Our Aged Community is Growing but WA is not Planning for the Future - Greens Candidate for Willagee Hsien Harper

Greens candidate for Willagee, Hsien Harper, is disturbed that if we aren’t looking after our aged community now then things certainly look bleak for our aging future.

Ms Harper stated “Victoria provides a service to assist seniors in staying in their own homes rather than being pushed out to cheaper housing areas. Queensland is pushing for state legislation to protect pensioners against landlords costing them out of their homes. We need similar legislation in WA.

“The WA government is putting seniors at risk of social isolation by selling off public housing. The funds from these high value properties are channeled towards the construction of housing in cheaper suburbs with no thought to the needs of our elderly. Access to transport, services and facilities is critical for seniors. We need more housing in well-located central hubs, not less.

“The aged people of Willagee are experiencing the rising cost of essential services, such as utilities, transport and food, in addition to the cost of housing. Seniors, who are more vulnerable to heat stress and hypothermia, are more likely to need extra heating and cooling at home which causes their consumption to increase at a time when prices are skyrocketing.

“We must work now to alleviate this burden from our elderly. We can start by assisting low income seniors to purchase energy efficient white goods, and finding other simple measures to reduce their energy and water consumption.

“One fact is definitely sure; our population is getting older. We need to protect our state asset in the aged community, for them and our future.” Ms Harper concluded.

Background:

WA is undergoing a demographic transition that will see our over-65s making up 25% of the total population.

Currently pensioners spend more than 40 per cent of their payments in keeping a roof over their heads.

Low income, sole person households are set to double by 2020. The majority of these sole residents will be women living off single pensions.

References:

RBS Morgan Centrelink Rates Sept 2009

WACOSS Essential_Services_Rising_Costs_Issues_Paper.pdf

Council on the Ageing Western Australia Submission - The State Budget 2009 – 2010

Centrelink Report September 2009