As we head into the final week of the Federal Election campaign, many voters by now will be totally ‘over’ the promises, the rhetoric and the shouty debates.
Yet many older Australians are also keenly interested in understanding the policy detail that affects them the most – without the spin.
This week we have created a handy summary for our Retirement Essentials members – just the facts, without commentary or embellishment.
Our list encompasses the five key policy areas that are most likely to concern those in retirement and their families. These are:
- Retirement income and entitlements
- Housing
- Health
- Aged care
- Work
MAJOR PARTY POLICIES:
| Policy | Australian Greens | Australian Labor Party | Liberal – National Coalition |
| Main policy detail | https://greens.org.au/ | https://www.alp.org.au/policies | https://www.liberal.org.au/our-plan |
| Retirement income and entitlements | Lower Age Pension age, increased base rate, removal of Cashless Debit Card | Matching the LNP freezing of deeming rates for two years, increased access to Commonwealth Seniors’ Health Card (CHSC) and an enquiry into Robodebt collection by Centrelink | Freezing deeming rates, increased access to Commonwealth Seniors’ Health Card (CSHC)
https://www.liberal.org.au/our-plan/supporting-senior-australians |
| Housing | Shared equity ownership scheme, expanded public housing building program | ‘Help to Buy’ homeownership plan, increased social housing creation
https://www.alp.org.au/policies/helping-more-australians-into-home-ownership |
Home super saving scheme and home guarantee scheme
https://www.liberal.org.au/our-plan-housing-and-home-ownership |
| Health | Medicare funded dental and mental health care, private health insurance funds redirected to public hospitals | Urgent care Medicare clinics, lower cost PBS medicines, more medical staff training | Telehealth, public hospital funding, PBS medicines support
https://www.liberal.org.au/strengthening-australias-world-class-health-system |
| Aged Care | Increased staffing and staff to resident rations, eventual phasing out of for-profit providers | Registered nurses 24/7, pay rises for Age Care workers, better nutrition | Increased Age Care sector funding in response to Royal commission, more at home care packages, 24/7 nurses |
| Work | Establish minimum living wage, wage increases to redress gender pay gap | Fee-free TAFE places, same job same pay scheme | 1.3 million new jobs, regional accelerator, jobs training |
We have confined our summary to the three major parties – The Liberal-National Party coalition, the Labor Party and the Greens. Our summary is very brief, but where possible, there is a link to each specific promise so that you can read the detail on the areas that matter most to you.
Many readers will also wish to further research policies of minor parties and independents so we have listed some helpful links here as well.
Climate 200 candidates (also known as Teal Independents)
National Party (included as LNP policy above, but here’s the separate website)
There are clearly many areas of concern when casting a vote. According to the ABC’s Vote Compass data, this election the top three policy issues are climate change, cost of living and economic management, and government accountability. For these specific issues, we suggest you visit your preferred party or candidate’s website and follow the links to better understand who is offering what and why.
All the best on voting day – and yes, it’s worth remembering Robert Kennedy Jnr’s comment that democracy is a messy form of government – but it sure beats the alternative.
NB The above policy summary and links were correct at the time of writing but policies and party statements may change during the final week of the election – make sure to check the individual websites to ensure you are totally up-to-date.
And if you are completely bored by all this election talk why not check your entitlements?
As always there are many promises the reality however is that many of those promises by either side are doomed to fall into the to hard basket or are simply “floss” in order to persuade a recalcitrant voter into voting for one party or another. Many in the electorate are hard wired to vote for one party or the other, the reality being that only a modest number of voters are persuaded by the hype to change their vote.
Sure democracy is messy but if it is to work for the benefit of voters there must be a genuine effort by our erstwhile politicians to provide what the public needs, Increasingly the electorate are being taken for granted and every three years candidates for parliament roll out the same rhetoric about being “for Australia” the reality is however that rather than the common good, all the politicians are really on about is securing their time on the gravy train for another three years. Perhaps when every politician, no matter what ideology they are bound too, realizes that their place at the table is a privilege that has to be earned we will get change for the better. Unfortunately I cannot see that happening any time soon
Absolutely, Robert. They should be thinking of the country, people, party and finally self; in truth, it is the complete reverse.
Still nothing about allowing us to work as is the policy in NZ… Any party that does that will WIN!
Not only NZ, Robert. Most European countries work the same way. You can work as long as you can, get the Age pension after 65 but then pay income tax on the total.
However, there are not too many “Freebies” given to oldies as we enjoy here in Oz.
Time to change the LNP even for one term as it flushes out the government inactive and movment on change and we really need that now after ten years of same government.
Vote for who you would like too and don’t be fooled by the sales pitch.
Although I will vote, I don’t feel that any politician or party are really worthy of my vote. Their behaviour in parliament is disgusting. If I had behaved in a similar way I would have very quickly lost my job and been in trouble with the police. Another thing is the adds; they are just putting down the other parties instead of praising themselves. No wonder people are being more and more turned off the whole political/government situation.