http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/susan-ryan/ Susan Ryan is Australia’s first Age Discrimination Commissioner.  Prior to her appointment on 30 July 2011, Susan was Women’s Ambassador for ActionAid Australia, chaired the Australian Human Rights Group and, among other things, been President of the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees, member of the ASX Corporate Governance Council and held a number of positions at the University of New South Wales. From 1975 to 1988, Susan was Senator for the ACT, becoming the first woman to hold a Cabinet post in a federal Labor Government. She served in senior portfolios in the Hawke Government and pioneered extensive anti-discrimination and equal opportunity legislation, including the landmark Sex Discrimination Act 1984 and the Affirmative Action Act 1986. In 1990, Susan was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia for her contribution to Parliament. In 1999, she published her autobiography, Catching the Waves. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:40 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/beard-gone-all-grey-its-still-your-right-to-go-to-work/ Lately, the issue of keeping older people in the workforce has been finding its way into the media and government policy discussions. And I have started to hear people asking why it has “suddenly” become so important to ensure that people can stay gainfully employed as they age. The tragic reality in Australia today is that many people living on the Age Pension would prefer – either out of need or personal choice - to be gainfully employed. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Susan Ryan) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/beard-gone-all-grey-its-still-your-right-to-go-to-work/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/beard-gone-all-grey-its-still-your-right-to-go-to-work/#item8393 Wed, 02 May 2012 19:35:40 +0000 Susan Ryan | Author bios | The Punch http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/can-we-seriously-say-that-50-is-too-old-to-work/ Where did we Australians get this idea that 50 is old, too old, over the hill? Since becoming Age Discrimination Commissioner, I have been asked this question many times. I can’t answer it.  But we have to find an answer. We have to get rid of this damaging idea. Because of it, too many people are being forced out of their jobs when they have barely turned 50. When they apply for a new job, they are often ignored, or fobbed off with excuses like, “You are overqualified”, or “We are looking for someone with lots of energy”! This fob-off is not only insulting, not only damaging to the well-qualified, motivated mature worker, it leads him or her on the downward path to poverty in old age.  If sustained, these experiences can lead to depression. After all, everyone needs to feel useful, to get recognition for a job well done. We all enjoy the company of fellow workers, and most of us need to earn money and grow our super, well into our 60’s and beyond. If all this is denied us, just because of prejudice, we suffer. And, tragic as it is, this is not just about the waste of individuals. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Susan Ryan) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/can-we-seriously-say-that-50-is-too-old-to-work/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/can-we-seriously-say-that-50-is-too-old-to-work/#item6831 Fri, 30 Sep 2011 19:57:41 +0000 Susan Ryan | Author bios | The Punch