Is Australia going down the gurgler? Weighing up the Intergenerational Report

This month we saw the release of the Intergenerational Report by Treasurer Joe Hockey.

That report, Hockey told us, explained the need for federal budget reform; without it, Australia was on track for decades of deficits.

Hockey said the purpose of the report was "to begin a conversation with the Australian people" about the nation's future. He would be hosting some of those meetings, naturally.

In brief, the report paints a dark picture about Australians getting older, needing more health services, and in increasing debt.

The issue of debt is a tangled one.

According to your own lights, you can blame:

a. The Howard-Costello government which gave many benefits to middle-class people, especially the older and wealthier ones. Middle-class welfare is an accepted part of life in Australia now.

b. The dreadful waste of the Rudd-Gillard years. I saw for myself some of the worst: too many school halls built in New South Wales, for one million dollars each, most far too badly designed to be of much use. But only in State schools- the private schools took charge and used the money efficiently. There are many more examples of money spent by Labor for little public gain.

c. Attempts to cut back on poorer people's benefits by the Abbott Government, with little attempt to reduce the profits of international companies which work hard not to pay tax. And of course the mining boom has come and almost gone, and the mining companies have paid virtually no tax on their profits, while we are left to repair the damage done.

It's all very well talking about debt. But there is so much waste by governments. Do we really need to keep giving millions to Indonesia? Do we need to keep fighting wars in the Middle East? Here in New South Wales, we've just given away precious Harbour land for a new casino. More criminal types will be welcomed and we get another blight on our Harbour. But no public gain - no new theatres or large public spaces. Why? Our State government makes huge profits because every time a house is sold, stamp duty must be paid. And every weekend we hear of record prices for house sales. Where does all the money go?

Well, what about the other issues raised? What can we do to make life better in years to come?

First, some arguments have been made about getting older people to work longer. I meet many people who, like me, retired in their mid-sixties. Then we find productive ways to spend our time. We write articles. We invest time in our grandkids, giving them guidance and enjoyable fun. We listen to younger people needing support. Many work as volunteers. Far more could be done to make people over 60 part of the working community. Men and women want to be useful. They want to count for something. Here's an asset every government should be trying to use to keep the economy going.

Second, we could find ways to get the media to stop their incessant message: young is sexy, and only young people are sexual creatures. But nearly every nasty phrase about sex has "old" attached to it. We have a long way to go before we understand that older men and women can have a range of intimate encounters. We hear a lot about women's sexuality, but far less is understood about men's. The idea persists that men simply poke their bits into people. Our lives are far more complex. And we can have many kinds of fulfilling experiences in our sixties- and beyond.

Third, older people need closeness just as younger people do. I get enormous pleasure from my family. I also sing in a choir. Sport is a great source of pleasure for many older people in rowing clubs, swim clubs and gyms. Closeness and connexion with others is enormously important to all of us. People who are connected function better and need health services less often.

Fourth, many of us have derived enormous benefits from owning our own home. We fought hard to get our first home, and most have moved on to another. I'm lucky to have the city of Sydney on my doorstep, with all those benefits. And beaches and parks nearby. I love my little garden. Many young people will never have all those things. People who own their own houses usually take care of them, and society has more people committed to stability. We have failed to do much at all to make housing more affordable. We could do so if we only had the guts to do three things. To stop negative gearing. To cut back hard on people (both foreigners and local) buying housing to invest. To build more housing in our cities. To work with banks on safe ways of lending money. Banks need to be shown by government how to act for public benefit.

Fifth, the Abbott Government seems to be rethinking its idea about letting our automotive industry collapse. Why don't we rethink some of the industries we let slide? We once had a fishing hub at Eden. Now we import tuna from countries with poor hygiene standards, with disease imported along with it. Australia needs to maintain its manufacturing industry - at least in some sectors.

Sixth, we need to encourage better health. It's now commonly said "50 is the new 40". People can function well in their fifties and sixties, if they have looked after their eating and exercise. Why can't governments increase taxes on unhealthy food? And make it easier and cheaper to eat good food? In the aftermath of the hepatitis-contaminated frozen berries, better labelling on food is one example. School canteens should have more encouragement to get kids eating fruit and vegetables. Healthier people are more productive- and this can benefit everyone.

Seventh, after too many examples of bad nursing home practices, we have to find ways of improving care for people in nursing homes. Is more government regulation the answer?

And finally, we need to rethink the lifespan. "Over 65" covers many different ages. We should insist that people make a new breakdown in age. Such as 65 to 75, and over 75. Even then, health differences are huge.

In sum, it's great to talk about how Australia is going to move forward in a time when people are living longer. Mr Hockey wants conversations on this subject. In my experience, politicians of all kinds are good at talking. There's TV footage of them pretending to listen; but that fools nobody.

Meanwhile, let's have a bit more creativity in the media, rather than endless cooking shows and celebrity nonsense on the commercial channels. And more repeats of Stephen Fry on the ABC. If we want a more productive society, we have to educate for it. Let's listen and really hear what older people have to say- and younger ones too. And then we might see some real progress.