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Age Discrimination

National Press Club speech - Susan Ryan

“The ageing revolution is not over”

Check against delivery

Last time I spoke here I called my address “the longevity revolution”, and asked, “crisis or opportunity?”.

I intended that question as a challenge but it seems my challenge has not been met. We are as a community, still floundering on the crisis side of the binary. Our approach is still steeped in the language of “burden” and “deficits”. We are still failing to realise the opportunities that longevity can create for us.

4th National Elder Abuse Conference

Good morning.

I would like to start by acknowledging and paying my respects to the traditional owners of the land on which we meet, the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nations, and their elders past and present.

I congratulate the Attorney General, the Hon George Brandis QC on his opening remarks and I hope we all accept the challenges he has set us to find effective ways of tackling the widespread and damaging incidence of elder abuse throughout the Australian community.

Willing to Work - Booklet 4: what you can do about employment discrimination

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Willing to Work - Booklet 3: employment and Australians with disability

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Willing to Work - Booklet 2: employment and older Australians

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Willing to Work - Booklet 1: about the National Inquiry

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National prevalence survey of age discrimination in the workplace 2015

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Foreword

The longevity revolution is underway, inexorably.

The number of Australians aged 65 and over is projected to more than double by 2055, when there will be around 40,000 people aged 100 and over. Life expectancy continues to increase. In 2055, men can expect to live on average to 95.1 and women to 96.6.1

Living longer requires better policies to support longevity

Age Discrimination Commissioner Susan Ryan has welcomed Treasurer Joe Hockey’s reference to the possibility of someone celebrating their 150 year birthday.

“This is a dramatic but important way of reminding all of us that we are living much longer than previous generations and our life spans will continue to lengthen,” said Commissioner Ryan.

Ms Ryan describes the current situation for older workers as “often disastrous”, as people who lose their jobs in their 50s struggle to find new jobs.

The Longevity Revolution – Crisis or Opportunity?

National Press Club Address

Power of Oldness

Campaign highlighting the discrimination mature workers face when trying to gain or maintain jobs