Blog archive
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08 Sep
September 11 - 10 years on
Sunday marks 10 years since al-Qaeda terrorists ploughed two hijacked passenger planes into New York’s World Trade Centre and a third into the Pentagon in Virginia. A fourth commercial passenger jet crashed before reaching its intended target...
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01 Sep
Asylum seekers
Where to on asylum seekers now? This week, the High Court handed down a judgement declaring the Labor Government’s off-shore refugee processing deal with Malaysia invalid. In a majority decision, the Court held that the Australian Immigra...
Read more comments 155 -
23 Aug
Media inquiry in Australia
After the fall-out of the News International phone hacking scandal in Britain, the Greens called for a public inquiry into Australia’s media. To date, Prime Minister Julia Gillard has resisted calls for a wide ranging inquiry into media owners...
Read more comments 154 -
18 Aug
Private hospital insurance
New figures reveal more than 10 million Australians are now covered by private hospital insurance. The figures, released this week by the Private Health Insurance Administration Council, showed 45.3 per cent of the population have private hospital i...
Read more comments 159 -
11 Aug
London Riots
Could it happen here? The world had its eyes on London and surrounding cities this week as rioters took to the streets to vent their anger. About what? Well, many are still not quite sure. Reports said that masked youths set to the streets ...
Read more comments 157 -
04 Aug
Share market jitters
Australian shares dropped this week on the back of poor trading on Wall Street. Whilst there was a bounce back in US stocks overnight, many self-funded retirees are clearly nervous. Some economic experts predict we may be facing another Global Fi...
Read more comments 128 -
28 Jul
Citizenship Test
Could you pass the citizenship test? Australia’s citizenship test is under fire for being too difficult for new Australian migrants. Experts believe that even some of the most hardened Australians could fail the citizenship test whi...
Read more comments 173 -
21 Jul
Selfish society?
Are we a selfish society? This week the Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd announced the Government would provide $41.2million towards food relief efforts in the Horn of Africa as the region experiences its worst drought in 60 years. More than 10 mill...
Read more comments 178 -
14 Jul
Carbon Tax
On Sunday Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced the Government was putting a price on pollution by introducing a $23 per tonne carbon tax. Whilst the carbon tax is directed at 500 companies who pollute the heaviest, there will be flow-on effects to...
Read more comments 396 -
07 Jul
Live cattle ban lifted
Federal Agriculture Minister Joe Ludwig yesterday announced that the live cattle suspension to Indonesia had been lifted. Abattoirs in Indonesia will now be independently audited but animal rights groups say the Government’s backdown is shamef...
Read more comments 87 -
30 Jun
New card technology
National Seniors has been busy in the media this week speaking out about the new PIN and signature-free credit and debit cards. The contactless technology allows a user to just ‘tap and go’ for purchases under $100 at many major shops. ...
Read more comments 107 -
23 Jun
How much is enough to retire on?
Many Australians have suffered a financial hit to their retirement incomes in the past decade due to the Global Financial Crisis. Whilst superannuation is on the increase for those still in employment, it is too late for many older Australians who h...
Read more comments 75 -
16 Jun
Shopping online - risky or worth it?
The high Australian dollar and the fact that consumers are becoming more dollar- savvy has seen online purchases soar over the past few years. Consumers report they can save hundreds of dollars per purchase by simply buying online at Australian or i...
Read more comments 56 -
09 Jun
Bob Katter's new political party
This blog is now closed. We advise bloggers to keep to topic and refrain from mutual personal attacks or their comments will be removed. Some describe him as a good country bloke who is passionate about Australia; others say he is downright ...
Read more comments 170 -
02 Jun
Is it sexist or acceptable?
This blog is now closed. We advise bloggers to keep to topic and refrain from mutual personal attacks or their comments will be removed. At an estimates hearing on Wednesday, Finance minister Penny Wong and Liberal Senator David Bushby were ...
