Living life on your uppers in the Northern Rivers

I've just received the October newsletter from my community housing company which contains mind boggling information.
It informs me that my entire rent assistance will be taken by North Coast Community Housing Company Ltd and that this will go towards a rent increase.

In this newsletter a member of the Tenant Council also tells me that "While $50 a fortnight is a lot to lose out of our income, Housing NSW and the Community Housing Companies have agreed that no more than $10 per week increase will be taken out in the 1st year. That means that $10 per week will come out in the 1st year, $20 per week in the 2nd year, $30 per week in the third year. Most, if not all of this will be covered by CPI increases."

Where on earth did this nonsense come from?
"Most, if not all of this will be covered by CPI increases" - who on earth lives in a world where the Commonwealth Government gives pension CPI rises which amount to $60 a fortnight?
And what about all the other cost increases, like groceries and transport, that are also supposedly covered by the real minuscule pension increases? Also, why on earth assume that every tenant gets $50 in rent assistance because many don't, and why does the letter which came in the same envelope say that money from my "own pocket" might also be needed to meet the rent increase? What pocket would that be I wonder and where can I find it?

This is a blatant rip-off!!

Disgruntled Pensioner
Grafton NSW

* GuestSpeak is a feature of North Coast Voices allowing Northern Rivers residents to make satirical or serious comment on issues that concern them. Posts of 250-300 words or less can be submitted to ncvguestspeak@live.com.au for consideration.