Productive Ageing Package

Date published : 1  February  2010 

On 1 February 2010 the Treasurer, the Hon Wayne Swan MP, and the Minister for Employment Participation, Senator the Hon Mark Arbib, announced a $43.3 million package of training and support for mature age workers and job seekers. The Productive Ageing Package aims to help tackle the economic challenges of an ageing population by helping to retain the expertise of older Australians in the workforce and transfer it to younger Australians.

The Productive Ageing Package includes:

Consultative Forum on Mature Age Participation
The Forum will provide Government with advice on evidence-based and practical solutions to address barriers to employment participation for mature age people, particularly in the context of the transition to the new Age Pension age.

Career Renewal - Job Retention
This initiative will help mature age workers keep a job with their current employer and/or transfer their skills to younger workers. It will commence from 1 July 2010. It is of particular relevance to Disability Employment Services is additional support for up to 2000 mature age workers who are at risk of losing their job due to disability, injury or health condition, to help them retain their job.

Career Renewal - Career Transition
Of particular relevance to Job Services Australia providers is the provision of up to 12 months of Stream 2 assistance to help around 8000 mature age workers who are employed in physically demanding roles to transition to a new job. This initiative will help mature age workers stay engaged in the workforce and will commence from 1 July 2010.

Fact Sheets are available for each of the aforementioned components of the Productive Ageing Package via the DEEWR website and all additional information will be published there. Click here to open a new window to the DEEWR website.


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