Pensioner Bob Harrison reflects on the cost of living. 73532 Picture: DAMJAN JANEVSKI
By XAVIER SMERDON
HOPPERS Crossing pensioner Bob Harrison knows all too well the struggles of living on a fixed income while battling the rising costs of living.
A new report commissioned by the National Seniors Productive Ageing Centre found that older Australians are being hit hardest by rising food, amenity and health care costs.
The report, released last week, found that the average 70-year-old was spending 70 per cent of their income on electricity alone.
Mr Harrison said he was lucky that his daughter helps him by paying his bills for him, otherwise he would struggle to survive.
“My money’s already gone today and I only got paid today,” Mr Harrison said.
“By the time you work out what you’ve got to spend it on to live for the week, there’s bugger all left.”
National Seniors chief executive Michael O’Neill said age pensioners and low-income self-funded retirees in particular are trapped by circumstances.
“When it comes to the cost of living it’s a catch-22 for older Australians, they just can’t get a break,” Mr O’Neill said.
“The income of a single 70-something is barely a third of the over-50s average. This means they can only afford to spend on essentials such as food, energy and health which, year after year, are outpacing inflation”.
After rent is taken out of Mr Harrison’s pension, he is left with only $150 a week to live on.
“It’s very hard, it’s just going to get worse,” he said.
“I’ve got to work out what I’m going to eat for every meal before I go shopping.”
Mr O’Neill said that more needed to be done by the government.
“Policy-makers need to know that, despite claims that Australians are wealthier than they’ve ever been, some people are quietly doing it tough,” he said.
“Most importantly, as a nation we should be asking how it is that electricity and water prices can increase by 60 per cent in five years.”
