Retire Here forget it?
 

More information for you NHS whingers.


Obvious reasons

TO THOSE of us who voluntarily drive the elderly and disabled to their doctors' appointments, the reason there is a slump in free visits to GPs (report, 16/11) is blindingly clear. They can't afford to go.

If they are renting accommodation in a retirement village, for example, the cost is 85 per cent of their age pension. This leaves them $39 a week. A visit to a local doctor means that even after the Medicare rebate they still have to pay $6.95. They probably come away with three scripts. Even after the pharmaceutical allowance of $2.90, there goes $7.90. Volunteer transport will cost $5 each way. All up, $24.95, so they are left with only $14.15 for their necessities. No chance of biscuits, a visit to the cinema or Christmas presents for the grandchildren.

Many of these elderly people had no chance to benefit from superannuation schemes or redundancy payouts, they were flat-out living through a depression or a war. I recently experienced an elderly man with an obvious respiratory problem who had to refuse his doctor's script because it was not covered by the MBS and he couldn't afford the $12 cost.

So, you high-salaried professionals who bemoan the "slump in free visits", I suggest you get out there and talk to those who know the reason.
PATRICIA MENHENNETT, Mandurah.

retirement
 

Hi Pommie,

I'm in the process of trying to get a visa to emigrate to OZ. I'm a well paid professional but with recent changes in tax on pensions for high rate tax payers, and various other problems, most people I know have given up hope of ever having a decent pension. The government are also going to make the retirement age 70 before too long. I fully expect that I will be stacking shelves in B&Q when I'm 70 and trying to avoid getting mugged on the way home. We live in a relatively good part of the country ( wild horses couldn't drag me to London ) and yet there are still Jamaican Yardie drug gangs shooting at each other about a mile away from here. I know a police officer who tells me that they try not to arrest black muggers etc because they don't want to get accused of being racist and then getting embroiled in an internal anti-racism enquiry. This country is absolutely engulfed in a tide of political correctness. The asylum seeker situation here is beyond horrendous. I could go on and on, yes really :-) If we don't emigrate then we'll be retreating further out into the country if possible. The UK does have some good points like the history, the countryside and being able to get easily to other countries for your hols but for us the bad has really started to outweigh the good and we worry for our childrens future. Obviously OZ cannot be heaven on earth but if the main problems are that it's a bit isolated, and a bit boring then I imagine we'll be able to cope.
If you intend to move back here then I hope you have piles of cash cos you'll need it, and that you don't mind being a second class citizen in your own country ( assuming you are white ).

good luck.

Re: retirement
 

Your post could have been written by me a year ago... However, now that I have been in Oz for a while, I now know there is no such thing as a "better place" - only a different one. Yes, I agree entirely with your comment about political correctness - it infuriated me enormously in the UK - and yes, I also agree with what you say about the asylum seekers - I really don't know where it will all end. The UK is a very small country, parts of which are already horrendously over-populated, and to accept 000's of asylum seekers seems to me to be madness...

BUT, don't think that coming to Oz will benefit your children in terms of education - unless you are prepared to pay a fortune for a good private school (and the good ones DO cost a lot), then the state schools over here are no better than those in the UK - and certainly in Brisbane the attitude of the schools seems to be "as long as the kids are happy, then that's OK".

Only last week, I had to have a meeting with my Son's Headteacher, as his class teacher had marked his English homework correct 4 out of 4 and the answers were all wrong. When I mentioned this, the HT replied "Oh that doesn't surprise me at all - his teacher believes in praising children at all costs".... Oh dear...

Anyway, good luck with the move to Oz - it's certainly a beautiful country, with a lot to offer - pity the attitude of some people (I speak as I find, and am referring only to those I have met around the Brisbane area here) leaves A LOT to be desired

Re: retirement
 

Dear Bluebristolian

So lets get this straight by talking politically incorrectly:you equate crime with blacks.
Explain why the highest crime rate in the uk is consistently in Glasgow where if I am not mistaken there is a distinctive lack of blacks.

