Increase in pensions would benefit economy

Dear Ms Gillard and Federal MPs. A review tribunal, selected by us pensioners and paid for by us, but completely independent has determined that pensioners in Australia should receive a 30 per cent increase.We realise that we need to surrender some of our current privileges, but as we do not have Gold Passes and 60 per cent taxpayer funded superannuation we are willing to forgo the following pensioner benefits:Eating dog and cat food to reduce our household food bills.Ordering children's meals instead of adult meals; again to reduce food bills. Hanging around inside heated shopping centres during the cold months to save on gas and electricity.Going to bed at 7pm in the winter, again to save gas and electricity.Holidaying with our children who live five kilometres away instead of going overseas.Buying yesteryear's clothing from op shops instead of upmarket clothing stores.We believe that an increase of 30 per cent in pensions will greatly benefit the Australian economy.With pensioners staying home and using more gas and electricity there will be increased carbon tax and GST revenue, and increased profits for overseas-owned gas and electricity producers.Pensioners will be able to afford to buy healthy foods which will flow on as increased revenue for supermarkets and overseas food producers and increased GST, and reduced hospital and medical treatments.With fewer pensioners milling around inside shopping centres there will be more room for actual shoppers so there will be a flow-on of revenue to retailers and a subsequent increase in GST.Pensioners will be able to holiday overseas (possibly seeing some MPs there) with a flow-on of carbon taxes (from the airlines) and GST revenue.Our independent tribunal believes that flow-on of revenue from carbon taxes and GST will outweigh the cost of the 30 per cent increase in pensions.John BlanchardWendouree