Longevity and the changing life-course in Australia: implications for aged-based policy settings Seminar

Chronological age is regularly used to determine eligibility for programs and services. Incorporating age in program design can improve program effectiveness, constrain costs and ?nudge? the economic and social activities of individuals in the target age groups. It can, therefore, influence life course decisions. Age-based policy settings in Australia have, historically, supported youth as a time for education, working-age as a time for labour market engagement and family formation, and aged as a time for recreation followed by physical decline. With unprecedented increases in the human life-span of the 21st Century, there is both the need and opportunity to re-examine age-based policy settings. This presentation outlines the changes already occurring in Australia and considers future policy options.