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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-10-12 Daily Xml
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International Day of Older Persons

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (14:51): My question is to the Minister for Human Services regarding older South Australians. Can the minister please inform the council about her attendance at the recent COTA Owning Our Age event celebrating International Day of Older Persons?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:51): I thank the honourable member for her question. Indeed, 1 October is the United Nations' International Day of Older Persons. As time goes on, there are more and more of us who are fitting that particular description. It was a great pleasure to join the Council on the Ageing South Australia in their program for the day. The President of COTA SA is Emeritus Professor Anne Edwards AO. It is public knowledge, so I'm sure she won't mind me sharing, that she recently turned 80. She said:

I have decided, in the interests of challenging ageism, to own my age. I am happy to tell people I am 80.

The reason she has been able to get away with that for so long is because she certainly does not look her age. There was a panel of speakers who presented on this, including Major Moogy Sumner AM; Jodeen Carney, who is the Equal Opportunity Commissioner; Amanda Vanstone AO, the former senator; Jane Doyle, who is well known through her work in the media; and others.

The panel spoke about their particular experiences. We know that South Australia has the highest proportion of older people on mainland Australia—37 per cent are aged over 50. It has been predicted that this proportion will continue to increase at a time when South Australians can now expect to live longer, healthier lives than any previous generation in history.

I am pleased that the government has a Plan for Ageing Well 2020-2025, which outlines our vision and priorities for ageing well for all South Australians. This government is committed to including older people in decisions that affect them. Two rounds of consultation were held, which helped to shape that future direction—one in 2018, with 1,500 people participating in workshops, and over 100 stakeholders in the second round.

This plan helps to shift the thinking on ageing. Most older people live at home independently and make positive contributions to their community, civic society, business, families and workplace. The plan recognises the value of older people as an asset and recalibrates retirement at a time of possibility and opportunity. The plan has three strategic priorities: home and community, meaningful connections and navigating change. I thank the Council on the Ageing for putting on that event and for the privilege of participating in it.

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