Talking about old men.
An old man was wandering down the road one day, on his way to the corner store for some "tea and biscuits" (single malt). When he happened upon a small boy sitting on a bench, crying his eyes out!
The old bloke found the soul/seat shaking sobbing very distressful; so he sidled up to the youngster, and in the most sympathetic tone he could muster, inquired, What's the problem son? Surely it can't be that bad?
Whereupon, the youngster looked up, and choked out, that he was, choke, gasp waw, crying be he because, choke, gasp, blah, he couldn't do what the big boys did!
The old bloke thought about that for a minute, then sat beside the youngster, and cried his eyes out too!
Rhrosty.

That's a very patronizing assertion, Rhosty.

>>Your MUST DO list is just too big for small thinkers, like today's<<

My instinct is that it is the product of a very limited imagination, and an even more unrealistic view of what is happening in the real world.

The first suggestion, for example, is to create more public servants:

"There must be a Minister for Ageing within his office who has cabinet status and implements the PM's ageing policies"

Made up, no doubt, of old people, in line with many of the other suggestions.

"Another huge opportunity is to create a business environment in which Seniors can become entrepreneurs"

There is absolutely nothing currently preventing "Seniors" from starting a business today. In fact, they are probably better placed, in terms of starting capital, than any other group. If only they would tear themselves away from the bowling green, and do something.

"Discrimination against Older Workers who want to remain in, or re-enter, the workforce is rampant"

The answer, however, cannot be to discriminate against younger people. In fact, we would actually be better off as a nation addressing the problem of youth unemployment, using the money (what money?) Mr Compton wants to apply to "programs of skills training to enable older workers to keep up to date in a rapidly and constantly changing world."

Talking of money...

"age-friendly housing, of which there is an enormous shortage"

There is an even greater shortage in the first-home buyer market. One reason being the number of "Seniors" who have a vested interest in maintaining the value of their existing property. Or properties.

"All we ask is that we are given the opportunity to compete with younger Aussies on a level playing field and be given a fair go"

That is precisely what you are NOT doing. You are asking that the playing field be tilted in your direction, without a single thought as to the effect it will have on the young. Who, I'm afraid, are the real future of this country.

How many old people are you employing, G'day Bruce?
Jardine K Jardine,
Not totally related to this but highly interesting neverthess.
Found on the Net.

THOUSANDS of dole bludgers are exploiting the welfare system, failing to turn up to appointments and even refusing to take jobs in favour of remaining on benefits.

More than 1700 people refused jobs offered to them last year and 1200 of them went straight back on unemployment benefits.

And 28,200 persistently failed to turn up to appointments, though nearly 75 per cent of them continued to bank their Newstart allowance.

A loophole also allows huge numbers who do the wrong thing to obtain a waiver of a penalty of an eight-week payment freeze.

A rule introduced by the previous Labor government allowed people to avoid the penalty if they promised to “re-engage” with their job-hunting requirements, or if doing so would bring financial hardship.

The Federal Government this week failed in an effort to introduce new laws that would have ended this.

Employment Department figures show that since the introduction of the waivers, the rates of people rejecting job offers and not turning up to appointments has trebled.

In fact, we would actually be better off as a nation addressing the problem of youth unemployment, using the money (what money?)
Pericles,
What Money ? The money that's being wasted everywhere would be more than enough.
Re-training I hear you say ? Our outfit which is run by Labor cronies is spending up rather big to train people for jobs they're already lining up to be cut to make room for blame-taking contractors. Expensive trouble shooters to cover for incompetent Labor bureau rats.
Young people don't need training for skills, they need training for responsibility & for a healthier mentality but people like you wouldn't want the poor darlings to have to get their little hands dirty & get out of bed before 10am. That's why people like you are so vehemmently against a National service.

That sounds very Grumpy Old Man, individual.

>>...people like you wouldn't want the poor darlings to have to get their little hands dirty & get out of bed before 10am. That's why people like you are so vehemmently against a National service<<

Quick note to the accountant: compulsory National Service doesn't come free either. While the idea of National Service appeals to the ageing control freak in all of us, there are some real problems in setting it up, and making it work. Seemingly simple questions like who to draft, how long to keep them, what to do with them when you've got them and what happens to them when they are released, never quite get answered. They just elicit another massive harrumph, and a few choice phrases about "how it would do the lazy bastards good".

It's a lucky break for all of us that such a cavalier approach to business principles is not applied across industry in general, but merely confined to the political classes and the sheltered workshops of the public service.

what to do with them when you've got them and what happens to them when they are released,
Pericles,
If you consider that a problem then we do have a problem, a really big one if others think the same way. If thats the case then we've already lost.