Canberra retirees are unlikely to be pleased by restricted concessions and seniors cards one month after the federal government announced changes to superannuation.
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Ewan Brown, a Gungahlin resident, said there was little in the budget for seniors although Canberra would remain an attractive place to grow old.
Retirees across the territory will be hit with changes to concessions with eligibility for a seniors card push back to age 65 by 2025. The current eligibility is 60.
Close to 3000 households receiving an uncapped 50 percent rebate on rates will also have their discount frozen at 2015-16 levels to reduce costs.
Mr Brown agreed with most of the changes and considered them fair with the exception of the seniors card.
"At the moment you can get a seniors card if you are aged 60 and work less than 20 hours a week but there is no means test," he said. "If you end up going back to work then you are still able to use it.
"We don't want to see a blanket ban for those aged between 60 and 65. Having a means test would ensure a useful service is not destroyed because you want to restrict benefit payments."
Mr Brown, who is also president of ACT Council on the Ageing, said temporary reprieve from a rates increase was welcome although increases in coming years could be problematic.
"There are a lot of seniors who are not willing to move home so stamp duty is less of a concern, but if they are asset rich and income poor then rates increases begin to hurt their finances," he said.
He also hoped the government's commitment to addressing domestic violence would include older Canberrans.
"We want to see a major awareness campaign on elder abuse and tool kit we can get out to targeted members of our community including GPs, police, the legal community and carers," he said.
"A lot of violence against older people is hidden and people are unwilling to report it as it may involve a family member or people close to them. They also don't want to lose any services."
Mr Brown said the ACT government had consulted with the Council on the Ageing before it announced concession changes in the budget and was pleased the changes were clear.
"The continued confusion about superannuation changes after the federal budget had worried a lot of older Australians who have retired and have lost the ability to earn a wage," he said.
"The best thing about the act budget approach to concession is they didn't change too much at all which is a position as there is far less to worry."
