Super, questioned

Press, 24 September 1987, Page 4

Super, questioned

Demographic trends and the ageing of the population will greatly increase the need for support services for the elderly early next century, according to the briefing papers. These trends would also bring Into question the affordability of the present system of national superannuation. . Because national superannuation was the largest single item of Government'. expenditure, apart

from debt servicing, quite small changes to the programme could have a large effect on over-all expenditure. As at the 1986 census, about 15 per cent of the population had been aged 60 or over, the papers said. The proportion of over 60s in the population was expected to be more than 30 per cent by the turn of the century. Any alteration to the system of national superannuation ought to be an-

nounced well in advance, the papers said, and so those in the age brackets affected could plan sensibly for their retirement. The department recommended that decisions about the long-term shape of national superannuation be made within the next few years. Dr Cullen had already inlcated his preference for a bipartisan approach to the future direction of the national superannuation scheme. )