Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This week, New South Wales celebrates Seniors Week. It is an opportunity for all communities in my home state to celebrate the achievements of our senior citizens and to let them know how much we appreciate their achievements and contributions. It is important that members ensure that seniors in their electorates know how much we value them. I am passionate about creating a positive message around senior Australians, one that recognises their achievements and ongoing contributions.

Governments and the media in advertising have often opted to create a negative stereotypical image of older Australians, rather than promoting a positive image of these wonderful people. For instance, the Intergenerational report commissioned under the Howard-Costello government looked at the costs of an ageing population. It looked at health and age expenditure, fragility, workplace participation and pension, and how these issues placed costs on the Australian economy, rather than looking at society and the contribution that older people make to our country. Australian 2050: future challenges identifies ageing with spending pressures. It states:

Ageing of the Australian population will contribute to substantial pressures on government spending …

It goes on to project increases in age related spending to 27.1 per cent of GDP in 2049. The report continues along the same lines throughout its pages.

Every approach from the Howard-Costello government, in the report that I referred to, looks at the cost of ageing. At no stage does it look at the benefits from older Australians and the contributions that they make to our society. It uses words like 'frail', dependent', 'slow', 'doddery' instead of looking at 'active', 'caring', 'connected', 'vibrant'—all things that older people are. In this place during Seniors Week in New South Wales, it is important for us to put on the record that we believe that older Australians make an enormous contribution to our society.

Whilst I talked about the negative literature that surrounds older Australians, I have looked for some more positive articles. To be quite frank with you, I could find very little that details the contribution of older Australians. There is vague reference to volunteering and child care, but nowhere does it set down very definitely their enormous contribution.

Some figures I found in the Productivity Commission report refer to the fact that volunteering does contribute to our economy—and we all know that. I think every member of parliament would recognise the enormous contribution volunteers make to their community. The report mentioned that about $21 billion to $30 billion was contributed to our economy by work done by volunteers. That is $21 billion to $30 billion of free work by volunteers in our community. It goes without saying that the majority of those volunteers are 45 years and older. Whilst we talk about the cost of an ageing population to our society, we also have to look at the benefits to our society—what those older Australians give to our society. With regard to those figures for volunteering, if you factor in informal childcare arrangements, the figure goes up to $42 billion. That is a $42 billion contribution that older Australians make to our society, which is quite a contribution.

Many senior Australians would still like to be employed, even after reaching the official retirement age. Unfortunately, there are many negative stereotypes about older Australians in the workplace which act as a barrier to employment for them. If you look at industry advertising, you can see it is based on younger-looking people, whilst more mature members of society are portrayed as tired and worn out. It is a myth that ageing equals sickness, disability and dementia, when two out of three people aged 65 and older rate their health as 'good or excellent'. Eighty per cent of people aged 70 and over live independently, without help from care services. It is also a myth that the ageing of the population is a looming crisis. People are living longer, and many are enjoying an active and healthy old age.

We need to harness the skills and expertise of these older Australians and mature-age workers. When we recognise that older Australians have such skills and can still contribute to the economy, and incorporate them into the workforce, then we as a nation will be a richer place. As I said, it would be good for our economy, and they would be able to make a contribution to the long-term viability of our society.

Now, while there are older Australians who contribute in every possible way, there are some older Australians who need a little extra help, and I think it is important that as a government we provide that help and provide it in a variety of ways—preferably so that they can maintain their independence even longer than they do at the moment. In saying that, it is really important to know that it is actually only about seven per cent of older Australians who need residential care. So the majority of older Australians live in our community and, as I have already highlighted, many of them continue to contribute to that community.

The changes to the pension have given older Australians more freedom than they have had previously. The massive increases to the age pension delivered by Labor—by the Rudd government in 2009 and the Gillard government since—have led to a greater degree of financial security for older Australians than they have had in the past. Coupled with the changes to superannuation that are designed to increase financial independence, these measures have all helped older Australians. The increase in the total pension rate for age pensioners from 20 March will be $35.80 for singles and $54 for couples. It is interesting to note that the pension rate for couples has increased from $898 per fortnight under the Howard government to $1,218.80 under the Labor government. The pension rate for singles has increased from $537 to $808.40. That is an enormous increase in disposable income.

Pensioners stimulate our economy through their activities. For instance, they have holidays and they are involved in hospitality through going to cafes. In doing so, they are generating income within the community. By rewarding them and giving them more financial security, we are in effect stimulating our economy. The work bonus being paid to pensioners who earn money increases their ability to participate in the workforce.

In this week of New South Wales Seniors Week, it is really important that we in this House acknowledge the fine work of senior Australians. I highlight that the three people in Shortland electorate that were awarded an Order of Australia were Robin Gordon, over 65; Keith Grahame, over 65; and Roger Greenham, over 65. They were all awarded an Order of Australia for their fine volunteer work in the community. (Time expired)