Horrifying inflation: seniors reel at 'heartbreaking' federal budget

"Betrayed because we're seen as a burden," was how Fair Go For Pensioners described the budget, with Victorian president Joe Montero saying it was short-sighted, unfair and failed to address the very real poverty that older Australians face, particularly those who are renting.

Pensioners were left reeling by the lack of any of the expected cost-of-living support for them in the budget, announced just hours before horrendous inflation figures were released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

"A heartbreaking budget for those with the least", is how one social welfare group described the budget. The Anti Poverty Network South Australia said it offered no meaningful relief, despite unprecedented cost-of-living pressures for people on JobSeeker, renters, and others on low incomes.

Mr Chalmers said the budget provided "cost-of-living relief which doesn't put additional pressure on inflation" but then as if to rub salt into an already painful financial wound, the government announced power prices are expected to rise by more than 50 per cent in the next two years.

There are no pension rises or increases in energy support, and no rise in rent assistance, leaving pensioners struggling with escalating costs of food, rent, power, fuel and other essentials. They will have to wait for the next indexed rise on March 20 next year for any relief.

The 2022-23 budget favoured younger Australians, with cheaper child care costs, progressive expansion of paid parental leave to six months, cheaper medications for those without concession cards and more affordable housing - including a new National Housing Accord to build more affordable and well-located homes.

And while it could be argued that cheaper child care would release more workers to be employed in industries which support older people, and generate taxes which pay for pensions, Fair Go For Pensioners said that without financial support now, more seniors would face premature entry into aged care with all the associated costs to the government.

Mr Montero said poor nutrition would see old people becoming increasingly frail and there would be a rise in mental health issues.

And the contentious stage three tax cuts which would put thousands of dollars into the pockets of high income earners, while pensioners struggle, are still on the table.

Prices are growing at their fastest rate for 32 years with the Australian Bureau of Statistics figures showing an overall annual inflation rate of 7.3 per cent.

Food went up 9 per cent, transport 9.2 per cent, gas and other household fuels up 10.9 per cent and furniture up 6.6 per cent.

Budget measures that will impact the older sector are those which have already been widely touted during the year.

There is $3.9 billion for the long-awaited aged care reforms, including $2.5 billion to mandate increased care to 215 care minutes with 44 nursing minutes from October 2024 and requiring nursing homes to have a registered nurse on site 24/7 from July 1, 2023.

There will be new nutritional standards and a new national registration scheme for care workers. Home care administration and management fees will be capped and exit fees abolished.

A dedicated Aged Care Complaints Commissioner will investigate complaints ($9.9 million) and a new independent Inspector-General of Aged Care will target systemic issues ($38.7 million).

National Seniors Australia chief advocate Ian Henschke said while the aged care initiatives were welcome, his organisation had hoped the budget would also include measures to address workforce shortages.

There are 74,300 job vacancies in the critical health care and social assistance sector, which includes aged care, disability care, child care and health.

The budget also provides funding for the temporary (to June 2023) $4000 increase to the work bonus announced after the Jobs and Skills Summit earlier this year.

Mr Henschke said while the increase was a good first step, pensioners and employers needed greater certainty. Stopping the increase to the work bonus in June next year would not do that.

Council on the Ageing Australia welcomed the "very comprehensive scope of the aged care reform initiatives".

"This budget puts financial flesh on the bones of the government's election commitments," chief executive Ian Yates said.

For those who have no pension or concession cards to help with the costs of medications, the budget announcement that the maximum payable for a PBS script will drop $12.50 to $30 will be welcome.

The move will cost $787 million. Several new cancer drugs will also be listed on the PBS.

The budgeted increases to income limits for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, which provides medical and pharmaceutical concessions plus a range of other state and council concessions, are still subject to legislation.

The Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Lifting the Income Limit for the Commonwealth Seniors Heath Card) Bill will raise the income thresholds for people of age pension or veteran pension age who can access the card - from $57,761 to $90,000 for singles and from $92,416 to $144,000 for couples (combined) benefiting 45,000 people.

At least 15,000 free TAFE places will be reserved for aged care.

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