But can you tell us, Everald, after so many years in Christian faith, growing up in and around it, serving with the United Church, what was it that led you to write Walk in the Spirit at this age?

Well, you know, my mother took me to church first of all when I was three weeks old down in the bush in Queensland, a little town called Inglil.

And I just simply kept going to church ever since.

I never ever had a blinding moment where I accepted the faith.

I kept going to church with my mother.

When she passed on, I kept going.

I started off, as many people do, as a fundamentalist Christian.

What is it you think that's made you more open-minded perhaps or less traditional in some of the ways you see those sorts of things? Because it sounds to me like it could be very different to some others of your generation.

What is currently the biggest worry for your generation? I'll start with you, Everald.

Well, most older Australians, and it's a debate as to when you get old.

Now, when you retire at 67, the retirement, that's not, you know, old at all.

I don't reckon I'm old at 95 this year, but I don't think I would class myself as old until I get to 100.

But older Australians want to be given the right to take part in every part of life without any penalty.

If they want to stay working, they don't lose their pension because they do it.

They want to get involved out in society as a volunteer without being told they're too old or they're a health and safety risk factor.

Can we start a debate about who had it tougher? Who had the biggest battles growing up? Was it you, Everald?

What is currently the biggest worry for your generation? I'll start with you, Everald.

Well, most older Australians, and it's a debate as to when you get old.

Now, when you retire at 67, the retirement, that's not, you know, old at all.

I don't reckon I'm old at 95 this year, but I don't think I would class myself as old until I get to 100.

But older Australians want to be given the right to take part in every part of life without any penalty.

If they want to stay working, they don't lose their pension because they do it.

They want to get involved out in society as a volunteer without being told they're too old or they're a health and safety risk.

Can we start a debate about who had it tougher? Who had the biggest battles growing up? Was it you, Everald?

Right

...

the timeframe is, but so long as it gets there by 2030, that will, that will, you know, suit me.

But above Parkes, they're, they're not providing any funding.

Now, I can understand that the Prime Minister had to decide to cut the funding on what has been an outrageously costly exercise that should never have cost the money that it has.

It was featherbedded with staff, contractors that weren't necessary, uh, legal action against landowners that wasn't necessary.

Everything that could have gone wrong with this project, gone, gone wrong with it.

Mm

He sees himself and his life as important and contributing." Everald, have you considered adding yodeling to your repertoire?

Well, well, I'm, I'm willing to try anything.

I mean, at my age, you've got nothing to lose by, by, by, uh, trying anything, even if you make a go to yourself in, in doing it.

But I mean, I, I, uh, I, I try and exercise every day walking.

Now, I've got to say that when the temperature gets to 35, I have to coax myself very hard to get out and walk.

But i- in normal temperatures, I, I, I exercise every day, but I exercise my brain every day, too.

I, I read five books at a time, uh, one on history, one on religion, uh, uh, uh, o- o- one, one on money, one on politics, and one a, a novel to excite me.

So Everald, if someone's going, "Okay, fine, yeah, I do wanna live better, I do wanna live longer," what's your advice to them, briefly?