[Lorraine Ann Cobcroft]

Very relieved. Harris was a puppet for the global masters who are doing so much harm. Americans have voted for a return to common sense and practicality – and for a leader who is NOT a career politician, but understands the real world.
It speaks volumes that he won the support of people earning under $100K, married men, unmarried men, married women, Negroes, Muslims, Mexicans (legal immigrants)… while Harris was supported by celebrities (who don’t live in the real world) and the media (who have no idea!)
Trump is a bit of a wild card in many ways, but he is supported by a very smart team and he promises an end to globalization, wokeism, and radical left-wing policies that have done so much harm. Queenslanders have also turned their backs on the radical left wing and voted for a return to law and order, sensible economic management, and sensible and affordable energy policies… Let’s hope we see a similar result in the next Federal election.

[Lorraine Ann Cobcroft]

No. We have far more important priorities to deal with – like finding a way to abolish the toxic two-party system and get rid of self-serving career politicians and implement a government run by responsible, honest people with real-world experience and a focus on what is best for our society. Simply abolishing the connection to the monarchy will do nothing to resolve the very serious problems this country faces.

[Lorraine Ann Cobcroft]

Ridiculous! The investors in Mercer suffer the penalty. It might hurt Mercer’s reputation, but ultimately it’s the innocent investors paying the price.

[Lorraine Ann Cobcroft]

I am not planning on leaving my kids anything. They may well end up inheriting up to 2 million, depending on property values when I die and how much of my savings is left, but they will get whatever is left after my husband and I spend whatever we desire to spend living well and enjoying the proceeds of a lot of hard work and going without to save.
Children do not have any entitlement to their parents’ money, and there is no ‘kids’ inheritance’ while parents are still living. Inheritance is what is bequeathed in the will of a deceased person. The lazy, greedy turds who call parents ”selfish” for ”spending the kids’ inheritance” need to be educated that no living parent is spending anything other than their own savings and legally received income. There is no ”kids’ inheritance” for anyone to spend. It doesn’t exist until the parents are dead. And anyone who complains about an elder spending their money should be immediately cut from any and all wills and denied gifts or windfalls of any kind. I’m glad I taught my kids to work hard and not assume the right to anything they don’t earn for themselves. They are happy to see my husband and I enjoying life and would prefer that we spend whatever we need to in order to make the most of the years we have left.

[Lorraine Ann Cobcroft]

What a great idea. Let’s address the productivity problem in Australia. But no doubt the government here will continue on a stupid path of cutting hours and legislating more holidays and inadequate pay rises for less and less work while taxes skyrocket. Time workers woke up to reality. We need to work longer, harder, and with more pride in workmanship. The work ethic has been lost in this country. While the quality of life has degraded with the weakening of family and community values, materialism and greed has driven changes in attitude that have caused economic malaise. And it seems neither the population nor the government has any sensible answers. While increasing work hours, though, we should simultaneously decrease them for mothers, reduce childcare hours, and actively endorse a return to family and community values.

[Lorraine Ann Cobcroft]

It’s often not just a case of compromising lifestyle. In many cases, it’s a case of taking unacceptable risks of forfeiting security and the ability to fund essential health treatment and care later in life. Many are moderately comfortable now, but understand the risks that economic changes or unexpected expenses – perhaps for health care – might change their circumstances radically. I suspect aged pension rules and the terms of aged care subsidies are part of the issue. Changed circumstances might create a need for the aged pension or subsidized aged care, and gifting rules mean helping their children now could disqualify them or drastically reduce entitlements. For those already getting even a part pension, gifting to kids could prove very costly indeed – involving not just the cost of the gift itself, but loss of income for years after giving. Guaranteeing a loan for a child might result in a big loss if that child proves to be financially irresponsible, or encounters a crisis.
I also question whether the folk who say they won’t compromise their lifestyle to help kids might be the same folk that have kids who are not really doing it tough, or who are ungrateful. There is wide disparity in society, and I suspect it’s more than likely that the more affluent retirees generally have kids who are also among the more affluent, or, in some cases, who should be affluent but are not financially responsible. And then there is the risk of separation or divorce meaning a son or daughter is left struggling while their errant partner runs off with at least half the benefit of the gift, and potentially a lot more!
I know one couple who sold their home to help kids who promised them a comfortable granny flat behind the acreage home Mum and Dad helped them buy. The couple ended up in a horrid little shed, very uncomfortable and completely neglected – not even allowed to enter the home they helped their son and daughter-in-law buy.
I would urge older folk to be very wary of sacrificing their security and comfort in old age to help their kids. There might be a lot more sacrifice involved than you initially calculate.

[Lorraine Ann Cobcroft]

Disgusting! What has this once wonderful country become, when anyone can even hint that older citizens should leave it to resolve a crisis that should never have been allowed to arise? A far better solution would be to STOP IMMIGRATION. Neither our housing nor our infrastructure capacity is adequate to cater to the vast numbers being allowed into the country by an irresponsible government I think is importing voters in the hope of retaining power that they do not deserve. Nor do we have the natural resources to support a huge population. Water, for example, is in limited supply in many places during the dry seasons that occur regularly.

Many have chosen to retire overseas, for a variety of reasons but often because they find it more affordable, which again is a condemnation of a nation that was, not so long ago, among the most prosperous in the world. Nobody should feel pressured or even encouraged to make that choice. Our government has failed us dismally. And this article is nothing more than confirmation of that hideous failure.

[Lorraine Ann Cobcroft]

I don’t much care what the UK does, but Australia should. We have a shortage of manpower in our Defense forces and endeavors to attract people to enlist are failing.
Many years ago, youth who committed crimes were given the choice of jail or join the military. Military service saved a great many young people. They learned discipline and self-respect, and some learned a trade as well. There are many out there who say being compelled to make that choice, and choosing military service, was the best thing that ever happened to them. Why are we not giving troubled kids that option now?

[Lorraine Ann Cobcroft]

Not surprised older people are happier. They grew up in an age where expectations were far less and kids made their own fun. They learned to enjoy the simple things in life – to appreciate nature, family, friends, memories, a secure job, small comforts. Younger folk seem to need all the material comforts, expensive holidays, expensive celebrations, larger and grander homes, high salaries, career satisfaction…
I just think older folk are generally happier because it takes far less to make them happy.
But ultimately, happiness is a choice. You can choose to sing and smile your way through life, and appreciate the little joys in every day, or you can choose to focus on the negatives and be miserable. If you think the external environment, possessions, or the behaviour of certain people is your key to happiness, you will be deeply disappointed.
My father-in-law was the happiest man I’ve ever met, and he had a shocking life – his health destroyed in a war prison before he turned 20; lived in abject poverty his whole life, lost four of his children, suffered horrific injustice… Yet he always had a big smile, and he used to tell me he was happy that the sun came up on a new day and a new opportunity to do something kind and good for someone.

[Author]

Posts