Voters don"t trust politicians to program for ageing population, survey shows

The ageing population is cited by the Abbott government as the driver of many policy changes, such as well being cuts and tax reform.

But focus groups carried out across the nation by the Ipsos Thoughts and Mood survey have a clear message for legislators. Voters understand that demographic adjust calls for policy alter, but politicians must proceed with severe caution.

The survey “Our Ageing Population” identified Australians are quite concerned about the problem and deeply concerned that governments haven’t got policy right.

“They are concerned about the broad-reaching implications for the nation’s housing, employment and healthcare sectors … Perceptions that the federal government is not introducing policies which will deal with these perceived problems only serves to heighten nervousness about Australia’s potential in the face of this critical demographic shift,” the survey concludes.

Most not too long ago treasurer Joe Hockey raised the likelihood of humans living to 150 as he foreshadowed a “deep conversation with the Australian people” about ageing following the government releases the newest intergenerational report. And the ageing population is also cited as a reason the government wants to lower spending on healthcare.

“The idea that health has to be cut to support the ageing population frightens folks since they feel the method is under immense strain previously and they can not see how much more can be taken away, and in regional Australia they feel specially under-serviced,” explained Dorothy Dudley, director of the Thoughts and Mood report.

And whilst some respondents have been prepared to accept the Abbott government’s $ 7 Medicare copayment (the policy that was on the table at the time of the surveys) they have been suspicious that it would lead to even greater payments and a “US-style system” where healthcare grew to become unaffordable.

The report includes quotes from emphasis group participants on the subject.

• “I do not personally have a dilemma with the $ seven co-payment, I’m pleased for my taxes to go towards healthcare even if I’m not sick, it’s undoubtedly far better than a whole lot of other things.”
  
  


• “We have 1 of the ideal techniques in the planet. If there’s no income, then put up the levy for the vast majority but do not slug pensioners with a co-payment. It is not just the pay a visit to to the medical professional. It’s pathology, then their medication. It truly adds up. The vast bulk of people really do not abuse it, but individuals get sick all the time. If you discourage individuals from going to the physician they’ll get chronically sick and it will cost a lot more.

• “They won’t just end at $ 7 it’ll just hold going up, it will get to become like the US where you could be bleeding out of your head and they refuse to see you. But that’s the place we’re headed. We’re not caring as much.”

Respondents were equally anxious about the strategy to increase the pension eligibility age to 70 – a policy that applies to these born after 1965 – and normally concerned at the prospect that the pension would grow to be much less generous but that they would be unable to continue to perform.

“The Coalition government’s strategies to boost the age pension eligibility age to 70 by 2035 created significantly discussion,” the report stated. “The fact that the age pension is so strongly linked with the idea of retirement was evidenced by several participants complicated the ‘pension eligibility age’ with a ‘retirement age’, despite the fact that an official retirement age does not exist in Australia.”

It recorded comments from respondents like this:

• “We’re up in arms about the retirement age.”


• “The objective posts are continually moving.”


• “Raising the retirement age is just weird. It would suck if you got to a point the place you cannot keep going and it’s like ‘you have to work yet another five years’.”

• “The retirement age thing, that have to rely on your occupation.”


• “Tony [Abbott] wants to come out right here [to regional NSW] and see what it feels like to pick a tonne of apples each and every day. What your joints truly feel like at the finish of the day. See if thinks he could do it till he’s 70.”


• “The 70 age limit is problematic. Not everyone can do that, not if they have a genuinely bodily work. It’s got to be versatile. If you’re a tiler or a bricklayer, your physique can’t just preserve undertaking that. You are fortunate if you final to 65.”

The government has ruled out sudden changes to superannuation this term, but will include superannuation tax breaks in its “root and branch” review of the taxation method,

But according to the report there is “also a deal of anxiety about gaining accessibility to superannuation with a perception that the superannuation goalposts had been continually changing”.

It discovered that “across the board, fingers were pointing at the government who several participants felt had not actually completely addressed the difficulties they foresaw”.

• “Government wants to be innovative, not so tunnel-visioned. They’ve got to feel. What if that was my mum, my dad? What would they need?”

• “What measures are our leaders putting in right now to assist us to make confident it doesn’t come about? I’m not feeling really comfy with anything actually, are you?”

• “There utilized to be a distinction between Labor and Liberal and now they’re the identical. I’m also cynical about every thing in our society. It is all driven by the bottom line. Acts of goodwill, not for cash, are quite rare.”

Voters don"t trust politicians to program for ageing population, survey shows