9:37a.m. 10th March 2008

| By Mark Furler

Sunshine Coast mayoral candidate Joe Natoli says part-pensioners will be worse off if his rival Bob Abbot is elected as mayor on Saturday.

“Pensioner groups and individuals have been contacting me, worried about whether their rebates are safe,” he said. “I want them to know, they are.”

“For some part-pensioners, they receive just $1 a week less than a full pensioner, but they wouldn’t qualify under my opponent’s policy. That is simply unjust,” he said.

Pensioner Tricia Rowe of Maroochydore said she was fearful that she would face severe hardship if she lost her rebate.

“Some part pensioners miss out by $1.50 and to think that I could receive this blow is terrible,” she said.

Joe Natoli said his policy would include rebates for full and part pensioners.

“I will form a committee of pensioner representatives from Caloundra, Maroochy and Noosa, and it will be up to them to decide on which policy is best for all full- and part-pensioners,” Mr Natoli said.

“I will also review the qualification criteria for receiving the rebates. Currently there are differences in how long you need to have lived on the Sunshine Coast to qualify. I want the committee to decide, and I will take those recommendations to council.”

Under Bob Abbot’s policy, part pensioners would miss out on rebates, Mr Natoli said.

Mr Abbot told thedaily.com.au today that pensioners across the Coast, particularly in Caloundra, would be much better off under his senior's policy and he would certainly take the case of part-pensioners to the full council before the policy was implemented.

"I am more than happy to put the case of part-pensioners to the new council when we consider what concession will be available to them,'' Mr Abbot said.

He said at present there was a big difference between the rebates available to pensioners in Caloundra, Noosa and Maroochy and he was keen to ensure that was all the same.

He said Noosa's pensioners currently received more rebates than those in Maroochy - and much more than those in Caloundra, who had been campaigning for years for a better deal.

"The full rebate will be higher - much, much higher than in Caloundra and more generous than in Maroochy,'' Mr Abbot said of his plan.

"It's based on Noosa's current policy.''

Mr Abbot also pledged to set up a seniors unit in the new community development section of the Sunshine Coast to implement projects which would benefit not only pensioners but also independent retirees.