What are the needs of older Australians - the post-60 year olds?

I'm looking to find out what older Australians see as "their need" as we approach another federal election, I don't want to discuss the 'pros' and 'com's of any particular polotical party or candidate. I would like to hear from pensioers, self-funded retirees, those who still require to work past 'normal expected retirement age'! I would like some 'security', change without over-whelming rapid change, better recognition that older Australians, particularly those still leading active lives in the community can be 'high maintenance' Australians' in terms of medical, pharmaceutical and dental care. Please respond with your ideas - you do not need to be over 60 years of age to respond - younger people, particularly those with parents or grand parents in the 60+ age range may feel that they want to contribute their ideas and experiences! Thank you!

Public Comments

1. I would like to see more help for the self-funded retiree. We have worked all our lives and saved enough money to look after ourselves in retirement, but we do not get any help with our rates, telephone, electricity etc as we are self-funded. If we hadn't saved our money over the years, we would be on a government pension and have all the benefits that go with it.
2. I speak to older people all day as part of my job and one thing that comes up often is affordable housing. For those who do not own their own house, average rents eat up most of the pension and most of the rentals available in retirement / senior living communities take 85% of the pension + 100% rent assistance and provide 3 (generally very poor) meals a day - the remaining 15% is just not enough to cover a phone bill, toiletries, clothing and footwear, doctors bills (bulk billing gps are hard to find) and medication, transport (no chance of running a car), not to mention lifestyle expenses.
3. I'm just on 60, and having lost over Five Million $, after my husband died, I'm on a widdows Allowance. So that means I have to rely on the Goverment Medical and Dental Scheme. I live in Queensland, after living in Melbourne for five years. It's the appalling Public Health and Dental service in Queensland that really needs fixing. In Melbourne when you need Dental treatment they actually 'save' your tooth and then you wait for six months, and see Uni Students who are training, overseeen by Professors. I don't have a problem with that. Up here, (QLd) their attitude is just; no root treatment, we will pull it out, if you don't like it just go home and live with your pain. They refuse to do root treatments. I'm an ex Dancer, and worked in the Cosmetic Industry and others, and I take care of what I look like. I don't want false teeth! And the wait for false teeth is two years. I hurt my rib two months ago, (I was trying out some dancing movements!) forgot my age! They took an X-Ray of my ribs, and found a 5CM lump in my lung. Instead of admitting me and getting all the tests done at the same time, I've gone through three months of tests, and still have two more to go. While at the hospital, I talked to other patients, who are experiencing the same thing. Peter Beatty has got to shape up or ship out. Nuclear Plants. We don't want to see these in this country. We know what awful effects they can have. Our children and grandchildren are the ones that will suffer. Stricter building laws, as in better quality, and stop building high-rise apartments next to the beautiful beaches. More help for the farmers. More and better controlled Aged Care Homes. More control on forrestry or Australia will just become one big desert. It's up to us and the Politicians to see that the next generation, has a decent quality of life, and they are not looking at that. And whenever I write a long answer spell check goes whoopie. the arrowrs just keep going around and around. I wish Yahoo would look at that too. And I'm not a grumpy old 60 years old, I'm active, slim and love young people.
4. a young aussie lady bicyle champ. I just retired and could use 1