SBS speaks to former Treasurer Wayne Swan on Australia's new super guarantee
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ABC News
6 hours ago
- ABC News
Gwalia resident works to save century-old home in 'living ghost town'
Vanessa Williams feels lucky to call Gwalia home. She has lived in the ghost town, 800 kilometres north-east of Perth in WA's northern Goldfields, for just over a year. But her family's connection to the community goes back generations. "I think that's probably been the main factor for me coming home," she said. "But it's also just a really amazing place to live, there's no road rage, there's no traffic lights — very calm." She said she was pitching in to help preserve her historic neighbourhood after a freak microburst storm sent tin sheets flying earlier this year. The storm, which rolled through the town and nearby Leonora in a matter of minutes, caused significant damage to several of the near-century-old buildings. While Leonora Shire remains committed to rebuilding the historical precinct, one of the former miner's cottages was so badly damaged it was earmarked for demolition. With the shire's budget limited, Ms Williams and her father, Norm, saw an opportunity to help, offering $2,000 for a 99-year lease on the cottage. "But my dad and I thought we may as well approach the shire [and see] if we can slow down the plans to demolish it," she said. "Let's see what we can do." Leonora's councillors unanimously accepted the offer, and the pair got to work. Despite securing what is likely one of the cheapest rents in Australia, Ms Williams and her father have a big job ahead of them. The storm tore off most of the roof. "We had to do a bit of work getting out the insulation that fell on the floor." The town site grew alongside the Sons of Gwalia gold mine from 1897. It was the home of former US President Herbert Hoover, who took up a position as the mine's first manager. A once-thriving community of 1200 residents became largely abandoned in just weeks, when the mine closed in 1963. Almost a decade later, it was the vision of a Goldfields couple to preserve the town as a museum precinct. But despite its "ghost town" label, Gwalia still has a handful of residents. "It's actually really exciting, I've had a couple of neighbours move in recently at the street I live on," Ms Williams said. Historian Chris Harris has been developing a database of Western Australia's ghost towns in the lead-up to the state's bicentennial in 2029. She said a ghost town was one with a population of less than 10 per cent of what its population was in its heyday. She said a ghost town might have been formed for a specific purpose, and when that purpose ended, the community dissolved. "A ghost town can cease to exist right up until the current day," she said. "The most recent one that everyone knows about, of course, is Wittenoom." Ms Harris said the label could also be a tourist drawcard. She said the list of towns in the project was ever-growing as records and family histories uncovered previously undiscovered ghost towns. The project has grown from a list of 251 towns to more than 500. Sections of the Williams's cottage's seemingly untouched charm can be found among the rubble of the storm damage. Ms Williams said there were sections of pressed tin a previous resident had painted over in the shape of flower petals. "We'll see what we can do to make it solid, but also respect it's history." "Once it's gone, it's gone." Ms Williams said the restoration had given her and her father a chance to bond, saying she was fortunate to have his help. "There's not much he can't fix," she said. The town's small number of permanent residents have plenty of visitors for company. Ms Williams said people occasionally wandered into the wrong houses. "I think sometimes they're just so enamoured with the place that they're head down, walking around, looking at everything," she said. "And they actually forget sometimes when they stumble into people's yards." But she said there was plenty of room for everyone. "It's a unique opportunity that we've got tourism, we've got the community that live here, and we've also got mining," Ms Williams said. Another cottage sits empty at the other end of Ms Williams' street. She said she hoped someone else would join in the work to preserve Gwalia's living history.
SBS Australia
6 hours ago
- SBS Australia
Win a Harvey Norman Gift Card valued at $10,000.
The Major Prize provided by Harvey Norman to the winner will consist of: One (1) Harvey Norman Gift Card valued at $10,000 (RRP) subject to Harvey Norman's Gift Card terms and conditions . To be in the running to win, simply enter your details and opt-in below. Maximum of one (1) valid entry per person over the age of 18. Note: The entry form is unavailable in incognito mode Maximum of one (1) valid entry per person over the age of 18. The Competition opens on Saturday 5th July 2025 at 09:00 AEST and closes on Sunday 3rd August at 09:00 AEST . The announcement will be published on the SBS Website and in The Australian on Friday 8th August 2025. Please read the full competition terms and conditions here before entering.
