In Reply to: Expat American or Aussies-advise please posted by Colleen on Wednesday, 7. November 2012 at 00:16 Bali Time:
Your friend is between a rock and a hard place - he/she is not eligible for a pension even if she returns to Australia to live as he/she has not been living here for AT LEAST the past 10 years. They also cannot get other benefits that are afforded retirees. It is even more difficult if they want to claim an Australian pension and live in Indonesia - pretty much is not going to happen.
If you choose the life of an expat and you are an Australian citizen you either have to return to Australia well before you plan to retire, or provide for your own retirement through a pension fund or superannuation.