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Elections!

We’ve paid our taxes. Many of us raised kids, buried parents, built careers, survived divorces, watched the economy lurch, and still found time to mow our own lawns once a fortnight for the last thirty years.

We’re over 50. We’ve seen enough to be hopeful, but we’re also just grumpy enough to call nonsense when we see it. And let’s be honest—politics is grump-inducing more often than not.

But it’s worth paying attention. Whether you’re semi-retired, still working, helping your grandkids, or just trying to keep the lights on—what happens next in Canberra will affect you.

Over 50s is the BIGGEST block of voters. It’s time we took charge. Here are five issues that actually matter in 2025, and how you can vote like someone who’s seen it all and expects better.

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1. Health and Aged Care (As Promised, Not Imagined)

We all watched the aged care Royal Commission in disbelief. And then came the reforms—some delivered, some delayed, some still floating around in a press release somewhere.

Meanwhile, bulk billing is vanishing faster than the body you once had, and finding a carer for Mum shouldn’t involve six agencies and rescuing a fax machine from landfill to communicate with some arcane department.

What to watch for:

• Labor says it’s boosting staff numbers and fixing aged care access.
• The Greens want to expand Medicare to include dental and mental health.
• Independents like Rebekha Sharkie want transparency and local accountability, not just shiny announcements.

Vote smarter: Ask your local MP what’s changed in your postcode—not just on the front page of the budget.

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2. Super, Pensions & The Annual Game of “Surprise! We’re Tweaking It Again”

Retirement security is supposed to be secure. But every few months there’s a rumour: they’re moving the pension age, adjusting super rules, or tinkering with deeming rates. Again.

We get it—federal budgets are tight, and they’ve already spent the taxes we paid. But how about some consistency?

What to watch for:

• The Coalition usually backs franking credits and SMSFs.
• Labor says it’s targeting high balances, not everyday retirees.
• Smaller parties love promising pension increases—sometimes with Monopoly money.

Vote smarter: If someone’s plan for “budget repair” starts by fiddling with your retirement savings, it’s time to look elsewhere.

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3. Housing Stability & Downsizing Without Being Penalised

Maybe the house feels too big. Maybe the stairs feel taller. Maybe you just want less lawn to water. But downsizing still feels like a trap—penalties, asset tests, and the risk of reducing your pension just for making a sensible life choice.

What to watch for:

• Coalition supports tax breaks for downsizers.
• Labor’s focused more on renters and supply, less on retirees.
• Independents and Centre Alliance are pushing for changes to the asset test rules that may effectively punish people for moving.

Vote smarter: Ask who’s actually going to make it easier to move without losing your entitlements.

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4. Global Chaos, Local Consequences

Trump. China. Climate shocks. AUKUS. Wars, coups, and falling global trust in institutions. It’s all very entertaining until you realise it affects our exports, our defence jobs, and our retirement balances.

In South Australia, that’s not abstract—it’s about shipbuilding in Osborne, lithium exports in Grey, wine sales in Mayo, and whether you can afford to heat your home this winter.

What to watch for:

• Labor and Liberals both back AUKUS—Labor ties it more directly to local jobs.
• The Greens oppose AUKUS, but support clean manufacturing here at home.
• Sharkie asks the big question: what if the US walks away?

Vote smarter: If your candidate’s foreign policy is “just trust the Americans,” you might want to dig a little deeper.

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5. Trust, Media, and Actual Adults in Parliament

We remember when a “press conference” didn’t mean ducking a question and vanishing behind a slogan. And while some love the new integrity commission, many of us are still waiting for the first scalp—and a few overdue apologies.

In a world of online rage, AI-generated nonsense, and $500 shirts under high-vis vests, it’s hard to find candidates who seem grounded in reality, not bubble-dwelling opportunists.

What to watch for:

• Labor established the integrity commission—but not everyone thinks it has teeth.
• The Greens want donation caps, truth in advertising, and more ABC funding.
• Independents like Sharkie and the teals vote like grown-ups, even when no one’s watching.

Vote smarter: If they can’t get through a sentence without blaming someone else, imagine what they’ll be like when they actually have to lead.

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Final Word From Those of Us With a Bit of Mileage

We’ve been through economic booms, interest rate hikes, dodgy privatisations, and whatever happened to Labor’s Medicare Gold policy. We know how to smell spin.

So this election, we won’t just vote like it’s our civic duty and we fancy a democracy sausage. We’ll vote like someone who’s seen it all—and still wants better. For us, and for those who follow in our footsteps

Because after everything, we deserve better.

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