ABC News
8 hours ago
- ABC News
What if you can't continue working to pension age? Experts say there are options
Australia lifted the age pension age from 65 years old to 67 in 2023. It'll mean a longer wait for people like Ross, who told the ABC that after decades of working as a manual labourer his body was "destroyed" and he was unable to keep working until pension age. With limited superannuation, Ross has been living on JobSeeker payments, which are lower than the pension, for the last four years and struggling to survive. Ross's story sparked a wave of comments from other Australians with similar experiences. "I will not make it to retirement and get to enjoy life as I should — if I don't have my health then what is the use." "We are working ourselves to the grave," Matt said. Nurses and disability support workers also told the ABC of the toll on their bodies from years of working in physically demanding jobs. "The stress and anxiety from chronic and relentless pain is compounded by overwhelming financial pressures, so it's terrifying," Barb said. Financial coach Karen Eley said it was a serious issue for Australia's aging population. "It's disappointing the government hasn't considered the unintended consequences of increasing the age pension for hard-working Australians," Ms Eley said. So, what are the options for those who want, or need, to retire early? It will depend on whether you're relying on the age pension or superannuation for income. This article contains general information only. You should consider obtaining independent professional advice in relation to your particular circumstances. You can access your super when you reach 65 years old, even if you're still working and haven't retired. But you can also access your super earlier if you've reached your preservation age and satisfy the work/retirement criteria. Preservation age is between 55 and 60 years old, but it depends on the year you were born. Once you have reached your preservation age, you can either fully retire or start a transition to a retirement income stream while continuing to work. That means you may be able to reduce your working hours without reducing your income when you reach your preservation age. Your part-time working income may be supplemented with your super savings as a transition to a retirement income stream. You can get the age pension from the age of 67 if you are living in Australia and have been an Australian resident for the last 10 years. But you have to meet an income and asset test. To get a full pension there are limits on the value of the assets you can have. The government includes most real estate assets you own in your assets test. But this generally doesn't include your principal home and up to the first 2 hectares of land it's on. Assets also include income streams and superannuation pensions. The asset limits for a full pension: And, the asset limits for a part pension are as follows: The normal rates of the age pension before tax is: You can access your super early but under limited circumstances. These include: Your fund must be satisfied that you have a permanent physical or mental medical condition that is likely to stop you from ever working again in a job you were qualified to do. Do you know more? Contact Fiona Blackwood at You may also be able to access any income protection insurance you hold within your funds. A lump sum is generally limited to $10,000. There may be tax consequences to early withdrawals depending on your age. Financial coach Karen Eley says while it is not ideal, people who own their own homes can use a reverse mortgage to access funds. "This lending facility allows you to borrow money against your home, without requiring repayment until you pass away or sell the property," she said. She said it's important to get independent advice to make sure you understand what you're signing up for "as essentially you are creating a debt against your home that will need to be repaid in the future." The Australian Securities & Investment Commission's (ASIC) Moneysmart website has a calculator that can help work out how much you could potentially borrow. Ms Eley said downsizing your home was another possible strategy to help those needing to retire early. "If your family home is worth $700,000 and you can find a property to live in for $500,000 perhaps relocating to a smaller house or more affordable suburb, you can use the difference in the sale and purchase price to inject money into your super, or use it to live on until you meet super or age pension eligibility requirements," she said. A spokesperson for the Australian Tax Office (ATO) said if you have turned 60 or retired, you may be eligible for tax offsets. This will depend on your income and assets, where your income comes from, and whether you're fully or partly retired. If your super benefits won't fully support you when you retire, you may also qualify for a part-pension. And, in recognition that it is harder for an older person to find employment, those over 55 who have spent nine months on JobSeeker receive an extra $55 a fortnight. Moneysmart has information and tools to help you prepare to retire. Your super fund may also offer a range of calculators to help you. For more personalised information and advice, you can contact your super fund or a registered financial adviser. Ms Eley said there could be long-term implications for accessing your super earlier than your preservation age. "Mortgage brokers or banks can also provide you information about accessing the equity in your home if you're over 60. "However, it's important to understand the costs and the long-term impacts on drawing down on the equity in your home through these loans," she said.
