Cota Welcomes Productive Ageing Package

NEWS RELEASE

COTA WELCOMES PRODUCTIVE AGEING PACKAGE

Australia's peak organisation for older Australians, COTA (Council on the Ageing) says the Rudd Government's Productive Ageing Package is an important step towards breaking down stereotypes about the older population being a "burden" on the community.

The Federal Treasurer, Mr Wayne Swan and Minister for Employment Participation, Senator Mark Arbib, have launched a $43.3 million Productive Ageing Package to provide training and support for older Australians who wish to stay in the workforce.

Mr Ian Yates, the National Chief Executive of COTA, said the package was a valuable beginning to providing incentives to older Australians who wished to continue to make a valuable contribution in the workforce.

"Within the OECD, Australia has a relatively low participation rate for people aged over 50 years," he said.

"The latest Productive Ageing Package starts addressing this by making it easier for targeted older workers who wish to remain in the workforce to do so.

"Australia faces a looming skills and experience shortage and by encouraging older Australians to remain in the workforce, this can be ameliorated to some extent.

"It will also help drive a change in the general portrayal of older people, which we see as a major issue facing Australia.

"COTA welcomes the Consultative Forum on Mature Age Participation, on which
COTA will sit, as a platform for developing further initiatives

"Australia has an ageing population, but this provides both opportunities as well as challenges and it is past time these issues are tackled."

Mr Yates said ageing issues would be a key national economic and social agenda item for the next decade and while Australia does not yet have the right public policies in place, announcements like today were steps in the right direction.

Further Information:
Ian Yates
Chief Executive
COTA Ph: 0418 835 439 or
08-8224 5510 (office)

SOURCE: COTA National