Some advice on early planning for retrirement
Just a heads up to anyone approaching retirement, to start your pension application about four months before your eligibility date. It will take about a month to gather the required documents and information, and then you can submit the application 13 weeks prior to your eligibility date. This way, you may get your pension approved not too long after your birthday. I waited until two weeks prior to my 65th birthday to lodge my application, and four months later I am still waiting. The system would appear to be badly clogged if not completely broken.
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Chris Browning, Scarsdale
Much to celebrate
NAIDOC Week runs from 2 July to 9 July and has the theme "Our Language Matters". The emphasis of this week is to celebrate the unique role language plays in linking Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to their cultural identity, land and people. Today only around 120 of some 250 distinct indigenous languages are still spoken, with many at risk of being lost. Youth Off The Streets is trying fix this.
My organisation has specific programs that are run to connect our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people to their culture and I believe that this is one of the best ways to help our young people make positive choices and achieve their full potential. The unfortunate truth is that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians make up around 27% of our prison population, have high suicide rates, and an overall lower life expectancy. We cannot sit idly while these issues are still faced by Australians, we need to take action.
Working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities has been a privilege. I've seen so many young people turn their lives around through simply connecting with their culture, land and people. We know that connecting young indigenous people with Aboriginal Elders and our own Aboriginal youth workers ensures that they have cultural guidance in their most formative years. In some cases, all our troubled young people need is kindness and guidance from cultural leaders to turn their lives around.
This NAIDOC Week, I implore you to take part in your local NAIDOC Week events. Join me in encouraging our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people to connect with their community and history and achieve greatness.
Father Chris Riley, CEO and Founder at Youth Off The Streets
An embarrassment to all
Presidential: "Having a bearing or demeanour befitting a president; dignified and confident." Other words associated with "presidential": dignified ("Having or showing a composed or serious manner that is worthy of respect"), statesman-like (like "A skilled, experienced, and respected political leader or figure"), diplomatic ("Having or showing an ability to deal with people in a sensitive and tactful way"), tactful ("Having or showing skill and sensitivity in dealing with others or with difficult issues"). [synonyms:synonym.com; definitions: Oxford Dictionary] "My use of social media is not Presidential - it's modern day presidential." [Twitter, The President, 1July]
Upon review, The President's twerping equates "modern day presidential" with being: manipulative, petty, nasty, sarcastic, self-aggrandising, inflammatory, juvenile, bullying, slanderous, misogynistic, disgusting, inciting, unbalanced, unhinged, deluded, narcissistic, deceptive, inaccurate, self-laudatory, fallacious ... I think I prefer old-fashioned presidential! The President would be 100%, objectively, demonstrably correct (for once!) had his twerp stopped at the hyphen. "My use ... is not Presidential" - so true, and a huge embarrassment to Americans everywhere.
Judy Bamberger, O'Connor