Seniors welcome Labor pledge

Press release
7 August 2010

Seniors welcome Labor pledge to fix current pension anomaly

Older Australians have welcomed Labor’s pledge to allow pensioners to annualise their employment income rather than declare it fortnightly.

Under the current system of fortnightly income reporting requirements pensioners are finding their government payments slashed after taking on seasonal work such as supervising exams.

National Seniors chief executive, Michael O’Neill, said the change would fix a system anomaly which has existed since pension reforms were introduced in 2009.

“All the research points to the benefits of remaining productive and active as we age yet the current pension rules are a disincentive to that,” said O’Neill.

“Fortnightly reporting requirements are a glitch which, regardless of who’s in power, urgently needs ironing out”.

Labor’s pledge to create a standalone Age Discrimination Commissioner has also been welcomed.

“The creation of a stand-alone Age Discrimination Commissioner will go a long way in addressing the institutional and attitudinal barriers older Australians face in work and society,” said O’Neill.

Julia Gillard announced five senior-specific policies in Brisbane today. Other notables included additional training for mature age workers through the existing Experience Plus scheme and support for grandparents who are primary carers.

The seniors vote is 45 per cent of the Australian electorate. Of that, 25 percent or 1.5 million are undecided.

Media contact: 07 3233 9135 or 07 3233 9105

National Seniors is holding marginal seat election forums in Bennelong, Eden Monaro, Paterson (NSW); Longman, Ryan, Bowman (Qld); Deakin, La Trobe (Vic); Hasluck (WA); Sturt (SA); and Bass (Tasmania).

With around 280,000 members - working and retired - across the country, National Seniors is the consumer lobby for older Australians. It is the fourth largest group of its kind in the world.