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In July, following a cabinet reshuffle, we welcomed the reinstatement of a dedicated seniors assistant minister.
While previous governments have had portfolios that focused on the broader interests and concerns of older people, the Albanese government has a focus on aged care with no more than three MPs with aged care in their purview. Mark Butler is the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Anika Wells is the Minister for Aged Care, and Ged Kearney is the Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care.
Understandably, there is a strong focus on aged care, given the recent royal commission, and that aged care is the fourth most expensive program in the Federal Budget ($36 billion in 2024-25). But none of these ministers could be said to holistically represent the growing demographic that is older Australia.
Other matters of concern to older Australians and their families such as social services, retirement income, discrimination, elder abuse, homelessness, cost-of-living pressures, cyber safety threats, and financial and digital literacy, are spread across a range of portfolios and government departments even though some, such as superannuation and Age Pension, have significant impacts on older people.
The Prime Minister gave the new job to Kate Thwaites, Member for Jagajaga in Victoria. She has the title of Assistant Minister for Social Security, Assistant Minister for Ageing, and Assistant Minister for Women.
Mr Butler, Ms Wells and Mr Kearney retain ‘aged care’ in their ministerial titles. So, it could be argued the interests of older Australians are better served by having four ministers with responsibility for older people in their title.