Skip to content Skip to navigation
MENU
COTA Victoria Logo
Login
Get Involved
Home CLOSE
MENU
  • About
    About
    CLOSE MENU
    • Management Team
    • Annual reports and financial statements
    • Board of Governance
    • Contact Us
    • Work with us
    • COTA Victoria Privacy Statement
  • News
    News
    CLOSE MENU
    • Latest News
    • COTA Connects
      • Sign-up for e-Newsletter
    • Media
      • Media Releases
    • COTA Conversations podcast
    • ONE COTA magazine
  • Events
  • Policy
    Policy
    CLOSE MENU
    • Our policy priorities
    • Policy positions
    • Assistive Technology for All
    • Elder Abuse | Seniors Rights Victoria
    • Submissions
    • Publications
  • Programs
    Programs
    CLOSE MENU
    • Seniors Rights Victoria
    • Older Men: New Ideas (OM:NI) men’s discussion groups
    • Care Finders
    • Carer Employment Support
      • Women Working Together
    • Living Longer Living Stronger
    • COTA Cycling
    • Victorian Seniors Festival 2023
    • Past Programs
  • Information
    Information
    CLOSE MENU
    • Looking for information?
    • COTA WISE services
    • How-to guides
    • Resources
    • It’s Your Energy - New Energy Rights for Victorians
  • Support us
    Support us
    CLOSE MENU
    • Become a member
    • Sign up for COTA Connects newsletter
    • Volunteer with us
    • Donations and Bequests
  • About
  • News
  • Events
  • Policy
  • Programs
  • Information
  • Support us
  • Login
About
  • Management Team
  • Annual reports and financial statements
  • Board of Governance
  • Contact Us
  • Work with us
  • COTA Victoria Privacy Statement
News
  • Latest News
  • COTA Connects
  • Media
  • COTA Conversations podcast
  • ONE COTA magazine
COTA Connects
  • Sign-up for e-Newsletter
Media
  • Media Releases
Policy
  • Our policy priorities
  • Policy positions
  • Assistive Technology for All
  • Elder Abuse | Seniors Rights Victoria
  • Submissions
  • Publications
Programs
  • Seniors Rights Victoria
  • Older Men: New Ideas (OM:NI) men’s discussion groups
  • Care Finders
  • Carer Employment Support
  • Living Longer Living Stronger
  • COTA Cycling
  • Victorian Seniors Festival 2023
  • Past Programs
Carer Employment Support
  • Women Working Together
Information
  • Looking for information?
  • COTA WISE services
  • How-to guides
  • Resources
  • It’s Your Energy - New Energy Rights for Victorians
Support us
  • Become a member
  • Sign up for COTA Connects newsletter
  • Volunteer with us
  • Donations and Bequests

Federal politics: ‘A fair go’ bits and spin

18 April 201903/05/2021
Aged Care, Finance, Health and Wellbeing, Housing and Accomodation, Pensions and Concessions
Federal politics: ‘A fair go’ bits and spin preview image

On the 18 May, Australians will choose between Scott Morrison’s ‘a fair go if you have a go’[1] pitch or Bill Shorten’s ‘a fair go for everyone’[2] action plan. What is behind the budget bits and election spin? In the context of recent budget announcements is there really a ‘fair go’ for older Australians?

COTA Australia’s recent survey report, State of the (Older) Nation, showed that those renting between the age of 50 and 64 who are unemployed face the greatest level of financial stress. For the 350,000 mature age jobseekers on Newstart payments, living below the poverty line, there is no ‘fair go’ in the budget announcements from either party. Despite business and community sector groups calling for an immediate $75 a week increase to Newstart, neither Labor nor the Coalition tackled the most glaring areas of poverty and inequality. The Opposition only promised a social security review. For older workers facing chronic age discrimination ‘getting a go’ in the workforce is the biggest challenge. However, there was some good news with Labor’s support for older workers to retrain through Advanced Adult Apprenticeships for aged care and NDIS.

