in blue and women in purple. It is similar to that estimated in the first graph in this article. </p> <p>But the pattern in 2019 is totally different. Rather than participation diverging at a particular age, women are now slightly less likely to be in a pension at all ages than men (but the level of participation among both is considerably higher). Automatic enrolment will therefore have fundamentally changed the nature of the gender gap in pension-saving rates going forwards. </p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Pension participation 2019 vs 2012</strong></p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/10/graph-3.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p>This highlights the importance of examining gender differences in saving rates, rather than just accrued pension wealth or pension income. Focusing on the latter risks developing policies to fix a perceived problem that has already changed.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/gender-pension-gap-why-women-save-less-and-why-thats-changing-dramatically-160648" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p>

Retirement Income

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Pensioners slam budget that “left them behind”

<p dir="ltr">Two Aussie pensioners have slammed Labor’s budget saying they have been left behind as the cost of living continues to soar. </p> <p dir="ltr">Lyn and Des Wicks from the Gold Coast recalled how Labor was meant to be helping low and middle income earners but have instead abandoned them in the 2022 Budget.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Wicks said she was “angry” at the government for not looking after pensioners and is worried about the future. </p> <p dir="ltr">"You don't want handouts, but - we're speaking on behalf of pensioners who are really doing it hard. We've got savings but we are dipping into it,” she told The Today Show. </p> <p dir="ltr">"It's just not fair. It's just the low income and the people, they haven't given us any hope and, you know, hope is happiness, happiness is health, you know, they are being - it's a false economy as far as I'm concerned."</p> <p dir="ltr">The couple’s biggest concern is the increase in prices of electricity and fuel which were barely mentioned in the budget. </p> <p dir="ltr">She explained that the budget did not look at those on the full pension, only those who are partially retired. </p> <p dir="ltr">Because of their health issues, Mrs and Mr Wicks are unable to take heed from the government’s advice of going back to work. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Even if I could I wouldn't, because I have worked 52 years and I think I'm entitled to a few years of retirement,” she said. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Click <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/money-banking/big-winners-and-losers-of-the-2022-federal-budget" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> for the winners and losers of the 2022 Budget. </strong></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Today Show</em></p>

Retirement Life

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"How could they be so cruel?" Elderly woman conned out of life savings

<p>An elderly woman from Sydney says she feels "violated" her after savings account was emptied in a cruel impersonation scam. </p> <p>Maureen Deans, 86, was left with next to nothing in her bank account after the scammers took $25,000.</p> <p>"How could they be so cruel? I'm horrified that people would do this sort of thing," Maureen told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/banking-scammer-steals-23k-from-pensioner-after-pretending-to-be-st-george-bank/4fb1c21c-f024-4c26-9ab0-de5a7b7f64bf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9News</a>.</p> <p>"I was left with no money to pay my bills."</p> <p>On July 29th Maureen's daughter Joanne got a text from a number claiming to be Medicare, saying she had been in close contact with a person who had tested positive for Covid-19. </p> <p>The message included a link to order a coronavirus test kit. </p> <p>At the time, Joanne was not aware of similar text scams and clicked on the link. </p> <p>"Someone at my work had just tested positive to the coronavirus. I could just kick myself now, but that's the reason I clicked on the link," she said.</p> <p>Joanne was then asked to enter her credit card details to complete her purchase, along with her home address for delivery. </p> <p>Soon after handing over the information, Joanne realised it was likely a scam and went into her local St George branch to report the incident and express her concern that her card details had likely been compromised. </p> <p>Then, less than a week later on August 3, Joanne got a call on her mobile phone from a man named "Simon" who said he was from St George's fraud prevention team.</p> <p>The man informed Joanne her account had been hacked and said her mother's account, for which she is a signatory, was now compromised.</p> <p>"He said that he had been authorised by St George Bank to move mum's money over to a brand new account, with a new BSB and account number," Joanne said.</p> <p>Joanne was originally skeptical of the call, but his professionalism convinced her that the call was legitimate. </p> <p>"I said, 'Why can't we just go into the bank tomorrow and sort it out there' and he said, 'No, the money will be gone by then,'" she recalled.</p> <p>"He gave me a reference number and he was very convincing.</p> <p>"He knew exactly how much money mum had in her pensioner account down to the last cent."</p> <p>The man then asked Joanne to log onto her mother's internet banking account, and transfer the money to the "new account" in three different transactions. </p> <p>Joanne was on the phone to the scammer for over an hour, with Maureen growing increasingly suspicious about why the process was taking so long. </p> <p>"My mum rang my brother who is a lawyer and he said, 'No, no, no it's a scam, get off the phone.'</p> <p>"But the damage had been done, the money had already been transferred."</p> <p>Joanne said she was devastated to have been tricked by the scammer.</p> <p>"It's absolutely awful. It's a lot of money and it's my fault, I should have hung up," she said.</p> <p>Maureen, who lives in an aged care home and receives the pension, said she had to accept help from her son to pay her bills.</p> <p>"Fortunately, my son came to my aid and put money in my account, but I have never been in that situation before - I feel violated," she said.  </p> <p>"It took me ages to save up that money and we were going on a cruise next year, which we've had to cancel.</p> <p>"There's quite a few things we've had to cancel because of this."</p> <p>Maureen said she was "furious" with St George Bank for not protecting their elderly customers more. </p> <p>The bank has it had been experiencing a recent spike in impersonation scams where scammers pose as a known business to trick people into sending them money.</p> <p>"Customers should be wary of any unexpected calls, SMS or emails claiming to be from their bank or other reputable organisation, and always stop to consider what you're being asked to do.</p> <p>"If in doubt, hang up and call back on a publicly listed number to confirm if the call was genuine."</p> <p><em>Image credits: 9News</em></p>

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