Pensioners just want a little help in the Federal Budget

Mt Morgan pensioner and his ill wife travel to Brisbane half a dozen times a year for medical appointments and treatments which aren’t available in Rockhampton.

Julian Betzien says living on the pension is hard but that the most costly expense is medical trips to Brisbane that aren't offered in Rockhampton. Photo Madeline McDonald / Morning Bulletin. Picture: Madeline McDonald

JULIAN Betzien has gone days without buying groceries and even skipped paying a bill every now and again when a trip to Brisbane for his wife's treatment was on the calendar.

The Mt Morgan pensioner and his ill wife travel to Brisbane half a dozen times a year for medical appointments and treatments which aren't available in Rockhampton.

With the cost of living rising and both Julian and his wife on the pension, these visits to Brisbane mean the couple have to struggle in the weeks before the trip just to afford out of pocket expenses.

Julian, 52, said living off the pension was hard enough without worrying about having enough money for trips to Brisbane.

"We basically don't buy anything in the weeks leading up to a Brisbane trip," he said.

"We use whatever food we have in the freezer or cupboard at the time, miss out on a bill and lessen our trips to Rockhampton to save fuel. When I do the shopping I always buy things on special because I know there's another trip coming up and each trip down to Brisbane leaves us about $600 out of pocket."

Julian said if there was one thing he wanted to see come out of today's federal budget it would be a scheme to help pensioners with out of pocket expenses as a result of medical trips.

"Something has to be done about the expense elderly people pay for medical travel. The patient transfer scheme covers your travel and accommodation for $60 a night, but if the government could introduce a scheme that covers out of pocket expenses for things like food and transport then I think that would help out pensioners."

Originally published as Pensioners just want a little help in the Federal Budget