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Betty Moore's blog...
Big things grow from small beginnings.
As a result of my local phone call to Sydney radio 2UE’s Steve Price Talkback Session (23/1) to reveal the appalling financial plight of the nation’s Aged Pensioners, especially single aged women, of the Pre Baby Boomer Generations; which became headlines in the mass media, I became the catalyst for action across the board.
The Senate tabled its Report – Cost of Living Stresses on Older Australians – on 20/3 – which acknowledged the degrees of hardship of these oldies – some 2millions of the population, but declined to make any recommendations other than further inquiries.
These exposures led me to be the VIP guest at the Steve Price/2UE’s Pensioner Forum, Parramatta, on 8/2/08. This forum revealed the extent of pension poverty on many fronts and circumstances, well below the poverty line of any westernised nation.
A secondary effect was that Steve Price / 2UE made me its delegate to the Australia 2020 Summit- Health category, in Canberra on 19, 20/3/08, followed by an wrap-up interview in its Parliament House studio on 21/3. Thus I was a strong advocate for the aged, rural and remote residents, aged single women circumstances, especially health matters and lack of public transport.
These events and circumstances resulted in contact by David Richardson, reporter for Channel 7’s Today Tonight Program. Consequently I became involved in its shopping expedition interviews at Inverell. Further interviews occurred in the parliamentary office of Tony Windsor MP for New England immediately following the 2008 Budget Speech, on 13/4/08, contents of which ignored the urgent plight of old aged pensioners despite the highest budget surplus in our history. I was appalled by this abandonment of the oldies who had built the foundation of this peaceful successful nation without any government assistance or subsidies in their entire lives. A ‘wrap-up interview followed on the morning after on the Parliament House Forecourt.
This television coverage unleashed the voices of those ‘silent majorities’ in every level of communities in every state.
To her credit, one such young lady was so affected; she made contact with David Richardson / Today Tonight to whom she voiced her idea of “Adopt A Pensioner” Scheme.
In a matter of a few days, Today Tonight took me to Queensland to meet this young lady, Amanda Pike. From there the scheme has literally taken off with the assistance of David Richardson and other worthy citizens and organisations with appropriate skills to implement the processes and produce this website.
I commend it to you, the people of the nation, those with caring hearts and generosity of soul and kindness.
I thank you all most sincerely,
Betty Moore, Co-Patron 11/6/08
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