While it is widely recognised that the Australian population is ageing and average life expectancy is increasing, less attention is given to differences in chances of reaching Age Pension eligibility age and enjoying a long retirement. A stark indicator of these differences is that almost as many deaths among Australian men in 2012 occurred before age 70 as over age 85. The circumstances of men and women who do not live beyond 70 and their experiences of retirement contrast markedly with those who live into their 80s and beyond and have some 15 years in retirement, most receiving at least a part Age Pension.

The aim of this Forum is to promote debate about options for retirement informed by current research across a range of disciplines. It is especially timely in the context of proposals for increasing the age of eligibility for the Age Pension to 70 in the 2014 Commonwealth Budget, and speakers will raise a wider range of options to extend the debate beyond the measures put forward in the Commission of Audit Report and the Budget.

Speakers will canvass factors affecting health and well-being of older Australians now and in the future, and examine policy options that could address inequalities in retirement that stem from inequalities earlier in life, particularly those associated with workforce participation and disability. The program features psychologists and social scientists from the ANU Centre for Research on Ageing, Health and Wellbeing, and an actuary from the ANU College of Business and Economics, together with policy analysts from Crawford School of Public Policy, the Australia Institute and an independent consultant.

Speakers include:

• Dr Andrew Leigh Federal Member for Fraser
• Professor Peter Whiteford Social Policy Institute, Crawford School, ANU
• Dr Richard Cumpston Director, Australian Projections P/L, College of Business & Economics, ANU
• Dr Marcia Keegan Consultant
• Dr Kim Kiely Centre for Research on Ageing, Health & Wellbeing, ANU
• Dr David Ingles The Australia Institute
• Professor Kaarin Anstey Centre for Research on Ageing, Health & Wellbeing, ANU
• Dr Peter Butterworth Centre for Research on Ageing, Health & Wellbeing, ANU
• Dr Richard Denniss The Australia Institute
• Professor John Hewson Chair, Tax and Transfer Policy Institute, Crawford School, ANU

The Forum is presented by the ACT Division of the Australian Association of Gerontology(AAG), in cooperation with the Asia and the Pacific Policy Society, Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU.

Registration fee

AAG Members: $35

Student/Concession Members: $20

Non-Members: $45

Student/Concession Non-Members: $35 (Please enter the code PENSION at checkout to receive this discounted price)