SW, in my experience you're on a hiding to nothing trying to...

SW, in my experience you're on a hiding to nothing trying to have an intelligent argument with full facts on this thread.

There is plenty of offhanded and reactive comments, as well as plenty of 'other people experiences'...I knew this guy that ...blah, blah, blah.

Bottom line regarding the above is that if you wanna drink and smoke and spend your cash and line up for a handout in retirement then that's the way the system works and good luck to you for a less than reasonable life.

If you work hard and/or are lucky, are successful and have too much for a govt pension then you don't fall in the 'safety net' that the Age Pension is intended to be (not something for everyone as is in europe, where you get a lot less I assume when you are working eg health care, roads etc). You have probably paid a reasonable amount of tax too.

If you do well, accumulate some, spend and enjoy some and still get some govt pension and concessions then that seems to be a pretty happy place as far as I have seen. Essentially, everyone is different and wants different things. Me, I'd rather live here and "get what I get and don't get upset" as the saying goes, rather than live in euro and get a guaranteed pension that the country probably can't afford, after a lifetime less enjoyable than here (I assume of course).
Cheers all