Let's retire retirement

Dr Kay Patterson, AO, Australia’s Age Discrimination Commissioner will deliver the second Conversations for Change Let’s Retire Retirement at OCAV’s Rushall Park village on Friday 22 June. Dr Patterson will spell out her vision on how to transform attitudes and support modern ageing across employment, planning, transport, infrastructure, justice and health portfolios. The topic has been especially chosen to counter current stereotypes and attitudes about older people.

Appointed as the Age Discrimination Commissioner in 2016, Kay comes to the role with strong involvement
in issues affecting older people. Leaving school at 15, and then managing a small business, she returned to school and gained a BA (Hons) at the University of Sydney and a PhD in Psychology and a Dip Ed at Monash University.

She studied gerontology at the University of Michigan and Pennsylvania State University. Using the knowledge gained during those visits she co-developed the first Victorian post-graduate diploma in gerontology, and introduced gerontology into the undergraduate behavioural science courses.

She was elected to the Senate in 1987 where she pursued issues affecting older Australians and fought tirelessly for the removal of the compulsory retirement age of 65 from the Australian Public Service and statutory authorities. In 2016, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia.

As Phillip Wohlers, CEO, said: “Older people are essential to the future of Australia. They have the skills and experience to continue to contribute socially, economically, and to the health and wellbeing of others to benefit all generations.”

“Evidence shows that they are not a burden to society but despite this, the myths about older people persist.”