Commenting on the story: Treasurer wants over-65s to keep working

I strongly object to someone telling me 10 years from ‘retirement’ to stay at work till I’m 70.

I’ve paid my taxes all my working life (took 6 off for children) and I’m looking forward to sitting back and going to medical appointments, like every other retiree I know.

No, seriously I want to travel and spend time and money around our big brown land.

My husband is a fitter and he’ll retire in 6 years – younger than me but with his job his body is giving out now (mid 50s).

It’s okay for politicians who don’t work with their hands to decree what age we should retire- why don’t they lead by example? – Mary Holmes

Having been a person over 50 trying to get re-employed for many years, I think it would be interesting research to see the age profile of the new employees of any Government –  either Commonwealth or State.  I guess that might mean a FOI request.

Anecdotally it seems that they only employ those under 45.

Perhaps in this new regime they could lead by example?

Certainly many of us would be delighted to work! – Cliff Sayer

I think it is a great idea but there needs to be advice, counselling and financial help available to help some to find a changed direction.

I am 77 and still running my own business from home.

I chose to do a considerable amount of retraining in my 60s so that I am now able to work and largely self-support myself.

I am still paying off debts incurred from retraining myself which is why I thing a vet-fee help or HECS system is a good idea.

The real bonus is that I am fully engaged mentally and mixing with a wide age range of people which keeps me mentally alert.

Clearly, changing occupations is needed in many situations because our bodies are not the same in our 7os as when we were 40. – Jean Cannon

The Treasurer can spruik all he likes; where are the tax incentives and superannuation incentives to support working past 65?

Indeed the Commonwealth’s own superannuation system is geared to people leaving work prior to aged 55.

Really, what is the point of the Treasurer getting up and making a speech to this effect when he alone has the power to implement policies that might encourage such behaviour.

Where is the systemic policy to give impetus to his statements?

Where are the suite of policies that are designed to achieve the objective his is urging, that support women as one group who have been less able to build superannuation balances over time due to caring responsibilities they have assumed.

Further cutbacks on migration will exacerbate the age profile at the margins.

Exhorting people to change behaviour in the absence of policies that signal support for changed behaviour is simply meaningless.

Unfortunately, this is the hallmark of the Morrison Government. It is essentially a policy free zone, it has no concept of nation building, it has no concept of private/public sector cooperation and it has no leadership to speak of. – Michael O’Neil

Commenting on the story: Church launches inquiry over “inappropriate” images

Thank you for the story which concerns the Greek Orthodox Community of SA (GOCSA), which was reported to be a splinter group.

The term “splinter group” may imply that GOCSA have a grievance of sorts with others, like the “official church”. This would grossly understate the picture.

To explain, almost all Greek Orthodox in Australia belong to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia (headed by His Eminence Archbishop Makarios) which is an Archdiocese of the Ecumenical Patriarchate.

GOCSA is not recognised by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, or indeed any other canonical Orthodox Church jurisdiction in the world as being in any way, or form, canonical whatsoever.

All of GOCSAs so-called “bishops” and “priests” have been either “defrocked” by these canonical jurisdictions or have been uncanonically “ordained” by their so-called “bishops”.

For the majority of Greek South Australians, news stories regarding GOCSA can be highly embarrassing, as many non-Greek-Australians may believe that GOCSA is simply a representative community of the Greek Orthodox, which they are not, and that GOCSAs issues (which have been reported in the media on many occasions) are representative of the entire Greek Australian Community. – Dr Basil  Mantzioris

Commenting on the story: Chapman has another crack at Equal Opportunity Commissioner

I read with disappointment the criticism of the Equal Opportunity Commissioner’s focus.

The Attorney-General’s concerns indeed suggest a lack of understanding of the way patterns of disadvantage (e.g. gender coupled with disability) can intersect to create a discrimination hothouse.

The Attorney-General appears to be camouflaging the sustained underfunding of the commission’s critical work.   

 I’m unsurprised that disability discrimination complaints are high, but attacking the parallel work which ensures equal rights for others seems misdirected and unproductive.

 Fund well enough and everyone wins. If underfunding creates a fiscal game of musical chairs, then don’t complain when someone’s not finding a seat.

 Perhaps the 37 million dollars previously marked to make a tram turn right onto North Terrace, might have been productively used to remove us of the indignity of having the worst funded commission in the land. – Peter Walker

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