Kennett rant
Press release
1 October 2010
The consumer lobby for older Australians has described Jeff Kennett’s rant on 3AW yesterday as extraordinary.
Speaking on Neil Mitchell’s morning show, Mr Kennett said that older Australians lacked a national political force, a single group that would stand up and strongly advocate on their behalf.
National Seniors Australia chief executive Michael O’Neill said he was surprised by Mr Kennett’s comments.
“Considering that the previous Labor government can be defined in policy terms by an historical pension increase that went against all OECD trends, Jeff Kennett’s comments are extraordinary,” he said.
“In fact, with pensioners marching in the streets and holding court at marginal seat forums around the country during the election campaign we’ve never been more vocal.”
“Perhaps Mr Kennett is playing politics but his comments are wide of the mark and older Australians don’t appreciate being used as the political football,” he said.
During the interview, besides raising valid concerns around means testing the health insurance rebate and rising utility costs, Mr Kennett also warned of moves to include the family home in Centrelink’s asset test - one of 138 recommendations in the Henry Tax Review.
“To suggest the family home will be included in the asset test is scaremongering”, said O’Neill.
“The day that proposal seriously makes it onto the legislative agenda, there will be a national revolt,” said O’Neill.
In the past three weeks Michael O’Neill has addressed the National Press Club and appeared on the ABC’s 7.30 Report, and while Mr Kennett’s wait to meet the new Minister for Mental Health and Ageing continues (as stated in the interview), seniors groups are happy to report they’ve already done so.
With around 280,000 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.
1 October 2010
Kennett rant wide of the mark, say seniors
The consumer lobby for older Australians has described Jeff Kennett’s rant on 3AW yesterday as extraordinary.
Speaking on Neil Mitchell’s morning show, Mr Kennett said that older Australians lacked a national political force, a single group that would stand up and strongly advocate on their behalf.
National Seniors Australia chief executive Michael O’Neill said he was surprised by Mr Kennett’s comments.
“Considering that the previous Labor government can be defined in policy terms by an historical pension increase that went against all OECD trends, Jeff Kennett’s comments are extraordinary,” he said.
“In fact, with pensioners marching in the streets and holding court at marginal seat forums around the country during the election campaign we’ve never been more vocal.”
“Perhaps Mr Kennett is playing politics but his comments are wide of the mark and older Australians don’t appreciate being used as the political football,” he said.
During the interview, besides raising valid concerns around means testing the health insurance rebate and rising utility costs, Mr Kennett also warned of moves to include the family home in Centrelink’s asset test - one of 138 recommendations in the Henry Tax Review.
“To suggest the family home will be included in the asset test is scaremongering”, said O’Neill.
“The day that proposal seriously makes it onto the legislative agenda, there will be a national revolt,” said O’Neill.
In the past three weeks Michael O’Neill has addressed the National Press Club and appeared on the ABC’s 7.30 Report, and while Mr Kennett’s wait to meet the new Minister for Mental Health and Ageing continues (as stated in the interview), seniors groups are happy to report they’ve already done so.
Media contact: 0409 055 156
With around 280,000 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.
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