F18 wroteI don't see a problem with a government freezing a pension at a certain amount, or even excluding recipients from living in another country.
Many/most of those drawing an aged pension didn't provide for themselves via a personal superannuation, and paying tax IS NOT contributing to a superannuation plan. Taxes are for running the country.
Consider a person working a job the income from which has him paying almost no tax, and possibly not having private health insurance. When he retires, he gets back ALL the tax he paid in a working life in the first couple of years, and it's left to future generations of taxpayers to support him in what may be a long retirement. That cannot go on forever.
Additionally, if living overseas, he contributes nothing via GST to the economy of his donor state.
Those of us who paid exorbitant amounts of tax for many years find that concept offensive. I have not, nor will I ever, get a cent from the government because I provided for my retirement, paid for private health insurance all my life, and I do not expect that the taxpayer will ever give me a cent.
I like the British system where every person, regardless of wealth, is eligible for the aged pension, and they contribute a small percentage of their income throughout their working lives to fund it. I know a former musician who lives in a 4 MILLION pound house and gets the pension.
I think you are talking about the Australian age pension which only pay the senior a "means tested' compensation.
The British system pays according to their contributions, except for those living in countries not in EU or some which have something called a 'reciprocal' agreement. Yet no-one seems to be able to define what is reciprocated.
With regard to a person living overseas, and not contributing to GST, that same person will not be accessing what those taxes pay for either. That is why GST/VAT systems were introduced as a consumer tax...its like a toll-road....the concept is users should pay for the facility.
