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Attitudes to Intergenerational Equity: Baseline Findings from the Attitudes to Ageing in Australia (AAA) Study

This paper reports preliminary findings from the 2009-10 baseline data from the Attitudes to Ageing in Australia (AAA) survey. The questions were designed and the data then collected while Australia was adjusting to the impacts of the 2007 Global Financial Crisis (GFC) during the Rudd government. At that time there was relatively less government attention to restricting public expenditure related to ageing, and it was before the appointment of the Age Discrimination Commissioner in the Australian Human Rights Commission. This working paper reports findings related to intergenerational equity with comparisons between age, gender, and socio-economic groups.

14. desember 2015


Key Findings:
• The majority of respondents (across all age cohorts) thought life-long opportunities were better for baby boomers compared to older people (57.7%), although respondents aged 65+ were the least likely to think this (48.1%).

• Comparing the life-long opportunities of baby boomers to those who are younger, 37.8% thought that the baby boomers were worse off, 22.9% about the same, and 39.3% better off. Nearly half of 18-29 year olds (47.8%) thought that the baby boomers were worse off.

• Over half of the respondents thought older people were getting ‘less than their fair share’ of government benefits (56.6%): 50-64 year olds were the most likely age cohort to hold this view (63.4%), while those aged 65+ were the least likely to think this (46.1%).

• More than half (59.3%) of respondents opposed raising the pension age, with the largest age group being the baby boomers (66.9%).

• A quarter (25.7%) of the respondents thought that the degree of conflict between older and younger people was ‘very strong/strong’, with the majority reporting conflict to be ‘not very strong’ (55.6%).

• Compared to men, women were more likely to report that the life-long opportunities were better for retired people compared to baby boomers; less likely to report that older people were getting more than their fair share of governmental benefits; and more strongly opposed to raising the pension age.

• When compared to those with less than a secondary education, respondents who had a degree or higher qualification were less likely to state younger people were better off than baby boomers; thought older people were more likely to have their fair share of governmental benefits; and were less likely to oppose raising the pension age.