When it comes to a ‘fair go’ in retirement, COTA Australia has lamented the lack of a comprehensive retirement income policy development by either party. According to COTA Australia’s CEO, Ian Yates,  ‘a Retirement Incomes Review would ensure government created equitable and fair policies across taxation, superannuation and the age pension and establish greater certainty for older Australians and people nearing retirement’.[3]

Both the Coalition and Labor failed to deliver new Home Care packages for 125,000 older Australians languishing while they wait for up to two years. COTA Australia has called on both parties to immediately commit $1.25 billion per annum to halve the number of older Australians waiting more than three months for home care, and commit to increasing that figure to $2.5 billion per annum over the next term of government to bring the maximum waiting list to three months.[4] Neither party addressed the oral and dental health needs of pensioners or older people in aged care in their budget announcements. This directly impacts on nutrition, independence, health and quality of life for older people.

There are, however, positive health announcements by both parties, most notably the Coalition’s $1.1 billion investment into Primary Health Care and maintaining the current incentive for GPs to treat older Australians in residential aged care. There was also re-introduction of indexation of GP Medicare payments and a focus on heart health through Medicare funded heart checks. For details on the Coalition’s aged care funding announcements see COTA Australia.

Labor in its budget reply announced a $2.3 billion cancer package to reduce public hospital waiting lists and cover out-of-pocket costs and treatments for fighting various cancers. There will be new bulk-billed Medicare items for consultations with oncologists and surgeons if you are diagnosed with cancer.

A ‘fair go for all’ test needs to be applied to both parties and their policies across social security, taxation, superannuation, the age pension and housing. Inequality directly affects the health of everyone and reduces social cohesion. Segmenting people into ‘contributors and non-contributors’ or ‘younger and older’ does not reflect how Australians create a ‘fair go’ for all. Both parties have an opportunity and responsibility to lead and share their vision for creating a more equal, cohesive and healthier society – for all.

[1] ‘I believe in a fair go for those who have a go. And what that means is, part of the promise that we all keep as Australians is that we make a contribution and don’t seek to take one.’ Lyons, K., The Guardian, 11 April, 2019
[2] https://www.alp.org.au/labors-fair-go-action-plan/Sourced 11 April, 2019
[3] https://www.cota.org.au/news-items/media-release-positive-bibs-and-bobs-in-budget-but-too-much-missing-in-action/ Sourced 11th April 2019
[4] https://www.cota.org.au/news-items/media-release-labors-budget-reply-commitment-on-cancer-welcome-but-missing-in-action-on-other-key-commitments-for-8-million-older-australians/ Sourced 11th April 2019

aged care, Australian Federal Budgets, Government funding, Home Care Packages, Newstart, older workers, State of the Older Nation

RELATED NEWS

COTA Victoria & Seniors Rights Victoria CEO’s message, December 2023 preview image

COTA Victoria & Seniors Rights Victoria CEO’s message, December 2023

30 November 2023
Read more
Read more
Notice of Special General Meeting (SGM) preview image

Notice of Special General Meeting (SGM)

23 November 2023
Read more
Read more
COTA Victoria Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2023 preview image

COTA Victoria Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2023

22 November 2023
Read more
Read more
SHARE THIS CONTENT:
COTA Victoria Logo
  • About
  • News
  • Events
  • Policy
  • Programs
  • Information
  • Support us
Seniors Rights Victoria Registered Charity
Follow on
Facebook
COTA FEDERATION
  • ACT
  • New South Wales
  • Northern Territory
  • Queensland
  • South Australia
  • Tasmania
  • Victoria
  • Western Australia
COTA Western Australia COTA Northern Territory COTA Queensland COTA New South Wales COTA ACT COTA Victoria COTA South Australia COTA Tasmania
Follow on
Twitter
GET INVOLVED
  • Seniors Rights Victoria
  • COTA Connects newsletter
  • Get Involved
  • COTA Insurance
  • Follow on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Follow on LinkedIn
  • Follow on Instagram
  • Follow on Threads
  • Contact Us
Seniors Rights Victoria
TERMS PRIVACY CONTACT SITEMAP
© 2023 COTA Victoria ABN 81 960 500 420 WEB DESIGN CODE AND VISUAL
Back to top
All correspondence may also be collected and stored, particularly in regard to registrations, including Email. Any information collected by COTA Victoria is collected via correspondence from you or your organisation. This may be via the telephone, Email, mail, fax or directly through our website.AcceptReject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT