As you may know, 1/4 of all jobseekers are aged over 55 and it is not so simple to just get a job especially when you live in regional or rural areas.

My husband and I are both over 60, he's got chronic health problems that have prevented him from working full time for over 5 years, but he is able and happy to work voluntarily a couple of days a week. I know he has courage and willingness to work, but no employer (not one) has offered to give him a go in over 5 years.

I am healthy, fit and able but gave up my part time work 3 years ago to be available to care for him, run him to appointments and advocate on his behalf. Drugs he takes are so strong that he can't drive or operate machinery so I need to drive him around. Being such a lazy bugger, I won't volunteer to work for 30 hours a fortnight like he does. I apply for the mandated number of jobs each month and sit back and wait for the phone calls asking me to attend an interview. Realistically, I doubt either of us will ever work again, but as we are too young for the pension we just have to work the system until we either quit trying and draw upon our Super or reach 67 years of age.

I am sure some people look down upon us as dole bludgers, but he served in the Australian defense forces in his younger days and worked hard to provide for his family for over 40 years. I also worked for close on 40 years, including a couple of years as a young stay at home mum.

Right now I don't see anything wrong with us standing back, collecting Jobseeker and letting the younger ones have first pick of the jobs. We've had our go and managed to enjoy a good life, bought houses, put money away for our old age and now want to see nothing more than the younger generation get a turn to enjoy the good things in life. They will want to buy a home and a couple of cars and raise a family. Work will do that for them, and we don't intend to stand in their way.

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