30 July 2011

Seniors: New Age Discrimination Commissioner has work cut out for her

National Seniors chief executive, Michael O'Neill, says Australia's very first dedicated Age Discrimination Commissioner, former Labor Minister Susan Ryan, has her work cut out for her.

“With workforce participation one of the key drivers underlying the upcoming tax summit, the appointment of a dedicated Age Discrimination Commissioner is timely,” said O’Neill.

"The reality is many older Australians, including those disability pensioners who can now work up to 30 hours a week, want to work but no one will employ them.”

“Unfortunately, age discrimination extends well beyond the everyday interactions between individuals and employers”.

“The discrimination older Australians face is often institutionalised. For example, under current law, employers are only required to pay superannuation towards employees aged up to 70.

“This type of government regulation sanctions, at the highest level, the notion that seniors are worth less than their younger colleagues,” he said.

“The over 50s do, and always will, contribute significantly to the social and economic prosperity of this nation and those lingering notions that suggest otherwise, at a time when population ageing is an OECD norm, are outdated,” he said.

“National Seniors looks forward to working constructively with Ms Ryan in holding both business and government to account on these issues”.

Today’s appointment of a dedicated Age Discrimination Commissioner was a Labor Party 2010 election promise.

National Seniors research released earlier this year revealed workplace age discrimination amongst the over 50s is alive and well but difficult to prove.

Michael is available for comment

Media contact: Sarah Saunders 0409 055 156

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With a quarter of a million members Australia-wide, National Seniors is the consumer lobby for the over 50s. It is the fourth largest organisation of its type in the world.