The Universal Aged pension was introduced in 1943 during WW2 with a personal income tax add-on like today's 2% Medicare Levy (a tax..eh?) Before that we had a Pommy Stamp regime like the then unemployment entitlements. I guess the Government during the War didn't want to pay Soldiers Pension Stamps?
The social contract then was that everyone would be entitled to the aged pension among other things once they reached pension age.
That system still exists in the UK. An acquaintance with wealth in excess of $50 mil is entitled to the Pommy Pnsion!
During the Vietnnam War in the late 1060s this Aged Pension Tax surcharge was incorporated by a then Liberal Government into general Revenue.
In 1989 Paul Keating during the "Recession we had to have" introduced a means test for the Aged pension saying "why should Kerry Packer & Rupert Murdock get the aged pension"? So if you don't qualify for the Aged Pension now , consider yourself a Kerry Packer or a Rupert Murdoch (Is he still kicking ?)
In high Neo-Liberal style (+ the Italian Suit) Paul introduces compulsory Suoer (Pay your own Aged Pension yer Mongrals)
So as someone said: "unless we understand history, it is apt to repeat itself" And as such, is this the fate of our Medicare?