Read more comments 157 -
26 May
Oprah bows out - legacy or hype?
After 25 years, American talk-show queen Oprah Winfrey, 57, this week said good-bye to millions of fans around the world in a star-studded grand finale. Born into poverty in rural Mississippi to a single mum, and raised by a grandmother who took he...
Read more comments 40 -
19 May
What was cool in your day?
A new sensation sweeping the world at the moment is the “planking” stunt. Planking involves lying face-down in an unusual place, having your photo taken and posting the results on the internet. Planking can be a creative and innocent stunt ...
Read more comments 48 -
12 May
Set top boxes for pensioners
This blog is now closed. We advise bloggers to keep to topic and refrain from mutual personal attacks or their comments will be removed. The government has announced that full rate pensioners will receive free set top boxes as part of the s...
Read more comments 214 -
05 May
Osama Bin Laden
On Monday, United States president Barack Obama announced that US forces had killed America’s most wanted man, Osama Bin Laden, in Pakistan. The focus now has turned to whether the United States did the right thing by killing him or whether he...
Read more comments 119 -
28 Apr
Support for republic is low
On the eve of the royal wedding, much talk is being had about whether Australia should become a republic. Earlier this week, a Newspoll showed support for a republic is at a 17-year low of 41 per cent, down from 45 per cent four years ago. Do you...
Read more comments 170 -
21 Apr
Holiday destinations for travelling seniors
It’s Easter time and that means many people are taking a well deserved holiday. National Seniors is scoping out the world’s best travel destinations for over 50s. Whether you’re a single traveller, with your partner or prefer gr...
Read more comments 54 -
14 Apr
Pokie reform: Good idea or nanny state?
A poll conducted by left-leaning think tank, The Australia Institute, suggests almost 70 percent of Australians support setting pre-gambling spending limits on poker machines. The research comes as independent Members of Parliament, Andrew Wilkie an...
Read more comments 111 -
07 Apr
Plain packaging for cigarettes
As part of a major overhaul in how cigarettes are sold to consumers, the Federal Government is planning to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes. Under proposed legislation, logos will be removed from packaging, the packet will be printed a plain...
Read more comments 112 -
31 Mar
Price wars - healthy or unfair?
Grocery giant Coles’ decision to start a supermarket war with Woolworths and other grocery stores by dropping home brand milk to $1 a litre has sparked angry protests from farmers around Australia. Coles says it is bearing the full brunt of th...
Read more comments 94 -
24 Mar
NSW voters go to the polls
This weekend NSW voters will get their chance to decide the state’s next Premier. After a rough ride for Premier Kristina Keneally over the past few years, speculation is growing that NSW Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell will thrash Keneally...
Read more comments 17 -
17 Mar
Nuclear Energy
Nuclear power as an alternative? The horrifying scenes coming out of Japan this past week are almost unbearable to watch. As a result of the earthquake and tsunami, a Japanese nuclear power plant in Fukushima is now at risk of a nuclear meltdown ...
Read more comments 136 -
10 Mar
Pauline Hanson
This blog is now closed. We advise bloggers to keep to topic and refrain from mutual personal attacks or their comments will be removed. Former One Nation founder Pauline Hanson has thrown her hat into the ring as a candidate in the NSW elec...
Read more comments 139 -
03 Mar
Cost of living struggles
Private health insurance is going up. A flood tax is being introduced. A carbon tax is also being proposed. Electricity prices have soared. Seniors, as well as families and young people, will all be affected. Are policy-makers out of touch with o...
Read more comments 119 -
24 Feb
Carbon Pricing Scheme
Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced that a carbon pricing scheme will come into effect in 2012, despite promising during the election campaign that a Labor government would not introduce a carbon price. Under the scheme, the price on carbon ...
Read more comments 800 -
17 Feb
Japanese whaling
Despite an international moratorium on commercial whaling, Japan continues to hunt whales using a scientific research loophole. The meat from these so-called “scientific” whale hunts is then sold in shops and restaurants. This week, environmenta...
