Canberra hears National Seniors Australia 

Canberra in winter can be alarmingly cold and the corridors of parliament house can be the frostiest location of all.  

It’s pleasing to report, however, that the National Seniors delegation who braved the political den met with a warm reception from the new Assistant Minister for Ageing, and other MPs and advisors who took the time to meet and discuss matters that you, our members, have told us are important.  

CEO Chris Grice; head of advocacy and research, Brendon Radford; and senior policy advisor, Jacintha Victor John, held meetings with:  

• Kate Thwaites MP, Assistant Minister for Ageing, Social Services, and Women  
• A senior policy advisor to the Health Minister, Mark Butler  
• The seniors advisor to the Minister for Social Services, Senator Amand Rishworth
• Dr David Gillespie MP, former Minister for Regional Health  
• Dr Anne Webster MP, Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Health  
• Dr Gordon Reid MP, Member of the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care, and Sport  
• Rebekha Sharkie MP 
• Bob Katter MP 

Mr Grice said it was a National Seniors priority to regularly communicate with politicians and other decision makers to make sure they understand the concerns and opinions of older people and to advocate for policies that advance the lives of seniors.  

“There is no substitute for sitting across a table from decision makers and honestly talking about the many serious issues older people face. We are able to represent our members and give voice to what they want,” Mr Grice said.  

The cost of private health, the need for national reform of independent retirement villages, and our Keep Cash campaign were high on the list of topics discussed.  

Mr Grice said the meetings were also a valuable opportunity to listen to what politicians and others perceive as important issues.  

One key meeting was with the Assistant Minister for Ageing, Ms Thwaites, who has only recently been appointed to this role.  

“With over 700 National Seniors members in the Assistant Minister’s electorate of Jaga Jaga, it was important to hear the issues she is hearing, while also communicating to her the concerns we hear from older people more generally,” Mr Grice said.  

“In a productive meeting, Ms Thwaites told us her key concerns included housing insecurity, especially for older women; financial challenges; cybersecurity; eligibility thresholds for seniors cards; and the availability of digital resources for seniors.”  

A primary focus of our visit to Canberra was to share the findings from our recent report into private health insurance, and with it, our recommendations for change. In this regard, we were fortunate to discuss your concerns with the Health Minister’s key policy advisor, among others.  

Issues about the value and viability of private health insurance were discussed in the context of seniors’ concerns about spiralling premiums and rising out-of-pocket medical costs.  

“We made sure they appreciated that seniors want and need private health insurance, but that they feel the rising cost of premiums and out-of-pocket costs undermine its value,” Mr Grice said.  

“As a result of the input of our members and supporters, through our research, we’re calling for a full review of the private health system to ensure Australians get value for money. 

“We’re also calling for an increase in the Private Health Insurance Rebate for people on lower incomes to help them maintain cover.”  

National Seniors took the opportunity to emphasise the importance of all sides of politics coming together to pass the new Aged Care Act so reforms flagged in the Aged Care Royal Commission can continue.   

To their credit, members of parliament from all sides shared their concerns about the delay, mindful that it has been three years since the Aged Care Royal Commission made its final recommendations known.   

A new Aged Care Act will bring changes to aged care funding and improvements in the quality and availability of home and residential care services as well as a stronger rights-based approach to aged care.  

You can read more about this here.  

Ms Sharkie and Mr Katter are staunch supporters of our Keep Cash campaign.  

A key concern discussed was the lack of legal protection for cash. Under current laws, a business can set its own terms as to what forms of payment it accepts.  

Without legislative action, the trend towards a “cashless society” could disproportionately affect people who struggle with technology and online banking, including seniors and those living in rural and remote areas. It will also leave us open to economic shocks if digital transactions are disrupted.   

The demise of regional banks was also raised. This included the potential for Australia Post to offer banking services in rural and remote areas.  

With the support of parliamentarians such as Ms Sharkie and Mr Katter, we can help ensure cash remains a valid payment option for those who need it.