Think that you couldn't live on a singles-rate pension? Then get a job as an Aussie pollie

Here is a list of those Aussie pollies who have admitted that Old Age and Disability Support pensions, for single people living alone and without assets, are vastly inadequate - but either do not intend to do anything to help for at least another 6 months at the earliest or only see the issue as an opportunity to front the cameras and play wedge politics.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
Deputy-Prime Minister Julia Gillard
Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan

Minister for Finance Lindsay Tanner

Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon
Minister for Community Services Jenny Macklin
Federal Leader of the Opposition Brendan Nelson
Deputy-Leader of the Opposition Julie Bishop

Oppostion Spokesperson for Indigenous Affairs Tony Abbott
Tasmanian Labor MP Dick Adams

Queensland Labor MP Brett Raguse

South Australian Labor MP Steve Georganas

Queensland Liberal MP Margaret May

Family First Senator Steve Fielding

Independent Senator Nick Xenophon

Uncle Tom Cobbley and all.............

Only the Greens in the Australian Senate, headed by Senator Bob Brown, are believable when they once again point to the need for immediate relief for the most hard-pressed of pensioners.

There are lone pensioners sitting in their rented homes on the NSW Northern Rivers right now who have no more money for food, medicines or essentials until the middle of next week - 7 days away, 7 days of want and making do with what's in the scant kitchen cupboard, 7 days of not getting help from their GP because most local doctors don't regularly bulk-bill, 7 days of hiding this 'shameful' poverty from the rest of the community.

Fair go, Kev! You wouldn't treat a dingo like this, so why are you pretending that the aged and disabled should be quietly grateful and manage until next year's budget.

Given age or chronic illness, many of them will have died by then.

In August The Age told us:

"Community Services Minister Jenny Macklin said 13 per cent of pensioners had no private income to draw on and the "vast majority" had less than $20 a week in addition to their pensions.

"So the vast majority of older Australians are on the pension and a very, very significant number of these people have very small additional amounts of private income as well as the pension," Ms Macklin says.

"Most pensioners also have very low levels of assets, in fact 30 per cent report having bank balances of less than $1,000."

The report also found that the average length of time for a person to be receiving the age pension was 13 years."

It just had to happen! Barking for the ballot in 2008

Dan from Dog Reflections tells us that a Washington woman registered her dog as a voter ahead of the forthcoming US presidential election, as a protest against lax voter registration rules.

Australian Shepherd-terrier mix had a utility bill in “his name” - “Duncan M. MacDonald” as the identification needed to register......
When Duncan did receive his absentee ballots Balogh returned them with his paw print on the signature line, and the word “void” written through the ballot.

Meanwhile canine supporters of Obama in all their finery are coming out of the woodwork at Dog Reflections and Obama Dog.

Photo from Dog Reflections.

So you think you can run a council.....(6)

Well, what can one say about Clarence Valley local government election candidate and caravan park manager, Karen Toms?
The only thing which comes to mind is the fact that (according to certain Iluka residents) this woman would happily wreck fragile foreshore and beaches with constant 4-wheel drive traffic if allowed, just to further the supposed desire of caravan park guests to have picnic lunches by the sea.
Ms. Toms obviously has a hard time thinking through all the environmental ramifications of her own wants.

Not a characteristic which would sit well on Clarence Valley Council.

At the Yamba Meet the Candidates event Ms. Toms offered no discernable platform or ideas for consideration.

Definitely a 1 out of 10 on my ballot meter.

Oi Garrett! Time to give it a rest sport

There is a joke doing the rounds that every appearance by former Midnight Oils rock star, Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett, is a sell-out.

I'm not sure whether Garrett sells the environment down the river each time as the joke suggests, but by gawd, when it comes to Gunns proposed pulp mill he comes pretty close.
It must be doing his back in to so regularly bend his considerable height over to take it in the rear from this company.
This is Garrett's latest:

Peter Garrett 'grants further favours' over pulp mill