As for the stupid cop you talked to, perhaps the solution is to rid the force of its ingrain bigoted behaviour of the past and present - there's ample evidence if you open your eyes instead of droning on with the Daily Mail version of the problem. The black community will no longer sit back and take it like they did in the 70's.
If white middle class people want security (just like all other britons including blacks) perhaps they too should strive for the removal of racists from the force.

Your last sentence shows what sort of a person you really are. When you do get your oz visa, be sure to join the one nation party.

:p

Re: retirement
 

To Blue Bristolian,

Don't think that by coming to Australia that you will escape all of that. Australia is a very multiracial society, contrary to the way it is often portrayed overseas as being a very white society. An average Australian might have written exactly what you have, but instead of "Jamaican Yardie" or "blacks" they might write Lebanese, Aboriginal or Vietnamese.
The police here also have exactly the same dilemmas when it comes to describing the ethnic appearance of suspected criminals. So if you come here expecting things to be different, you'll be very disappointed!
BTW I know from experience of family and friends that the British police do in fact stop and search innocent blacks who are just minding their own business. There may be a climate of political correctness, but it also does actually happen.

Re: retirement
 

Hello
I'm from Bristol too (does blue refer to Rovers?). I also could have written what you have written a couple of years ago (although I was living in London at the time and, like you, wild horses now could'nt drag me back there!). I think you'll have a great time in Australia, as we have, as long as you come here for an experience and not because you think all those wrongs in the UK will be righted here. Its not gonna happen - people are people wherever you go and the same rules apply.
One thing living in both London and Sydney has taught me is that what is important to me long term is being close to family, particularly once we start our own family next year. Its also taught me to appreciate the good things about England (not London!), which I previously took for granted. Those 'minor irritations' you mention (boredom, isolation) will become somewhat more than that once you are here, I can assure you of that, and for us they actually outweigh the negative aspects of life in the UK (which I have to say never had a huge personal impact - just stuff you read about in the papers).
Your contingency plan to 'retreat into the country' is exactly what we plan to do (South Glos, villages around the Thornbury area) and at the moment our budget will allow this - assuming house prices dont go up by more than 15% in the next 6 months! Inner city living in Bristol does not appeal at all and we probably could'nt afford to live in the nicer areas close to the city (Clifton, Westbury, Sneyd Park etc etc) even if we wanted to.
Good luck, enjoy Australia.

Re: retirement
 

Rajj,

I equate political correctness with rising crime, and Black people are the victims of it just as everybody else is. As for the 'stupid cop' you refer to, you are just betraying your bigotry but it does not change the facts. No doubt you were muttering "facist" to yourself as you read my post, but I actually don't blame the ethnic monorities for taking advantage of the situation as you are doing, but I do blame the stupid liberal do-gooder white's for getting us all ( you included) in this mess. Anyway I have better things to do with my time than argue toss with you.

Have a nice life.

Re: retirement
 

Hi Pommiesheila,

I'm heartened that my post could have been written by you, because I know there is at least 1 person in OZ who agrees with me!

We'll be going to Melbourne if we emigrate, as I have state sponsorship. I have a friend who lives in Perth who likes OZ a lot and I have a similar outlook to him. I know the schools in OZ are variable, a bit like they are here. We'll be able to come over and buy a house outright, so we might be able to afford private school. Are they much better/worth it?
I think the worse thing about moving will be that we don't have any family over there which will be tough. I'm hoping that OZ is somewhere where we can make a long term future for ourselves ( with a bit of space).


P.S are you related to Pommiebastard :-)

Re: retirement
 

Hi Herman,

Sorry to hear that it hasn't worked out for you in OZ. The family thing is the bit that worries me too. We don't have our visas yet so we are not quite at the point of biting the bullet. I'm hoping that we can stick it out if we do go, and perhaps even persuade some family to move over there as well.
The Bluebristolian thing refers to Bristol Blue glass which I'm very fond of, although I suppose it might subconciously also refer to the pissed off type of blue :-)
House prices are still supposed to be zooming up in the UK although I get the feeling they may have slowed down a bit in the Bristol area. I guess you are hoping for a property price crash! I read in the newspaper the other day that they think Bristol could be the new London OH NO. I do wonder what Bristol will be like in 20 years time.

