TAKING THE SHIRT OFF THEIR BACKS: Elderly Australians taking their clothes off despite the cold weather during a rally in Melbourne yesterday to demand a higher pension from the government. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

The scantily-clad seniors braved the autumn weather in a 150-strong protest against this week's federal budget, which offered them little despite a A$21.7 billion (S$28 billion) surplus.

Most at the 'Fair Go for Pensioners' rally at the intersection of two major streets in downtown Melbourne kept their clothes on, but several threw convention to the wind and stripped to their underwear.

As bemused police looked on, a bespectacled man stripped to his briefs and socks, while a couple of lively ladies whipped off their tops and paraded in their bras.

Other women wore hot pink bras over their clothing.

The leader of the minority Family First party, Senator Steve Fielding, who took off his shirt in solidarity with the seniors, said the country's 3.5 million pensioners were 'overlooked Australians'.

'Pensioners have no voice and are left to survive on a meagre allowance each week that most people would never manage on,' he said. 'They are buckling under the pressure of higher petrol and grocery prices.'

Ms Patricia Reeve from the Fair Go for Pensioners Coalition said people wanted to make the point that it was impossible to live well on the pension.

'The country's doing well, we want a fair share,' she said.

While the budget did contain some measures to support seniors - such as an increase in the utilities allowance and the retention of the A$500 seniors bonus - many pensioners felt shunned by the Treasurer.

National Seniors Australia chief executive Michael O'Neill said the budget did nothing to increase the low level of the age pension, the Australian newspaper reported.

Single age pensioners in Australia receive just A$273 per week - about 59 per cent of the couple pension at present.

The protesters were calling for between A$70 and A$100 extra per week in their pensions.

But the antics failed to move Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who said that while he understood it was difficult to make ends meet living on a pension, no increases would be considered until a review was completed.

The review is being undertaken by the Treasury Secretary, Dr Ken Henry, who will release a discussion paper by the end of July and provide a final report to government by the end of next year, reported The Australian.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

MEAGRE MEANS

'Pensioners have no voice and are left to survive on a meagre allowance each week that most people would never manage on.'

AUSTRALIAN POLITICIAN STEVE FIELDING