The Gillard Government will establish an Advisory Panel on the Economic Potential of Senior Australians to ensure the potential of the older members of our community is considered in a range of policy debates.
There has been a tendency to look at the ageing of the population as a problem to be solved, but we must not lose sight of the benefits and opportunities that come with a larger and more active community of senior Australians.
The new Advisory Panel will ensure these considerations are injected into a range of contemporary policy debates, such as the opportunities created by the National Broadband Network for senior Australians.
It will also examine how businesses and policy makers can assist senior Australians in their transition from the workforce into other valuable endeavours, such as supporting their families, mentoring, volunteering and community work.
The Panel will complement the work of the Consultative Forum on Mature Age Employment, which will continue to focus on measures to promote workplace participation.
Mr Everald Compton AM will chair the Panel, with the other members to be announced in early April. It will produce a series of reports to Government in the second half of 2011.
The Panel will also undertake targeted consultation with relevant experts and peak representative bodies around the country. Its work will be supported by a secretariat to be established in the Treasury.
Those interested in the Panel's work or consultations can contact the secretariat at epsa.secretariat@treasury.gov.au