Among the few new initiatives Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan announced for older people was government support to help them find employment.

The initiatives included new training opportunities, employer subsidies and a doubling of allowable work hours for disability pensioners (in 2009, more than half of Australia’s disability pensioners were aged over 50).

In handing down the Budget, Mr Swan said the Government’s work bonus would allow seniors an extra $125 per week in earned income before their pension was affected.

“And we will better recognise their skills and experience,” Mr Swan said.

National Seniors Association chief executive officer Michael O’Neill welcomed the employment initiatives but warned they were “only a start”.

“More than anything, real jobs for older Australians will require an attitudinal change from employers, and that can’t be legislated,” he said.

“Missing from this Budget are reform measures around long-festering issues such as dental and aged care.

“Seniors expect to see something solid and substantial around these things in the coming year.”

Mr O’Neill said older Australians would feel little impact from the budget.

“For the over-50s, it’s a vanilla budget – nothing terribly exciting or different,” he said.

Redlands District Committee on the Ageing president Tony Christinson said he would have liked to see an increase in the age pension.

“With the increased cost of living, such as price rises in petrol, food and water, this will strike hard at the people who are relying solely on the age pension for their income,” Mr Christinson said.

The age pension in Australia, which is means tested, is currently $670.90 per fortnight for single people and $505.70 each per fortnight for couples, plus the pension supplement of $58.40 per fortnight for single people and $88 per fortnight combined for couples.

Mr Christinson also said the Government still hadn’t addressed the need for older Australians to have better access to dental care.

“It’s gone way beyond time that it did,” he said.