Media Release - A Decent Quality Of Life Should Be The Benchmark For Older - And All - Australians

Frank Quinlan, Executive Director of Catholic Social Services Australia, today welcomed the call by the Senate Community Affairs Committee for an urgent and fundamental review of retirement incomes.

Mr Quinlan said a similar review was also needed for government benefits available to all people of working age.

Commenting after the release of the Committee's report on cost of living pressures on older Australians, A decent quality of life, Mr Quinlan said current arrangements are clearly inadequate for an increasing number of older people.

"The current system needs updating. There is a clear need for a pension increase based on need using a measured, identifiable test.

"The current system is complex and outdated, riddled with anomalies and often based on political whim rather than good social and economic policy.

"We certainly welcome any approach that recommends pensions should be based on people's real need rather than ancient formulas.

"If pensions are not realistically indexed, older Australians risk being further marginalised as they are less capable of leaving the house and engaging with their community, friends and family," Mr Quinlan said.

Mr Quinlan called on the Commonwealth Government not only to implement the report's recommendations, but to apply the report's central theme - the need to ensure a decent quality of life - across the gamut of its social security and social policy issues: A decent quality of life should be the benchmark for older - and all - Australians.

We particularly welcome the report's recommendations on base pension levels, indexation, superannuation for older people in vulnerable groups, dental care and kinship care - which all reflect key themes of Catholic Social Services Australia's submissions to the Committee," Mr Quinlan said.

Catholic Social Services Australia provides services to over a million Australians each year through its 64 member agencies in remote, regional and metropolitan Australia.

20 March 2008

CONTACT: Judith Tokley 0408 824 306 / 02 6285 1366