Fake news, retirement taxes and what we should talk about
A number of retirees have been contacting us, and other organisations have contacted us, concerned that if Labor wins the election, they will introduce a “retirees tax.” Or a “death tax”. Neither is correct. We have been in discussion with the Labor Party, read their policies, and done our own investigations. We are satisfied that this is a scare campaign without a factual basis.
COTA Australia has strongly criticised this sort of fake campaign designed to scare older voters. The Liberal Party and their allies should stop frightening older people with this sort of campaign, just as we have said Labor should desist from their fake news campaign about threats to the pension.
Unfortunately, these fake news campaigns distract from good policies that both parties are offering Older Australians this election, such as in aged care. We have come a long way since the 2007 election when neither major party had a policy on aged care. There are still many policies to be released, but it is already clear that both sides can be praised for their policies on fixing Australia’s aged care system.
This focus on scare campaigns also distracts from discussion of real policy issues that neither major party has spoken about – like an oral and dental health scheme for older people, or reviewing the age pension income test and Work Bonus, or many other matters COTA has identified in our statement of policy priorities.
COTA Australia will continue to praise, and criticise, both sides of politics based on their policies for Older Australians and their approach to our constituencies. We are calling on the next Parliament to enact our Agenda for Government from Older Australians. So far this election, we have seen both major parties commit to some parts of it, but we are hopeful for a lot more commitment.
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