Advisory panel on the economic potential of senior Australians: reports and government response

19 April 2012 | In April 2011 the federal government established an Advisory Panel on the Economic Potential of Senior Australians to ensure the potential of the older members of our community is considered in a range of policy debates. The panel's three reports and the government's response are now available here.

• The Panel delivered the first report, Realising the economic potential of senior Australians: changing face of society, to the Hon Wayne Swan MP, Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer and the Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Mental Health and Ageing on 26 August 2011.
• The second report, Realising the economic potential of senior Australians: enabling opportunity, was released on 2 November 2011 and examines key enablers to realise opportunities in later life.
• The third report, Realising the economic potential of senior Australians: turning grey into gold, was released on 12 December 2011. In this final report the advisory panel presents a series of recommendations to capitalise on the opportunities that older people bring.
• The Government response to the third and final report of the Advisory Panel on the Economic Potential of Senior Australians was released on 18 April 2012. The Government response addresses all of the Advisory Panel’s seven themes, responds positively to the majority of recommendations and includes a package of new initiatives that build on the Government’s comprehensive agenda on ageing.

The Panel consists of three members, each working in a part-time capacity:

• Mr Everald Compton AM (chairperson), recently retired Chair of National Seniors Australia; and Chair of the Consultative Forum on Mature Age Participation
• Professor Gill Lewin, President of the Australian Association of Gerontology; Professor at the Centre for Research on Ageing at Curtin University of Technology; and Research Director at Silver Chain, a provider of community and health services in WA
• Professor Brian Howe AO, former Deputy Prime Minister with Ministerial experience in the fields of Social Security, Health, Housing and Community Services; and Professorial Fellow at the Centre for Public Policy, University of Melbourne

The Government has asked the Panel to consider a number of specific policy areas during its deliberations:

• Opportunities created by the National Broadband Network (NBN) for senior Australians to stay connected to their communities.
• Opportunities for senior Australians to get involved in activities to preserve our environment and help tackle climate change.
• Priority areas for consideration by the new Commissioner for Age Discrimination – helping cultivate positive attitudes towards senior Australians across all facets of the community.
• Improving workforce participation and investing in the skills and experience of senior Australians – allowing businesses and community groups to tap into an active and engaged talent pool of senior Australians.
• Opportunities for businesses and community groups to provide a wider range of recreational and preventative health services that meet senior Australians' interests and support healthy and active lifestyles.
• Creating new avenues for senior Australians to volunteer – supporting the networks and systems that can match the skills and abilities of a growing pool of senior Australians with community needs.
• Supporting seniors-friendly housing – influencing planning, design and construction decisions to take advantage of the opportunities presented by demographic change.
• Helping senior Australians plan for their future – helping senior Australians keep an eye to the future, make well-informed decisions and plan ahead for life's transitions.

Image: s_falkow / flickr