The sight of pensioners stripped down to their underwear and blocking Melbourne streets in protest over the federal budget was a call to arms for Australia's seniors.
Last week, at a zone meeting of National Seniors Australia at the Bomaderry RSL, the clothes stayed on, but the message was clear: pensioners are not happy.
In an emotion-charged atmosphere, delegates and observers from 14 Seniors Australia branches between Sydney and Nowra passed a unanimous motion expressing their "disgust at government failure to address the plight of pensioners grappling with food, fuel and health cost increases".
At present, the maximum pension rate per fortnight is $546.80 for a single person, while a couple can receive $456.80 each.
It means that aged pensioners receive less than a quarter of the average weekly wage of $1124.
Statistics from the Department of Human Services show that compared with the rest of Australia, the Illawarra has a high proportion of aged pensioners.
Speaking to the Mercury on budget night, National Seniors Australia Illawarra branch president Duncan Charig said he was unhappy with Treasurer Wayne Swan's first budget.
He described the increase to the seniors' utilities allowance as "chicken feed".
Two weeks later he is even less impressed.
"(The budget) was made worse by the comments of Kevin Rudd that he has done everything he can," Mr Charig said.
There were bonuses for aged pensioners in the recent budget, including an increase in the utilities allowance from $107.20 to $500 a year.
However, pensioner groups have called for a weekly increase of between $70 and $100 to cover the rising cost of living.
Warilla's Edna Kay, state president of the Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association, agrees it is "very, very hard for the majority of pensioners".
"We had hoped for more in the budget," she said.
Mrs Kay agrees it has always been hard for pensioners.
"But it is getting harder, the cost of living is going up.
A major problem is a trip to the dentist - the dental program is shocking.
"Then there is the crisis in rental accommodation."
Liberal MP Jo Gash, whose Gilmore electorate has the eighth highest population of aged pensioners out of 150 Australia wide, said the feedback she had received indicated the budget was a disappointment for pensioners.
"They expected recognition," Mrs Gash said.
However, Member for Cunningham Sharon Bird said the Government was well aware pensioners had been struggling for a long time.
Ms Bird said the Howard government had engaged in band-aid solutions.
"We have kept the $500 seniors bonus again this year, but the lump sum amounts are about short-term alleviation.
"We know in the longer term we have to get the issue of pensions right. It is clearly not a sustainable income."
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