Estimates are that by 2050 there will be one retired person for every person of working age in Japan.
That is, unless they disappear altogether in earthquakes and tsunamis.

Most western economies and even China are contemplating the same trend, if not so extreme.

And yet there exist no end of people everywhere who close their eyes and say there will be no fiscal problems for governments, including our own.

Three weeks before everybody's 50th birthday, the government should send them a cyanide capsule.

From the day of their 50th birthday they lose every single government benefit - from tax relief to Medicare.

Completely self support or take the capsule.

Problem fixed.

I was waiting for that. How old are you?

bogarde73 wrote on Jul 26^th, 2014 at 10:34am:

I was waiting for that. How old are you?

I know, lets reduce the tax paid by those working, that'll fix the problem.

How?

bogarde73 wrote on Jul 26^th, 2014 at 10:38am:

How?

how woud i know ... all I know is that the same neo cons on here complaining about budget emergencies also whinge about paying to much taxes and they shouldn't have to .... take Andrei for example

I was hoping you could explain it to me!

It's your suggestion. I should think it's incumbent on you to explain it.
As I see it, if you reduce tax collections, govts have less resources to distribute, not more which appears to be what is required.

Life_goes_on wrote on Jul 26^th, 2014 at 10:33am:

Three weeks before everybody's 50th birthday, the government should send them a cyanide capsule. From the day of their 50th birthday they lose every single government benefit - from tax relief to Medicare. Completely self support or take the capsule. Problem fixed.

That would be Dr Nitchy's secret Wet Dream come true.  ;D

There are far worse problems you can have. The only reason we will be burdened with an aging population is because we can afford it.

bogarde73 wrote on Jul 26^th, 2014 at 10:44am:

It's your suggestion. I should think it's incumbent on you to explain it. As I see it, if you reduce tax collections, govts have less resources to distribute, not more which appears to be what is required.

Actually, I was being sarcastic ... I've already explained to you why I said it

I in fact believe that reducing taxes is the wrong way to go .. thats why I disagreed with Howards tax cuts and I disagree with scraping the carbon tax and the mining tax. If anything the mining tax should be expanded to include all minerals. Our problem, despite the rhetoric of the last few years, is not with govt. spending ... spending has actually decreased. It's revenue that is the problem. I think going after pensioners and unemployed is the absolute wrong way to do it. All that does is reduce the amount of money circulating through the local community. It's like they are plugging a small hole in a dam wall by using materials from the top of the dam wall,  while the other end of the dam wall has already collapsed.

that doesn't mean we waste money ... money is certainly being spent in the wrong areas , luxury items such as the PPL, should be put aside until the budget has been repaired. The real fix lies on the big end of town... scrap tax avoidance through super, stop subsidising ALL private enterprises, tax churches, close loop holes that allow mulinationals to not pay tax. Govt's (of both persuasions) won't do this because politicians rely on these industries for firstly donations to get into office and then for employment after politics.

And dont forget, 2050 is in 36 years time.  So alot of young people would be old by then, including many of you.  We can debate about pensions and medicares then.   :)