Page 1076 - Week 04 - Thursday, 29 March 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Canberra is a big city now and the aged quite often are victims of crime in this city. That is something I think that it behoves this Government and this Assembly to look at, and I am sure the Attorney-General will do that. This is quite understandable. The aged cannot move as fast. Many have physical disabilities. They are frail and, indeed, they are picked on by many of the less savoury elements of this community. One only needs to look at some of the assaults and some of the robberies and some of the break and enters in Canberra to see that the elderly have been picked on because they are helpless. In some cases there have been some quite nasty incidents because people were elderly and unable to defend themselves. I can remember prosecuting some juveniles who beat up an 84-year-old woman rather horribly when they went to her house. They got away with about $5.20. There are some very unsavoury elements in our community who prey on the aged.
One only has to look at Sydney, too, at the serial killers of those elderly women on the north shore; again, the aged are picked on. I think this is a question that we will have to look at in the future in terms of what assistance we can provide to assist the aged in relation to their physical security. It has ramifications not only in the criminal law but also in terms of planning retirement villages et cetera.
I can recall the shock and fear my own mother felt when she came back from seeing relatives in Wagga to find her house burgled and some of her property removed. The threat to her physical security was quite palpable and, although I am pleased to say she is over that now, I can certainly appreciate the impact such things have on elderly people in our community.
I would like to make a couple of other points, Mr Speaker. I think it is good to see a realisation in this report that many of the people classed as aged are active and, indeed, every encouragement should be given to keep elderly people active. They like it; it gives them a sense of purpose. I know this from both my parents. My father is now dead, but he was active up to the day he died in his capacity as the manager of the Polish Club. I know the number of committees my other elderly relatives and some elderly friends are on to keep themselves active. One thing I suppose we have to look at, not only here in Canberra but in Australia as a whole, is the fact that at 65 - that is a rather arbitrary age for retirement - there are many people who are very active, who want to continue on and who can provide invaluable assistance to the community.
When some of our aged are incapable of looking after themselves it is essential that we ensure that the facilities are there when they are needed, so that the frail and the infirm aged are looked after in comfort and in dignity. I am pleased to see a lot of mention made of that aspect in this report to ensure that that is occurring and will occur in Canberra. I would hate to see situations
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .