Media release
20 May 2010

Nothing new for seniors in WA budget

National Seniors, the peak body for older Australians, claims the new Western Australian budget contained nothing new for seniors. 

While welcoming the extra spending on health and ambulance services, June MacDonald chair of National Seniors State Policy Group said the government had failed to address import issues for seniors. 

“Over 50s spend more money on healthcare, have higher hospitalisation rates and are more likely to have long-term health conditions, so extra health funding is obviously welcome. 

“But the government has done nothing to tackle the issue of stamp duty for seniors. Two out of three people will move house between the ages of 55 and 75, often because they want to downsize to a smaller property that is easier to maintain. Stamp duty can force older people to remain in homes that are too large for them to look after. 

“Older Western Australians had hoped that the government would follow the example of the Northern Territory and offer them a stamp duty concession or do as the ACT and Victorian governments have and scrap it all together for seniors downsizing their home. 

“The government has lived up to its promise and continued the seniors cost of living rebate but it is disappointing that the budget has not addressed any of the issues that were raised by the review of the state’s seniors card,” said Ms MacDonald.

Media contact: 07 3233 9106

With around 280,000 members, National Seniors is Australia’s largest consumer organisation for the over-50s and fourth largest group of its kind in the world.