Read more comments 35 -
10 Feb
Are our elders treated with respect?
A reader this week wrote in after seeing the latest 50 something article entitled “Elders around the world” showing examples of how elders are treated in different cultures. The reader feels she’s being “done over” by companies, te...
Read more comments 44 -
03 Feb
Anna Bligh: Impressive or not?
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has been described by many over the last weeks as a pillar of strength and won fans amongst anti-Labor diehards. At the last election she scraped through by the skin of her teeth and was given no chance at the next elec...
Read more comments 150 -
27 Jan
Flood Levy
The Federal Government has today introduced a flood levy to help pay for the rebuilding of Queensland and Victoria after the floods. People with an income of $60,000 will pay just under $1 extra per week and a person earning $100,000 per year will ...
Read more comments 208 -
16 Dec
Xmas presents
Christmas brings good cheer and merriment. It can also bring unwanted gifts that defy rhyme or reason. What is the most amusing, touching or ridiculous present that you have received and what did you do with it? Did you re-wrap and give to ...
Read more comments 20 -
09 Dec
Telecommunications complaints
A total of 167,955 complaints about phone and internet companies were made to the telecommunications watchdog in 2009/10. The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) received complaints about billings and payments, incorrect or inadequate advice...
Read more comments 37 -
02 Dec
Do you feel safe?
Earlier this week an 87-year-old great-grandmother, with bruises to almost every inch of her body, was left for dead on the floor of her Sydney home after two men broke into her house and bashed her senseless. In Victoria, incoming premier Ted Bail...
Read more comments 25 -
25 Nov
Romantic moments
It took a Sydney man three years and $1,500 to design a romantic hi-tech game that lead his fiancé on a nostalgic, 200-kilometre journey to their old haunts until she finally arrived at a luxury penthouse for dinner and his proposal. Tell u...
Read more comments 12 -
18 Nov
Royal event or Royal fuss?
The Royals are back in the news in a big way with the recent engagement announcement of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Newspapers, radio, television, Twitter – you name it the happy couple are the talk of the town. Do Australians really c...
Read more comments 63 -
11 Nov
iPods & Mp3 players
The younger generation is plugging in to iPods and Mp3 players and blocking out the world around them. Do you think there will be ramifications from this behavior that will change the way they interact in the future? It used to be that the phra...
Read more comments 22 -
04 Nov
Bumper profits and greed
After the Reserve Bank’s announcement on Tuesday, the Commonwealth Bank raised interest rates by 0.45 of a percentage point, but only raised deposit rates by 0.25 of a percentage point. Last week it was reported that the ANZ made a $5.13 bill...
Read more comments 58 -
28 Oct
Time for daylight savings?
It’s that time of the year when the winter woolies are well and truly packed away, salads are back on the dinner table and summer is just around the corner. So isn’t it time that Queenslanders caught up with the rest of the country and j...
Read more comments 139 -
21 Oct
French pension riots
France has been thrown into chaos this week over unpopular plans to raise the retirement age from 60 years to 62 years. Led by workers and students, the protests have turned violent with cars turned over in the street and set fire to, electricity cut o...
Read more comments 36 -
14 Oct
Mary MacKillop
This weekend Australia’s Mary MacKillop will be officially recognised as a saint. Some people think it’s all a bit far-fetched while others embrace the miracle concept whole heartedly. Does Mary MacKillop’s sainthood present us wit...
Read more comments 33 -
07 Oct
Federal government
It’s been just over 100 days since the new federal government formed. How do you score the Government’s performance and the Opposition’s performance? Is Julia Gillard proving herself to be a leader? Is...
Read more comments 57 -
30 Sep
Older person day
What does International Day of the Older Person mean to you? Friday October 1 is the International Day of the Older Person when we appreciate the contribution that older people make to their societies. Do you feel appreciated for your contri...
