Age Pension – Welfare or Entitlement
A majority of Age Pensioners commenced their working life in different times with different expectations and attitudes. A time when Homosexuality was illegal[1], there was a ‘White Australia Policy’[2] in place, Aboriginals were not included in the Australian census[3], there was no Superannuation Guarantee[4], St Kilda won a Grand Final and the list goes on. I’m not suggesting these attitudes were correct or times were better or worse, just different. The Pension was expected following retirement. The introduction of Guaranteed Superannuation may change this expectation, or have already changed some attitudes regarding future Age Pensions
[1] https://www.moadoph.gov.au/explore/stories/history/8-hard-won-rights-for-lgbti-australians#:~:text=The%20Human%20Rights%20(Sexual%20Conduct,of%20human%20rights%20and%20discrimination.
[2] https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/white-australia-policy
[3] https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/first-nations-peoples-census#:~:text=In%201967%20Australians%20voted%20to,included%20in%20the%20population%20count.
[4] https://www.apra.gov.au/superannuation-australia-a-timeline