Professor Sloan new chair of National Seniors Australia
Professor Judith Sloan, who has been a Productivity Commission Commissioner, former ABC deputy chair, and is now director of Westfield, has been named the new chairman of National Seniors Australia (NSA), a group dedicated to advancing the interests of older Australians.
Her appointment which commenced on 10 December, marks a changing of the generational guard. Her predecessor, Everald Compton, 79, founded the organisation 35 years ago and has run it ever since.
The 56-year-old economist told The Australian that her generation, not known for their reticence, will do retirement differently.
“I don’t think we are going to be good at it because none of us have gone through any hardship,” Professor Sloan told The Australian.
She vowed to challenge the government on policies which increase the cost of living for older people but would also broaden the scope of the organisation’s lobbying efforts to areas such as the environment.
The Australian said her appointment was likely to dramatically alter the tone of seniors lobbying in Australia.
Professor Sloan said issues such as the aged pension, superannuation, and aged care, would always be core business. But other government policies often have unintended consequences on older people.
“On environmental issues I think older people are concerned but they are also concerned about higher utility prices and they are unable to adjust to those prices as easily as younger people,” she said.
“You worry about wrong messages. You don’t want an 83-year-old scared to put on the air conditioner.”
And like most of her generation she has no intention of slowing down any time soon.
“I don’t regard myself as old or winding down at all,” she said.
