One of the concerns raised in the Ageing and work in regional Australia: Pathways for accelerating economic growth conducted by The Regional Australia Institute is the mindset of ‘un-employability’ some employers have about mature aged workers.

Proprietor for Griffith City Hire Garry Rennie has been a strong proponent of hiring mature aged workers, and speaks about the benefits working seniors bring.

“There was a time where we tended not to consider older guys, for the reason that this can be quite a physically demanding job,” Mr Rennie said.

However from first hand experience, he acknowledges the high value he places on senior workers, and encourages more employers to consider his hiring philosophies.

“At a basic level, mature-aged workers have the skills base, the knowledge is unbeatable, and the know-how they can pass on is highly regarded,” Mr Rennie said.

Enabling great workforce participation among older Australian will take a mix of policies aiming to empower older workers to stay in their jobs for longer, the report says.

The report also details programs and incentives to help make it “easier for those out of work to take advantage of new opportunities.”

While the report outlines the potential benefits to regional economies, it also details the current disincentives seniors face for working certain hours in regards to superannuation and lack of access to income protection insurance beyond the age of 65.

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Despite these disincentives, many mature age workers cannot afford to stop working even after the legal retirement age.

64-year-old Charlie Millar, who has been working for Mr Rennie for a year and a half, says that he absolutely loves working, but even if he could retire he would’t be able to afford it.

“I’m a long way off retiring, we still have a mortgage to pay off yet,” Mr Millar said.