Policies

Climate change is having an enormous impact on our world, impacting on the health and wellbeing and rights of millions of people.

System-wide policy responses are necessary to mitigate the risks posed and their interaction with population ageing.

Older people often experience discrimination in areas including employment, education and accommodation. Often their voice is not heard or they feel invisible.

COTA Australia ensures their voice is heard.

Ageism is how we think about, how we feel about, and how we act towards people based on their age. Ageism is widely accepted and widely experienced.

We need to change this attitude.

The complexity, inefficiency and duplication of the assessment process can be time-consuming, overwhelming and intimidating for older people and their families.   

We are advocating for this to change.

Most older Australians want to receive care and support in their own homes as they age. Entry into home care is complicated with long waiting periods.   

COTA Australia proposes systemic change so people can access what they need when they need it.  

The Royal Commission into Aged Quality and Safety completed in 2021, received substantial evidence regarding difficulties older people face when attempting to enter the aged care system and made recommendations for reform.

My Aged Care is the first aged care system contact point for many older people.

We need to ensure there is positive and comprehensive inclusion and participation of all Australians – particularly older people, as citizens in the digital world.

This includes in government, commercial businesses and for leisure.

Good oral health is fundamental to a person’s health and wellbeing, supporting their ability to eat, communicate and socialise. It is a significant factor affecting general health, wellbeing and overall quality of life.

We are calling for a Seniors Dental Benefits Scheme, among other system improvements.

Mental health is an important concern for older people and is not well understood or adequately resourced by the public health system at any level. Health conditions such as diabetes, hearing loss, and osteoarthritis can significantly impact a person’s psychological wellbeing.

Mental health services need to be more accessible and have a better understanding regarding older Australian’s needs.

Australian workers witness ageism and age discrimination in workplaces from the age of 45. Ironically, this age bracket are realistically at their peak of both experience and skills and are years from leaving the workforce.

We need Government leadership and changed behaviour by Australian employers so the community can benefit from this acquired knowledge and experience.

Having a reliable source or sources of income in retirement is essential for older people. The Retirement Incomes Review outlined 3 pillars to Australia’s retirement income system; the age pension, compulsory superannuation, and voluntary savings.

Reliable retirement income is the means to provide economic security in later years.

Superannuation members receive minimal information about their projected retirement incomes.  As the Government regulates the minimum drawdown people should take from their superannuation (and without an independent advice), this minimum draw down regulation becomes a de facto rate.

More information and support is required so people have a dignified retirement.

The income support system should treat all Australians at all life stages equitably, recognising the important social safety net it provides including adequate levels of income (above the poverty line) in a way that is fair, easy to access and understandable.

Policy settings across the government support spectrum should consider all types of supports equitably, whether they are in the form of income support or tax concessions.

The number of older people experiencing housing insecurity has increased significantly. Recent projections indicate that about 440,000 households aged 55 years and over will need affordable housing by 2031, this is a 78 percent increase in unmet demand from 2016. 

Housing is a fundamental human need for all age groups.