50 years of standing up for seniors
National Seniors Australia (NSA) has achieved a significant milestone, but we're not slowing down in our efforts to empower older Australians.
NSA has celebrated its 50th anniversary with a huge community event, bringing together older Australians to reflect on five decades of effective advocacy, research, services, and social connection.
In addition, the anniversary celebration, held at the Strathpine Community Centre north of Brisbane on Tuesday 27 October, also explored how retirement has changed over the decades and highlighted some of the financial, health, and social issues affecting older Australians today.
Attendees heard stories and insights from NSA's history, learned about its current and future advocacy priorities, and discussed issues relevant to older Australians.
The program included the panel discussion, Is retirement a dirty word? featuring finance commentator Noel Whittaker AM, NSA Advisory Council Member Wayne Sticher and National Seniors Founder Everald Compton AO.
As NSA CEO, Chris Grice, noted, “Retirement is no longer necessarily about finishing work and slowing down. For many, it can mean a new career, volunteering, spending more time with family, or pursuing a long-held ambition. Of course, it also brings important questions about financial security, health, and purpose.”
A second panel discussion, again featuring Wayne Sticher and NSA Advisory Council Member Dr Jan Herbert explored the value and contribution of older Australians and highlighted NSA's mantra, Experience Matters.
While these insights and conversations were certainly thought provoking, it was the esteemed Service Awards presented to 20 dedicated NSA branch volunteers and committee members as well as dedicated and long serving staff that were a crowd highlight. Our branches are a wonderful social outlet for members across the country, and the dedicated volunteers who run them are integral for this outreach. Our founder Everald Compton and Helen Compton also received a special award for their contributions to NSA over many years.
From Later Years to a national organisation
NSA began in 1976 as Later Years, founded by Mr Compton with inaugural chairman Bert Martin. It was established to represent and support retirees, combining advocacy with practical member services.
Importantly, it was not conceived as a welfare body. Its founders wanted to build a movement based on self-reliance and strong representation for older Australians.
Later Years expanded through mergers with Mature Australia in New South Wales and Retirees Inc in Western Australia. It established a travel agency in 1988 and adopted the name National Seniors Association in 1991, when Mr Compton became chairman and David Deans became chief executive.
Research became another important part of the organisation’s work with the creation of the Productive Ageing Centre in 2002.
NSA has since completed more than 140 research reports to support its advocacy and provide evidence about the experiences, needs and contributions of older Australians.
Other developments included the establishment of insurance operations, the creation of National Seniors Australia Ltd in 2007 and a merger with ARPA Over 50s in 2008.
Branch activity experienced particularly strong growth between 2000 and 2010, strengthening the organisation’s community presence. National Seniors was registered as a charity with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission in 2012.
Practical services and community support
Over the years, NSA has developed operations extending well beyond policy advocacy. These have included travel, insurance, financial products, research, community branches, and services that help members make informed decisions.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the organisation operated a support line, conducted welfare checks and distributed care packs to older Australians.
The Productive Ageing Institute and its website were created in 2024 to support the organisation’s parliamentary and policy work. Our member app followed in 2025, along with a cyber safety and scams awareness training program.
In 2026, NSA conducted community forums with the Department of Health and Aged Care to help older Australians understand aged-care reforms. We also established a new social branch model, with three new branches opening during the year.
Advocacy producing lasting change
The anniversary has provided an opportunity to recognise advocacy wins achieved across several decades.
These have included negotiations over aged-care funding with then Prime Minister, John Howard, in 2001 and changes to pension payments negotiated with then Treasurer, Wayne Swan, in 2009, which saw the greatest increase in the Age Pension in many years.
NSA has also achieved success in improving the Work Bonus for pensioners, reducing and freezing Age Pension deeming rates, widening self-funded retiree access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, protecting franking credits and the retirement income they provide, and improving the Pension Loans Scheme (now known as the Home Equity Access Scheme).
The organisation campaigned successfully against lifting the Age Pension eligibility age from 67 to 70 and has contributed extensively to the national debate about aged care.
National Seniors was referred to more than 50 times in the final report of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. Its work has also supported the development of an “ageing in place” model intended to help people receive appropriate care while remaining at home.
Most recently, NSA advocacy led the introduction of the Cash Mandate, contributed to the successful retention of the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) until 30 June 2029, and helped secure a gradual lift to deeming rates to protect pension entitlements. We have been at the forefront of debates about out-of-pocket health costs, and were central in efforts to have the cut to the higher Private Health Insurance rebate for older Australians thrown out of the Senate.
None of our work would be possible without the ongoing support of NSA members and community members. It is because of you and for you that we continue our mission to defend, protect, and promote the interest of older Australians. Thank you.
Keep Cash is about more than banknotes
One current priority is the Keep Cash campaign, which emphasises that access to cash is connected to broader questions of inclusion, security, and essential banking services.
The campaign draws attention to bank branch closures, the removal of ATMs, and the fact that some branches no longer handle cash. It also raises concerns about transaction fees at non-bank ATMs, retailers refusing cash or charging customers to use it, the withdrawal of cheques, and the closure of phone banking services.
For older Australians, these changes can be compounded by difficulties accessing credit cards, growing reliance on debit cards, online scams, and interruptions to digital banking services. NSA is advocating for a customer service obligation that would help protect branch and cash services.
As it enters its sixth decade, NSA will continue to focus on retirement income, pensioner poverty, health, superannuation, cost-of-living pressures, and aged care. Other priorities include reducing private health insurance out-of-pocket costs, addressing delays in home-care packages, and challenging ageism by promoting the continuing value and contribution of older Australians.
Even as we hit our half-century, there is no slowing down. We are always looking ahead to the work that needs to be done to empower older Australians.
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