National Seniors Australia: A Fairer Future

With an eye on the looming Federal election this year, National Seniors Australia has put together a budget submission urging the Government to adopt a number of key recommendations for the betterment of older Australians and the nation.

The recommendations come under the following three broad headings:

1. Creating a simpler retirement system, by developing:

• An Age Pension income test exemption (so pensioners can help meet workforce shortages) and an inquiry into the costs and benefits of a universal pension.
• An Independent Pension Tribunal (to take the politics out of the pension) and an increase to Commonwealth Rent Assistance.

2. Improving access to care at home, by implementing:

• A mature age home care traineeship program and incentives for older workers to work more hours in both health and aged care.
• Incentives to downsize and for a capital grants scheme for rental housing to allow people to stay out of residential care.
• Multi-partisan support for additional aged care funding and for a dedicated Home Care Loans Scheme so people get more care at home.

3. Older people contributing to future generations, by:

• Helping older people achieve our emissions targets by issuing Clean Energy Bonds and assisting younger people by adjusting gifting rules.

National Seniors Australia’s Chief Advocate, Ian Henschke, encourages people to examine the budget submission and share it with friends and family. You can access the submission here.

• Topics:

• Seniors
• Politics