Cheers

Re: retirement
 

Hi, can't comment about schools in Melbourne - but as far as the state/private schools in Brisbane are concerned, I think it's a case of go have a look... make your own mind up after touring school, speaking to the principal etc. and if possible talking to the senior kids there. Also, a big advantage is that a lot of private schools have higher OP ratings than the state sector (university entrance), so that's worth considering if your children are of high school age. Schools can be very expensive - I think it's the same with everything, you get what you pay for, but bear in mind the teachers in private schools (and I believe this still applies to a lot of them in the UK too) don't have to have a degree in teaching to teach.. mind you, I always maintained that having a degree doesn't make you a good teacher...

And no, I'm not related to PB, although I do agree with a lot of what he says (but not all of it).

Re: retirement
 

The thing that amazes me you that you think Australia is any better , they are importing no hopers in big numbers in an effort to become more muti-cultural , same crap that UK tried, the Abbos here could take everything you own beat the crap out of you and get away with it.
The things that seem to upset there are here as well only people do not spread out here 95% live in the cities so problems affect all , as for the pension there is a good chance you will get sod all in Australia and forget the super here mine went down 20% last year.
This country gives away nothing the old and the poor , also those in the middle get screwed.


A RECENT report told of an increase in crimes, including theft and home burglary. I wonder whether anyone has looked at the possible correlation between these crime statistics and the draconian punishments applied by Centrelink to the unemployed which can leave them with no income for up to six months.

If you are left with no means of support, have been evicted for non-payment of rent, have no money and no food, what do you do?

Not everyone has a family to support them. Friends may not be in a position to help, welfare agencies can provide only limited assistance and, in our affluent society, why should people be reduced to begging for help? If we cannot offer them a decent job which pays a living wage, surely we should at least provide them with the means of subsistence.

No one can deny that unemployed people must be required to take steps to find work, but the punishment meted out to some of them who fail is out of all proportion to their "crime". Once they are made homeless and destitute, their chances of finding work are reduced and their chances of inadvertently further breaching the rules and incurring worse penalties are increased. This must make their situation so much more desperate.

Amanda Vanstone does not appear to have given any thought to this when introducing and implementing her get-tough policies.
K. M. PLATTS, Hamilton Hill.



IT is time for Australia to rid itself of the cult of early retirement, John Howard has said.

Speaking to the annual Financial Planners Association conference in Sydney, the prime minister said Australia's ageing population was a significant issue facing the nation.

"We are an ageing population, we have to face that.

"We have to realise that that has implications for funding health, funding things like a pharmaceutical benefits scheme, but it also has implications for retirement incomes policy," he told delegates.

"We have to recognise that the cult of early retirement, that we encouraged so enthusiastically as a community a generation ago, should be changed.



:D :D

STAY AWAY!

BY LINDA STEELYARD

10:30 - 18 November 2002



Hospitals may today cancel operations as they struggle with a beds crisis.

Bosses are pleading with patients with minor ailments to stay away after being inundated with emergency admissions.

They warned that some scheduled operations may have to be postponed, depending on the availability of beds.

Patients at Leicester Royal Infirmary's accident and emergency department faced waits of up to 12 hours at the weekend, and staff turned away dozens of people with minor ailments.

The problems have been caused by an increase in emergency admissions to about 115 a day - compared to the normal average of 75.

That has come on top of the havoc caused by a stomach bug which has led to wards being closed to new admissions in an effort to stop it spreading.

The Infirmary, General and Glenfield hospitals are on "amber-plus alert" - one step from red where blocks of scheduled operations would be cancelled. It is the eighth time the hospitals have been on alert in the past six weeks.

Hospitals spokeswoman Anne MacGregor said people coming in with minor ailments were adding to the problems.

"We are seeing a lot of people who needn't be in the department at all, people with minor grazes for instance," she said.

Eric Charlesworth, chairman of patients' watchdog the Leicestershire Community Health Council, said: "I'm satisfied the hospitals are doing everything possible. The public need to appreciate problems aren't always due to a hospital failure. If you only have so many beds and you need those beds for the volume of people coming through, then there are occasions, sad as it may be, that operations have to be cancelled."

