WA Government: Pensioners have to suffer

[NGE]

Pensioners on Full State Pension here in Western Australia are having trouble having Showers, as the Hot Water is Powered by Electricity and the State Government put the Price of Electricity up 25% in 2009, this year it is going up by 15%. In State Government Housing they are NOT! going to put in Solor Hot Water systems as they are to Expensive. So us Pensioners have to suffer by not having HOT WATER!!

NGE Member: Defer

[olivers4dingley]

I am sorry, but you do have hot water, you just don't want to pay for it. That is not a gripe, that is just a winge! I understand that as a pensioner you are on a limited income but that said, you get discounts on water and electricity bills. Why not pool your showers with others at one house (as in all shower there to save money and pay the owner a percentage of the bill)?

[Had'em]

I have great difficulty believing NGE Defer

Could you please explain what "Full State Pension" you are on? Do you mean Commonwealth (not State) Age Pension or suchlike?

The only "State Pension" (it's not called that) in WA is the long ago closed ex public servants Superannuation Pension (pension because it's paid fortnightly)- most recipients are Self Funded Retirees (SFR) many of whom are doing it tough and do not receive many of the concessions given to Commonwealth Age (etc) Pension Card holders.

The only reason electricity prices shot up in WA is because the previous Labor government recklessly held them artificially low for too many years and the supplier was in dire financial straights that could not be sustained.

People enjoying highly taxpayer subsidised Homeswest "State Housing" are on easy street compared to SFRs who have to pay all their own home Council Rates and all maintenance costs. If our hotwater sytem packs up we have to foot the bill - Homeswest occupiers just phone Homeswest and get a new system installed for free - so stop whinging.

[kadee]

NGE defer...