PM Gillard makes promises to older voters
Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, has reached out to older voters with a package designed to fight age discrimination, support mature-age workers and provide stronger protection against unfair reverse mortgages.
Ms Gillard announced the measures on 7 August after a tour of an aged-care facility in the Brisbane seat of Petrie, which is held by Labor’s Yvette D’Ath by a margin of 4.2%.
She promised a re-elected Labor government would appoint an age discrimination commissioner to handle complaints and act as an advocate for older Australians reported The Sunday Age.
The commissioner, who would cost $3 million over four years, would tackle discrimination in areas including work, education, housing and insurance.
Ms Gillard also pledged $30 million in extra funding for training for workers aged over 50. The money is expected to enable 7,500 mature-age workers to improve their skills.
She said special protection was needed for older Australians who used equity in their homes to gain access to credit. Labor would change banking regulation and credit laws to require greater disclosure of the features and fees of reverse mortgages and home reversion schemes.
Labor would also make it illegal for consumers to be left with a debt significantly greater than the value of their property.
They would also provide $900,000 to set up support groups for grandparents who are the primary carers of children.
The promises come on top of a previous pledge to let pensioners earn up to $6,500 a year from part-time work without benefits being cut. This comes at a cost of $94.3 million over four years.
