Butler laments ageism in Australia

Former Ageing Minister Mark Butler says older Australians are being discriminated against and wrongly blamed as a drain on government funds.

Senior Labor figure Mark Butler has lamented ageism and age discrimination in Australia, calling for a shift in the way governments and society treat older generations.

Harking back to his days as the minister for ageing in the Gillard/Rudd Labor governments, Mr Butler says the burden of older Australians on the federal budget is constantly exaggerated.

Older Australians are also patronised within the community and subject to incorrect stereotypes that they're all "healthy and wealthy and that their retirement is going to be a long festival of beer and skittles," Mr Butler told the National Press Club on Wednesday.


Share

1 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world