Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

We have been asked about the age pension age, and so let me start with a very apt description that was given by the member for Jagajaga. She said:

Increasing the age pension age is a responsible reform to meet the challenge of an ageing population and the economic impact it will have for all Australians.

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Australia must move towards a higher pension age over the next decade.

Source: Wayne Swan and Jenny Macklin media release, budget 2009.

But an even better description—a more academic, a cleverer and more well-rounded description—comes from the member for Fenner. He says:

A better approach would be to index upper age limits in all laws, …

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How might age indexation operate in practice? One approach would be to mandate that all elderly age limits should increase by 3 months every year (approximately the rate at which life expectancy is presently rising).

Source: 'You're only as old as they feel', op-ed by Andrew Leigh in The Australian Financial Review.

I do feel a little bit sorry for the member for Fenner! He was put into the shadow ministry in a factional deal where he got in but he did not get any weight!

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