The election is fast approaching on May 21 and along with the candidate-led opinions we want to hear from voices within the Calare Electorate leading up to the nation's big day.
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After plucking some everyday people from the electorate, the Central Western Daily introduced seven residents in The Pub Test who'll share their diversified views with readers on a weekly basis.
Among the participants is call centre consultant, 64-year-old Gail Copping.
Ms Copping has lived in Orange for 50 years and for the past 14 years she's worked full-time. She's also previously worked part-time in retail and hospitality while raising four children as a single mother.
... people are working but they can't afford to live in their home town because their wages don't cover their rent and electricity.
- Gail Copping
Her three daughters and son are now all adults and she has six grandchildren.
"I vote with a conscience, not for a party. I vote for who makes the promises to do better and as I've gotten older I've sort of changed a lot," Ms Copping said.
"I'm getting into that demographic of Baby Boomer retirees soon, so you now make a more conscious effort who you vote for. I don't vote for any particular parties but what they can give that suits me, what I want."
The main issue that concerns her is affordable housing for single male and female Baby Boomers who are still working.
She questioned where people go for affordable housing when there's a long waiting list, and although that's provided by the state she wants the federal government to get involved, too.
"There will be a lot of Baby Boomer homeless people, not all of us were able to afford to [buy a house], a lot of people who were married got divorced, lost the house and now they're in affordable housing," she said.
"I want them to start building more, but not density, two and one bedroom places, you don't need a ghetto again. They need to build small units for the aging working population."
Ms Copping said she has to wait until she's 67 to retire, if she can afford to.
"It's getting that way that people are working but they can't afford to live in their home town because their wages don't cover their rent and electricity," she said.
"I pay $800 a fortnight out of my wage in rent, it went up by $60 a week in January. Single income.
"I'm looking at what they can do for affordable housing for families, aging workers, we're living longer, we're working longer due to them."
She said workers of her generation also didn't get the full benefit of superannuation, especially if they worked as a casual.
Ms Copping said the CPI hasn't caught up with the cost of living, citing the cost of bread and milk. She was also concerned about the cost of childcare.
"I've heard a lot of parents say it's not worth going back to work until they're at school because of the cost of childcare," she said.
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