A universal pension would solve Australia’s labour shortages

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National Seniors Australia (NSA) chief Ian Henschke believes Australia’s inflexible aged pension means testing discourages older Australians from working, thus contributing to labour shortages.

Henschke is calling for pensioners to be allowed to take on paid work without losing their pension entitlements:

Currently, Australians receiving the pension can only work a minimal amount before their income is subject to heavy penalties, alongside income tax…

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About the author
Leith van Onselen is Chief Economist at the MB Fund and MB Super. He is also a co-founder of MacroBusiness. Leith has previously worked at the Australian Treasury, Victorian Treasury and Goldman Sachs.