What would you tell your MP to do? 🙋

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    • #1572
      Gemma White
      Keymaster

      Older people’s housing in this Country is a total mess. Owing your own home in retirement is an impossible dream for many Seniors nowadays. The Aged Pension simply is not enough to afford to live in private rental, let alone Newstart. There are more and more Senior people who are living in housing stress and on the verge of homelessness. The system is broken and we are not confident that either major Party has a plan to fix it.

      There are more and more older people speaking out and demanding action from their Representatives in Parliament. If you had one minute to tell them what must be done, what would you tell them?

    • #1583
      Marie Sillars
      Participant

      It certainly is time to make some noise as we move forwards to the Federal Election this year. Seniors have worked, raised their families and been an integral part of their Communities and it is time make sure that they can live their later years in safe & appropriate housing.

      The fact that you have to be over 80 in NSW to get Priority Housing is a total disgrace and there are far too many Seniors who couch surf & house sit to have a place to live. The Aged Pension just covers living in Community Housing for me but private rental would make life impossible. We have “paid our dues” and it is time that the Representatives that we Vote for actually stand up and fight for our rights!

    • #1601
      phyllwilliams
      Participant

      The risk of homelesness is a daily threat for many Australian females of a senior age. Only by agitating at MPs of every party can we hope to raise their consciousness to the heart wrenching problem before it is too late.  Use your voice in the upcoming election time to let them know how desperate it is for too many older persons. If they want and need our vote they have to work for it…. and for us.

    • #1604
      Wendy
      Participant

      I am about to meet with the Labor candidate for my Federal Electorate of Hasluck (held by Ken Wyatt). I will remind her of the statistics say I have read their Housing Futures policy. I will say I expect building to start immediately they are in government!

      • #1606
        Reuben
        Keymaster

        Great to hear you’re out lobbying your local politicians @Wendy. Let us know how it goes! Was this ‘toolkit‘ useful? Do you think Ken Wyatt would be interested to meet as well? He used to be the Minister for Senior Australians. Hope you ‘have luck’ 😉

    • #1607
      Marie Sillars
      Participant

      We in Bennelong (Sydney) do not appear to have a Lib or Labor Candidate to talk to yet. Our Fed MP John Alexander is retiring, so I wait!

    • #1613
      Marie Sillars
      Participant

      Ok so here we are in February and we in Bennelong still do NOT have either a Liberal or Labor Candidate (or Greens) I find this totally annoying, Bennelong is notoriously Liberal so maybe the Libs feel that whoever they run will win and I do remember years ago when Maxine McKew (Lab) took on John Howard and won the Seat! I am watching this with interest, maybe its “you show me yours and Ill show you mine” buts its quite disrespectful to the people of Bennelong

      • #1691
        Reuben
        Keymaster

        And they still haven’t even called an election!

    • #1692
      Wendy
      Participant

      I reckon they would be reeling from the SA election results ….. so playing for more time to brainwash the public!

      • #1693
        Reuben
        Keymaster

        Yes we can only hope for a similar landslide across the country… But perhaps they will announce big budget spending just before they announce the election. Perhaps any announcements on housing will have to be outdone by Labor and the Greens… We may even have a competition of who can make the best promises on housing 🤞

    • #1712
      Marie Sillars
      Participant

      Still no Candidates in Bennelong! SA was a great win but we cannot take anything for granted in the Federal Election, the LIBS are out there with as much poison as usual and plenty of cash to throw around, hopefully people will remember and choose wisely but I also hope that if Labor take power they will follow through, Im relying on a good push from the Greens

       

    • #1725
      Marie Sillars
      Participant

      Its all happening in Bennelong! At last we have a Candidate and its my good friend Jerome Laxale, must say Im very happy as Jerome was the first one to step up to fight for the people at Ivanhoe when we were being “sold off” and stood beside us all the way. He is a Ryde Clr and past Mayor of Ryde, he is a local and has done some amazing things in my area. Jerome is well aware of the problems with housing and I have already reminded him of the plight of Seniors in housing distress.

      I will be busy helping Labor and will help with the Campaign as I belong in Jerome’s Branch of Labor, there is a lot to do and as Great & I (NASH Facebook) say…..It’s Time!

    • #1731
      Marie Sillars
      Participant

      I have emailed Anthony Albanese this morning about Senior Housing and I received a Generic answer that I may or may not hear back:

      I was referred to Labor Party Landmark Statements and I will quote a small part

      “We need more affordable social housing. Not least for older women, who are more at risk of homelessness – many for the first time in their lives. Right now, the fastest growing group of homeless Australians are women aged 65 to 74”.

      I will hold them to this, this Statement was made in 2019 and I am hoping that this will still be held if they get elected.

    • #1745
      Marie Sillars
      Participant

      Things are heating up in the Electorate of Bennelong even before the Election is announced, the Liberal Candidate is Simon Kennedy and very few people in this area have heard of him but I am going to try to contact him. The Labor Candidate Jerome Laxale has been everywhere and I have filmed an Endorsement Video for him (as a local who knows how hard this man works). I am pushing the subject of Senior Housing with all Parties.

      All the floods in NSW has brought to the surface how serious the housing situation is right now for all ages but I am seeing Senior Housing being mentioned a lot, so I have some hope at least.

      Whatever happens, things have to change!

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