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NewsOldness: The Numbers Say it All
Oldness: The Numbers Say it All

Oldness: The Numbers Say it All

Tags: Consumer Action
Last updated by John Mangos on

Screen Shot 2014-08-20 at 4.32.11 PMThe statistics make it very clear why The FiftyUp Club is supporting The Power of Oldness campaign just released by Age Discrimination Commissioner, Susan Ryan (pictured).

Just digging around the numbers makes for depressing reading.

A staggering 38% of males were refused work last year because they were considered too old by employers.  The same applied to more than 25% of women.

In the case of both sexes, some 12% lacked the necessary schooling, training, skills or experience.

We at The FiftyUp Club have long advocated a change in thinking when it comes to training and education. It should no longer be confined to the 5-25 year old age bracket – but rather the 5-55 year old age bracket.

It’s not all bad news, of course.

Other figures released by Ryan show some improvement over the past 10 years or so when it comes to Labour Force participation.

Men between 55 and 59 have actually picked up from the low 70s to 80%.

Women 55 to 59 have picked up from around 50 to 65%.

Interestingly, women between 65 and 69 are doing better over the same period.

They’ve gone from around 20% to just over 40%.

Men in the same age bracket are also improving, from about 20% ten years ago to just over 30%.

So it’s not all doom and gloom, but there’s plenty of room left for improvement.

As Commissioner Ryan has said: “More than half of the age discrimination complaints we receive at the Human Rights Commission are related to employment.”

We hear the same from many of our members, so we’re all for The Power of Oldness.

Click Here to read about how you can support the campaign

Originally posted on .

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Oldness: The Numbers Say it All

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Robert
Robert from NSW commented:

Hi I was a Police Officer that was injured performing duty. After treatment I asked for re training which would get off the streets for a period of time. I was told by the Police Medical Officer that the Police Force would not re train a 30 year old, let alone a 52 year old. So much for empathy from employers. Robert 

Paul
Paul from NSW commented:

I'm 63 and have been out of work for one year. Just got a job but had to accept a lot of knock backs. Have close to 50 years work experience , worked as a tradesman for 35 years and even picked up a second trade. Took a job outside of my trade and I am about to start a new future.Now I have to sell all the tools I collected over those years. Got some pathetic reasons as to why I did not get the job , in some instances no reply, others just replied that I was unsuccessful. I'm still fit and do not have grey hair but those two number (63) said it all for some. 

Joyce
Joyce from NSW commented:

I am now retired but at aged 48 I went to an employment agency in Sydney to apply for a job I was perfectly capable of doing and had been doing the same work for the preceding 10 years before I was made redundant due to business closure. I did all the required tests and passed with flying colors but was told "because of your age we cannot place you". It took me 10 months to get another job which I was in until I retired. Age discrimination is still alive and well in Australia despite what the gurus say and even today older applicants are discriminated against on the basis of age. 

Leslie
Leslie from NSW commented:

Unfortunately, a few years ago I had cause to go to the commission, they are a mediation organization only - toothless tigers. 

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