By making statements like this.....even though there is some truth to some of what Costello says this will send shudders through a very large segment of the population who do not see this issue as he does.
Yahoo News;
There would no longer be any such thing as full-time retirement, Treasurer Peter Costello said.
Mr Costello was speaking after outlining the government's vision to keep older people in the workforce longer and encourage lone parents and disabled people back into paid jobs.
Under the proposals, superannuation changes would give older people incentives to keep working, including allowing them to work part-time and top up wages through their super.
Mr Costello said the attitude of employers was the biggest obstacle to part-time work for older people.
Older workers were skilled, disciplined and reliable, and their levels of sick leave declined as they aged.
The days of throwing them on the scrap heap at 40 or 50 were over, and employers had to be re-educated to this end, he said.
"There's going to be no such thing as full-time retirement," Mr Costello told ABC radio.
"There's going to be part-time retirement, and part-time work."
Mr Costello said he personally would continue to work after 65, currently considered the mandatory retirement age, and said early retirement led to the loss of a lot of interest in life, workmates and skills.
"I have no plans whatsoever to retire at 65," Mr Costello told Sydney radio 2GB.
"Everybody I know, and particularly those who have taken early retirement at 55, says after a while, `Geez, I'm bored stupid, my health's declining, I don't have enough to do.
"... It's the same old story, you know you've got to fill in 12 hours a day, seven days a week, you got to do something."
