10/2/2014
Australia has highest elderly poverty rate in region | The Australian
THE AUSTRALIAN
Australia has highest elderly poverty rate in region
PATRICIA KARVELAS THE AUSTRALIAN OCTOBER 01, 2014 12:00AM
Australia ranks 13th in the world for treatment of older people but 61st on the specific measure of income security. Picture:
Peter Ristevski Source: News Corp Australia
AUSTRALIA has the highest old age poverty rate in the Asia-Pacific region, according to
an inter​
national study that ranks Aus​
tralia 13th for treatment of older people but 61st on a
measure of ​
income security.
The study also found Australia had below-average pension income coverage and relative welfare
rates compared with other countries in this region. Australia performed best in the capability
index, ranking second with a high rate of educational attainment among older people. It also
ranked high in the health domain, with values above the regional average on all indicators.
On the measure of enabling environment, Australia ranks 26th, with values below the regional ​
averages for the perception of safety and satisfaction with public transport.
Australia had the lowest ranking in the region, 61st overall, for income security for old people,
and the highest old age poverty rate in the region. It also had below average pension income
coverage (83 per cent) and relative welfare rates (65 per cent) compared to other countries in this
region.
To mark UN International Day of Older Persons, HelpAge International will today launch the
Global AgeWatch Index 2014 ranking 96 countries according to the ​
social and economic
wellbeing of older people.
COTA Australia chief executive Ian Yates said although the index ranked Australia 13th overall,
seniors would be concerned to see the nation come in 61st on income security for older people.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/australia-has-highest-elderly-poverty-rate-in-region/story-fn59niix-1227075695236?sv=d958dcf15…
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10/2/2014
Australia has highest elderly poverty rate in region | The Australian
“The launch of the GlobalAge index should be a wake-up call to the Australian government — ​
especially on their proposals for the age pension,” Mr Yates said.
“While it is pleasing to see we rate well on health and employment, the income security of
Australia’s older people is comparable to that of Thailand (58th), Ecuador (56th) and Bolivia
(55th).
“That’s a pretty poor reflection on how we are managing retirement incomes in this country.
“It emphasises the need for an independent retirement incomes review and provides no
justification for the government’s planned changes to the age pension.”
In this year’s budget, the government proposed to change the indexation of the pension from
September 2017 so it would not keep up with living standards and increase the pension age to 70
years by 2035. The changes have passed the House of Representatives and were first debated
today in the Senate.
“We will slide even further down the scale if the Abbott government continues the push to make
Australian pensioners the oldest in the world and cut the pension rate through changes to
indexation,” Mr Yates said.
He said the fact that Australia lagged behind countries such as Canada (4th), the US (8th), New
Zealand (10th) and Britain (11th) showed Australia needed to lift its game.
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