2 November 2011

Shorten scraps super age limit in a welcome win for seniors

Older Australians have welcomed Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten’s move to completely scrap the superannuation guarantee age limit.

Mr Shorten announced today that, rather than raising it, the age limit on the superannuation guarantee will be abolished from 1 July 2013.

National Seniors chief executive, Michael O’Neill, said Mr Shorten had earned a big tick from older Australians.

“On the right for older Australians to have equal access to superannuation, this Government has put their money where their mouth is,” he said.

“Currently, employers are not required to pay superannuation towards workers aged over 69.

“Basically, this means the clock ticks over and you lose your super,” said O’Neill.

“It sanctions, at the highest level, the notion that seniors are worth less than their younger colleagues, and contradicts the bi-partisan view that we will all work longer as the population ages”.

“National Seniors would like to thank parliamentarians from all sides who’ve supported the campaign to end one of the many disparities that exist for older workers,” said O’Neill.

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.