I would like to thank the Law Council of Australia for this invitation to speak at your National Elder Law and Succession Law Committee meeting, and to your committee chair, Darryl Browne, for introducing me.
I wish to acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation as the traditional owners of the lands from which we meet and pay respect to their Elders, past, present and emerging.
The Age Discrimination Commissioner, Robert Fitzgerald AM, has called on Australia’s retirement living sector to introduce new nationwide strategies to better identify and respond to the abuse of residents.
Elder abuse affects one in six older Australians, including those living in retirement villages. The abuse can take many forms, including neglect, financial exploitation, physical violence, and psychological abuse. According to a 2023 study by the NSW Retirement Villages Residents Association, the most common form of abuse in villages is resident-on-resident.
Age Discrimination Commissioner Robert Fitzgerald AM has warned the ongoing cost-of-living crisis is likely to lead to an increased risk of elder abuse with Australia needing to further bolster its efforts to address the nationwide problem.
Elder abuse is when harm is done to an older person by someone they know and trust, often a family member. It can take many forms, including neglect, financial exploitation, physical violence, coercive control, and sexual and psychological abuse.
The Age Discrimination Commissioner, Robert Fitzgerald AM, has today launched a new interview series about ageing positively in Australia and the human rights challenges facing older people.
‘Let’s Talk Ageing’ will hear from prominent Australians and thought-leaders in the country. The first guest is Australian Human Rights Commission President, Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM, who was also the Acting Age Discrimination Commissioner prior to Commissioner Fitzgerald's commencement.
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Our new 'Let’s Talk Ageing' interview series presents insights from thought-leaders about ageing in Australia and beyond.
In the first interview of this series, Age Discrimination Commissioner Robert Fitzgerald AM talks with President of the Australian Human Rights Commission, Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM, about ageing positively and some of the challenges older persons face from a human rights perspective.
Read more about the Age Discrimination Commissioner's work.
Australia’s Age Discrimination Commissioner, Robert Fitzgerald AM, has called on the Federal Government to formally endorse the creation of a UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons, in what he said remains a missing piece in the international human rights framework.
Currently, there is no binding international instrument dedicated to the rights of older persons, like there is for race, sex, children, and disability. This is despite the growing trend of ageing populations, both globally and in Australia.
Australia’s new Age Discrimination Commissioner, Robert Fitzgerald AM, said due to the country’s rapidly ageing population, every effort is required to better secure the wellbeing and safety of older Australians. A nationally consistent approach, he adds, is essential to empower older people and ensure they live safely with dignity and agency.
Emeritus Professor Rosalind Croucher AM FAAL FRSA FACLM(Hon)
The presentation will focus on the Commission’s proposed model for a Human Rights Act in Australia and how it may support the rights of older people.
[Thank you to organisers….]
