practical living
How do we change attitudes towards our elder Australians,
especially in the eyes of employers? How will the government guarantee their acceptance
back into the workforce?
The Turnbull government is already focused strongly on this,
with our $110 million Mature Age Employment Package,
announced in the 2017 Budget.
The major component of this is the new Career Transition
Assistance Program to help people over the age of 50 forge
new career paths and opportunities. They are a vital and often
undervalued asset for our local community and economy, and
an important part of this program will be helping businesses
understand and capitalise on the wealth of life skills, experience
and dependability offered by older workers. This is not about forcing businesses to continue employing
older workers but about working together on the great
opportunities for us to rethink the value of senior Australians,
who still have so much to offer.
We already have leave in other forms – long service
leave, annual leave, etc – and people take these and they are
reinvigorated. Before people retire, it would be good to see
the talented individuals we have in every workplace retained so
that companies, service sectors and industry can continue
to grow, because when we let people out of the workforce,
we lose some incredible skills that have been accumulated
over 60-plus years.
You have proposed the idea of a gap year for potential retirees.
Where did this idea come from?
The gap year concept formed as I visited men’s sheds and during
forums I’ve held with seniors, where people have told me they
regretted retiring. Some say their reasons are financial, but many
of the concerns are centred on self-worth and boredom.
Some have told me they’re trying to get back into the workforce,
but are being told they’re “too experienced” or “overqualified”.
They’re frustrated because, as one woman said to me: “I thought I
had planned for my retirement financially, but I just don’t have the
finances.” And that has become a challenge for her, and she really
is now looking at any type of job to give herself the quality of life
that she’d been used to in her later years of working.
Finally, Minister, you are 65. Where are you going on
your gap year?
I actually took mine early. After working as a teacher, then in
senior management roles in Indigenous health in both the West
Australian and NSW governments, I decided to take a gap year
after I turned 50.
During those 12 months, I was able to read a lot, rejuvenate and
consider my options, and that’s when I decided to take my career
in a new direction – politics. But I think I’ll eventually need another
gap year because I’m hoping to continue living life to the full, for a
long time to come. ■
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