Page 2819 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 6 October 2021
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CPI, average wage costs or whatever measure you want to use, it is never going to keep up. Older Canberrans will have to sell off their belongings or sell their family home in order to just keep living, and it is not really fair.
The statement from the minister today also acknowledged that, as lockdown has continued, older people have faced increased challenges, such as social isolation, additional health and wellbeing concerns, and financial difficulties. Of course, we have heard many times—I have heard it since at least 2010—about the impact of housing costs on older people, and the incoming tsunami of older women’s homelessness, for example.
If you are a single older woman or a divorced older woman, and if you have been renting, when you retire, how on earth are you going to be able to afford to keep paying your rent? The rents are so high here in Canberra. Housing costs are so expensive here in Canberra. Even if you are not renting, as I have already outlined, you may no longer be able to stay in your own home because of the other government fees and charges. These challenges highlight the need to prioritise the needs of older people in our community.
It is well known that the ACT has a high cost of living. We speak about it very frequently. This only worsens the hardship of separation and isolation that older Canberrans are experiencing. The ACT government should be supporting older Canberrans by reducing the cost of living, not making it harder and harder for them. As the cost of housing, energy and utilities increases, this only places more and more stress on older residents in our community.
It is a few years ago now, but I will always remember a presentation by Actew at the Tuggeranong Community Council. A pensioner spoke about how they could not afford to put the heater on during winter. They rugged up in their own home in their ugg boots, jumpers and blankets because they could not afford to feed themselves, buy the occasional birthday present for grandchildren and keep the heater running during winter. That has stuck with me for years.
We have also heard over time—and I guess they are the worst possible examples—terrible stories about pensioners who have eaten cat food because they cannot afford to buy decent food. These things do happen. I know that at my local shops there is someone who buys all of the spoiled fruit and vegetables when they are on sale because they are so much cheaper. Mr Deputy Speaker, they cannot afford to buy what you and I would think of as average quality fruit and vegetables.
ACTCOSS have spoken about the fact that, as Canberra’s population is ageing and growing, the support services available must increase to meet that demand. The ACT government needs to get to work for seniors and undertake a review of the ACT Targeted Assistance Strategy to ensure that concessions are targeted to those who need them, not just pay lip-service to valuing the experience of older Canberrans. The policies have to support that, not just talk about it. Driving up the cost of living does not value the experience of older Canberrans.
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