Read more comments 14 -
23 Sep
Public transport
The Tourism and Transport Forum's (TTF) discussion paper suggest fares for pensioners travelling on public transport should be increased during peak hours to deter them from travelling at those busy times. National Seniors Australia has lashed out a...
Read more comments 58 -
16 Sep
Where to go?
As older Australians reach a stage where they feel they can no longer live in their family home they are left with limited choices as to where they can go – retirement villages, hostels or nursing homes – and the type of accommodation is de...
Read more comments 36 -
08 Sep
To Botox or not?
To be Botoxed or not to be Botoxed?...that is the question. And it’s not just a question only mature men and women are asking – the young’uns are also lining up for the treatment. The Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery e...
Read more comments 14 -
02 Sep
Regional Australia
Is regional Australia being ignored? The federal election has highlighted the debate over city versus the bush with the two Independents claiming that regional Australia has been ignored by the two major parties for too long. It is acknowledged...
Read more comments 29 -
26 Aug
The power of the Independents
Voters may have gone to the polls last weekend but Australia is still waiting to find out who will govern. A handful of independents now have the power to decide who will lead our country and influence policy-making over the next three years. D...
Read more comments 75 -
19 Aug
Can I drive?
Women driving men crazy Apparently men dread hearing their wife say “Can I drive?”. A recent study of 3,000 men revealed that more than a third feel unsafe when their partner is driving. One in 10 say they have been forced to grab the ...
Read more comments 33 -
12 Aug
Who will you vote for?
Share | As the election campaign nears the end, National Seniors is asking who will you be voting for and why? Is there anything else that could change your mind in the last week of campaigning? Disclaimer: any personal det...
Read more comments 124 -
05 Aug
Are they any good?
Share | The Coalition announced a policy this week that would help people aged 50 plus back into the workforce. If elected, it will offer employers a financial incentive of $3,250 for every older worker hired for a minimum of six months...
Read more comments 54 -
29 Jul
Aged care - crisis point
Share | A shocking story emerged last week of a Brisbane man who lost his leg because the aged care facility he was living at failed to treat his broken leg for a month and as a result, his leg had to be amputated. National Seniors hear...
Read more comments 61 -
26 Jul
Leaders' Debate
Share | Sunday night television vied for foodies and political junkies. The political junkies may have been disappointed that they didn’t get any hard core debate or see one of the contenders take a spill. There’s always a wi...
Read more comments 22 -
16 Jul
Policy detail or gossip?
Share | Like football, politics can be a dirty game with behind the scenes back stabbings and broken promises. It’s not new and it will happen again. Currently, we are being bombarded with news of the PM being accused of doing a ...
Read more comments 54 -
09 Jul
Australia's first female PM
Share | It’s a significant historical step for Australians accepting their first female Prime Minister, Julia Gillard. But has she been accepted? And is the fact that she is a woman going to affect voters? In Monday&rsquo...
Read more comments 90 -
02 Jul
Howard and the ICC
Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard’s vice presidential nomination for the International Cricket Council has been rejected, without official explanation, by African and Asian member countries. Yet, despite being given until August 31...
Read more comments 58 -
18 Jun
The Mining Tax and You
The Federal Government’s planned Resource Super Profits Tax (RSPT) will tax resource projects on their profits and replace the current system of royalties that taxes production, but not profits. The government says it’s a fairer way of ...
Read more comments 62 -
08 Apr
Seniors' political party
This blog is closed. Thank you to those who contributed. Poll results: Yes - 41% No - 37% Depends on the policies - 22% Topic: Is it time for a seniors’ political party? After The Australian ran a piece on Monday 29 March ...
Read more comments 101 -
21 Mar
Age Discrimination
Australia has the lowest workforce participation rate for the over 55s of all English-speaking OECD countries. Australian Bureau of Statistics figures released this week show that older Australians experience longer periods of underemployment than youn...
Read more comments 76
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