Funding to boost financial security for older Queenslanders

Older Queenslanders will have better access to financial advice and other supports following a $1.85 million boost in state government funding for seniors.

On Monday 24 July 2017, Seniors Minister Coralee O’Rourke visited the South Brisbane office of the Seniors Legal and Support Service and announced that Queensland Government funded state-wide seniors’ legal and support services would receive $1.4 million over the next four years to engage financial advisors.

“Seniors Legal and Support Services are already doing a great job supporting Queensland seniors and this further funding allows them to source expertise to provide seniors suffering or at risk of financial abuse with access to relevant financial advice at each of their centres,” Mrs O’Rourke said.

“Older Queenslanders’ financial affairs can often be quite different to those of younger people with issues sometimes arising around complex aged care contracts, family agreements and housing.

“Having someone who has expertise in these fields to go to can help ease a lot of the concern and worry associated in navigating these difficult financial issues.”

Mrs O’Rourke said the five existing Seniors Legal and Support Services in Brisbane, Cairns, Townsville, Hervey Bay and Toowoomba already received more than $2.6 million in Queensland Government funding each year.

“I was also pleased to announce recently further funding of $700,000 per annum over three years to help expand seniors legal and support services into more regional and remote areas, as well as under-serviced metropolitan areas such as the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Rockhampton, Gladstone, and Mackay,” she said.

Deputy Premier and Member for South Brisbane Jackie Trad said the extra funding for Caxton Legal Centre, which runs the Seniors Legal and Support Service will be invaluable in providing long-term financial advice for older Queenslanders in South Brisbane.

“Our seniors represent some of the most vulnerable members of our community and this funding will go a long way in providing them help in looking after their personal finances,” Ms Trad said.

“Unfortunately financial abuse of seniors often occurs at the hands of close friends and family so giving our elderly Queenslanders access to free and independent legal advice is absolutely important.”

Scott McDougall, Director of the Caxton Legal Centre, said the majority of elder abuse clients seen at Caxton Legal Centre had been subjected to financial abuse from trusted family members or associates.

“Taking and maintaining control of their financial affairs is an important way older people can prevent the opportunity for abuse,” he said.

“We welcome today’s announcement of funding for additional financial counselling services to help older people protect themselves from abuse.”

Mrs O’Rourke said the remaining $450,000 in funding would go to supporting a range of existing and emerging issues for older Queenslanders including recommendations from the Parliamentary Inquiry into the adequacy of financial protections for Queensland Seniors.

“For example the Elder Abuse Prevention Unit will receive $100,000 to help improve their technical systems which will enhance their ability to capture and report data,” she said. This is in addition to the additional funding of $200,000 per annum for three years recently announced to increase the unit’s service delivery capacity.

Mrs O’Rourke said the Queensland Government was committed to assisting seniors in a wide range of ways including concessions, making communities more age friendly, tackling elder abuse and providing access to legal and financial services.

“Seniors have worked their whole life and contributed a great deal to our state, so it’s only fair we give them the support they deserve in their older years,” she said.

For information about support and services for older Queenslanders visit http://www.qld.gov.au/seniors/