Jobs, home care loans and green energy bonds on seniors' wish list

As a Federal election looms, cultivating the grey vote will be vital for all sides of politics, and with an ever increasing retiree voter demographic, the advocacy group is hoping the needs and wants of older Australians will feature more prominently this time around.

"We know that in Australia every second voter is over the age of 50," said chief advocate Ian Henschke. "If you ignore a section of the community and their wishes, you do it at your peril."

National Seniors says the exemption would have multiple benefits, including addressing critical workforce shortages, increasing income and superannuation balances for low-wealth pensioners, improving health and wellbeing through ongoing workforce and social engagement and removing the need for regular reporting of employment income to Centrelink.

National Seniors is also proposing the Government create a Home Care Loans Scheme (based on the Home Equity Access Scheme) with a reduced (cost recovery) rate of interest, which would allow older people to pay for additional support and care at home or for home modifications. Eligibility would be limited to those approved for a higher-level Home Care Package.

According to National Seniors the scheme would allow home care recipients to live a better and safer life, reduce the risk of hospitalisation and premature entry into residential care and create economic stimulus.

National Seniors also wants older Australians (pensioners and self-funded retirees) to be able to invest in Clean Energy Bonds. They would be limited to Australian citizens, would be guaranteed like bank deposits, and would be invested in a sustainability fund (e.g. within the Future Fund), with dividends paid to the Government to fund renewable energy projects and pay returns to investors.

"Most Australians just want something that's fair," said Mr Henschke, adding that the proposals would stimulate the economy and not cost the country anything.