Visitor Andrea Harrison, of Hinckley Road, Leicester, said: "It is worrying, but it doesn't sound like a major problem, provided people are sensible."

The Leicester Mercury is this week launching a Bedwatch campaign with the hospitals to publish regular up-to-date information about the availability of beds.

Leaflets were being distributed in today's paper, advising on non-emergency alternatives to going to the accident and emergency department.

Visitor Andrea Harrison, of Hinckley Road, Leicester, said: "It is worrying, but it doesn't sound like a major problem, provided people are sensible."


This sums it up at lest these people will not have to worry about paying for treatment , wards also close down here nothing new in your post.


The number of nurses in Australia has fallen again and their workload has increased, according to the latest report by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).

Nursing Labour Force 1999 shows the number of nurses employed in Australia in 1999 was 221,988, compared with 222,211 in 1997 and 225,110 in 1994

The head of the AIHW's Labour Force and Rural Health Unit, Glenice Taylor, said information from the Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business showed there were Australia-wide shortages in most RN occupations.

Ms Taylor also noted that nurses' workloads had risen over recent years.

Hospitals, particularly public hospitals, are seldom far from the media spotlight and the attention of the community. Issues around funding, waiting lists, bed closures, Commonwealth-State relations, private health insurance and rationing of services all work to highlight the increasing difficulties faced by hospitals in providing services to patients. Key drivers of increasing costs in this area include technology, the ageing of the population and increasing demand for and use of services. Less discussed, but possibly important additional contributing factors include the impact of wage and salary increases (hospitals are very large employers) and the ability of hospitals to adapt their structures (physical and staffing), procedures and methods of care to the possibilities and demands of modern medicine.






Assault rifles, modified handguns, cannabis and amphetamines have been seized in a police raid on the NSW mid-north coast.

The cache of weapons and drugs were found yesterday after detectives from Coffs Harbour and Clarence Local Area Command searched premises in Toormina, Grafton and nearby Kungala.

Police found a loaded shotgun, two rifles, two handguns, five SKK assault rifles, a semi-automatic shortened rifle and silencer, batons, knives, a set of handcuffs and a large amount of ammunition, a spokesman said.

A man was shot several times before driving a car into a river to escape his attackers in Sydney's south-west overnight.

Police said a 20-year-old man from Green Valley and a female passenger were in their car in Charlton Avenue, Chipping Norton, about 11.30pm (AEDT) yesterday when they were approached by a number of people armed with a gun.

Shots were fired, with the man hit in the neck and back.

Eat this Mr Manchester?

Emergency wards were shut down to all patients, except those with immediate life-threatening illnesses, for 24 hours at five major teaching hospitals last Monday in Sydney, Australia's largest city. The closures, which were denounced by doctors and other health professionals, are another clear indication that the public health system, after years of budget cuts, hospital shutdowns, bed and ward closures and jobs losses, is on the point of collapse.

Here's a quiz, which they say is "the world's easiest," requiring only 4 correct answers to pass:

1) How long did the Hundred Years War last?
2) Which country makes Panama hats?
3) From which animal do we get catgut?
4) In which month do Russians celebrate the October
Revolution?
5) What is a camel's hair brush made of?
6) The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what
animal?
7) What was King George VI's first name?
8) What color is a purple finch?
9) Where are Chinese gooseberries from?

All done? Check your answers below!

1) How long did the Hundred Years War last? *116 years
2) Which country makes Panama hats? *Ecuador
3) From which animal do we get cat gut? *Sheep and Horses
4) In which month do Russians celebrate the October
Revolution? *November
5) What is a camel's hair brush made of? *Squirrel fur
6) The Canary Islands in the Pacific are named after what
animal? *Dogs
7) What was King George VI's first name? *Albert
8) What color is a purple finch? *Crimson
9) Where are Chinese gooseberries from? *New Zealand

What do you mean you failed? Pass this on to some other
"brilliant" friends.


More "news" coming at you soon....