David Gardiner

Journalist

A Port Douglas senior is helping push a national campaign to let pensioners work and not be penalised for earning extra income.

Preferring we didn’t use his real name, ‘Jack’ told Newsport he has gained encouraging responses after writing to the organisation leading the campaign – National Seniors Australia, and also federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Leichhardt MP Warren Entsch.

Jack, who’s going on 75, said in other countries, seniors can work for extra earnings, still be taxed on that income just like everyone else – but not have their pensions cut.

“I’ve done my bit, helping the community and the country,” he said. “We should be able to do as much work as we like.”

Jack and his wife both do work – about 20-22 hours a week – but because they’re earning extra income, his pension gets cut after reporting his earnings to Centrelink.

“If we earn too much, it affects what I get from the government. A couple of times there I’ve been getting $100 a fortnight from the government,” he said.

“What I’m saying is, let us guys work, without having any effect on the pension.”

In its campaign, National Seniors says that only 14.2% of Australians 65 and over are in the workforce compared to 24.7% in New Zealand.

“With key sectors, such as home care, hospitality, agriculture and tourism, struggling to attract and retain qualified staff, we need to tap Australia's large resource of mature workers,” its campaign flyer points out.