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Older voters kept in the dark

20 August 2010 5 Comments
While the youth vote has been a strong focus this election, Australia’s elderly community are also calling for attention. Felicity Evans spoke with Brian Thomas, a retired truck driver from Seven Hills to see what he’s worried about this 2010 Australian federal election.

elderly

Little has been said in election campaigns about ways to protect the elderly community. Image: iirraa

The 2010 election has seen a strong focus on first time and young voters, and how their voting habits will affect the results.

But little has been said about the older generation.

The elderly are affected by decisions made about the pension, increasing medical expenses and the rising cost of living to name a few and thus have a lot invested in the government of Australia, have increasing medical expenses and the rising cost of living.

The community says that Australia’s ageing population is just as important as its youth and shouldn’t be forgotten.

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  • http://www.findmyretirementhome.com.au Richard

    Completely agree.

    With the mass of voters reaching pension age and beyond it could well be a future election ploy to promise upping the pension to get the silver vote.

  • http://www.findmyretirementhome.com.au Richard

    Completely agree.

    With the mass of voters reaching pension age and beyond it could well be a future election ploy to promise upping the pension to get the silver vote.

  • Bill Koutalianos

    Older voters are more sensitive to cost of living increases and so would presumably be more sensitive to a carbon tax. Older voters also tend to be a little more cynical about man-made global warming as many of them remember the pending ice age scare of the mid 1970′s and a handful may even remember the very warm 1930′s when most Australian cities recorded record temperatures which still stand to this day.
    The greatest economic, environmental and moral issue of our time was played down by the major parties during this election, in order to keep all Australians in the dark about what an ETS, price on carbon or carbon tax will mean to their costs of living.
    The irony is, that if it were a bigger issue, if more costings, calculations and facts had been presented rather than statements of belief and election slogans, older voters might have had the opportunity and foresight to step in and save the day for Australia’s future.
    Australians have largely been kept in the dark on how Australia met its Kyoto emissions targets. NSW and Queensland farmers understand what happened. If Australians understood that sordid story they might also see what was waiting up ahead for young and old.

  • Anonymous

    Hi Bill, are you the same Bill Koutalianos who ran for the Senate with the Climate Sceptics party?

  • Bill Koutalianos

    Hi ReportageEditor,
    Yes, that would be me. I was looking to see if you had put up anything on our Climate Sceptics party and given that nothing was up at this time, I thought I may as well contribute through the comments box. Say hello to Sarah-Jane.