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What defines a senior? There is no one answer but you can check whether you might qualify under different circumstances.
To get an age pension you need to be of Age Pension Age which for social security purposes is 65 years for men. Women qualify at different ages depending on their date of birth in accordance with the table below so by 2014 the minimum qualifying age for women will also be 65 years.
Age Pension Age for Women
| Date of Birth | Qualification Age |
| 1 July 1938 to 31 December 1939 | 61.5 |
| 1 Jan 1940 to 30 June 1941 | 62 |
| 1 July 1941 to 31 December 1942 | 62.5 |
| 1 January 1943 to 30 June 1944 | 63 |
| 1 July 1944 to 31 December 1945 | 63.5 |
| 1 January 1946 to 30 June 1947 | 64 |
| 1 July 1947 to 31 December 1948 | 64.5 |
| 1 January 1949 and later | 65 |
The qualifing age for veterans with qualifying service and a service pension is 60 for men. For female veterans the pension age is being raised by six months every two years so that by 1 July 2013, female and male pension ages will be the same; see the table on our Veterans' Affairs page.
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Our Centrelink page has more information on pensions.
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How about the seniors card? Australians aged 60 and over who are not working full time may obtain a Seniors Card.
There is also the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) which gives older Australians access to concessions on prescription medicines and to the Telephone Allowance. Many self-funded retirees will be eligible for the CSHC. Also war widows who do not hold a Pensioner Concession Card might be eligible for a CSHC.
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A long awaited breakthrough in providing interstate travel concessions means that many older Australians can now travel the country for less.
From 1 January 2009, holders of Seniors Cards in any state can enjoy travel concessions in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, SA, NT and ACT. Discussions are continuing with WA and Queensland. The Australian Government has offered $50 million to state and territory governments to ensure cheaper travel for older Australians all over the nation.
For more information, visit FAHCSIA
We’re often asked if you can use your Seniors Card when travelling overseas and while not officially recognised, many businesses will honour the discounts they give their own seniors, so it’s always worth asking.
You can get many discounts overseas by being joining a seniors’ association such as American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) (US$12.50 a year) or Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CAN$19.50 a year). Also see New Zealand Seniors Card.
AARP - http://www.aarp.org/
CARP - http://www.fifty-plus.net/
NZ - http://www.seniorscard.co.nz/
The state-based Seniors cards cause a lot of confusion. These cards entitle Australians over 60-years-of-age (check Queensland eligibility) to discounts and other benefits from some businesses and government departments.
There is no national Seniors card; each State or Territory administers its own. The Seniors Card is not a government service or department but was a government initiative, set up to encourage private businesses to acknowledge all that seniors have done for our society through offering something back. The benefits card holders recieve come at the discretion of the individual business or organisation.
For more information, including what to do should you lose your Seniors card, click here
A Seniors Card is available to Australians aged 60 and over who are not working full time. The cards are issued free by each State and Territory government and enable holders to get a wide range of discounts on public and commercial activities.
Eligibility criteria and concessions available vary so contact your State/Territory Seniors Card office for details. Also, contact the local Seniors Card office to order a new card to replace one lost or damaged.
Although Seniors Cards are issued by States/Territories, businesses (including tours, attractions and accommodation) in one state will usually recognise cards from another. Shops frequently display a 'Seniors Card Welcome' sticker.
Generally Seniors Cards will not attract concessions on interstate public facilities but there are exceptions. See travel concessions below. There is a web site which has general information on seniors cards and links to State/Territory Seniors Card offices (the links are also given below):
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Travel concessions conferred by a Seniors card are normally available only within the state/territory of the card holder. Seniors organisations are lobbying governments to allow Seniors Card concessions across borders and the Australian Government has contributed to a study to see if a national, reciprocal system of transport concessions can be implemented. In the meantime, it's always worthwhile showing your seniors card when interstate and seeking concessions on public transport, on entrance fees to museums, public art galleries and the like - the worst that can happen is that you will get knocked back!
Great Southern Railways (Indian Pacific, The Ghan and The Overland) have concession prices for holders of the Pensioner Concession Card and holders of the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card.
Exceptions to the travel restrictions are:
If you don't have a driver's licence or passport there can sometimes be a problem establishing your identity, such as when collecting airline tickets booked over the internet, opening accounts at banks or stores or video hire shops, buying a mobile phone, etc. A credit-card size photo ID card can be obtained from the Melbourne business Keypass for $45 (ask for 10% senior's discount).
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In New South Wales from April 2004 the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) will sell proof-of-age cards to NSW residents for about $40.
Also in New South Wales, residents can obtain photo ID cards from Births, Deaths & Marriages for $29 with a personal visit to the BD&M office in Sydney. For more information:
Phone 1300 655 236
Thanks to the Western Australian Minister for Seniors, the Hon Mark McGowan MLA, and his counterparts, the Hon Jay Weatherill MP in South Australia and Queensland's Warren Pitt MP, for their replies to the question of how to get a national Seniors' card off the ground.
Potential for National Seniors Card – reply from WA
Thank you for your emailed enquiry to the former Minister for Seniors requesting comment on the potential for establishing a national seniors card. I appreciate that this issue is of high interest to readers of your web site.
Western Australia was the first state to establish a Seniors card program and its lead has since been followed by other jurisdictions. In creating their own Seniors card programs each State and Territory has used different eligibility criteria and administrative processes, thereby ensuring their program reflects individual State and Territory priorities and needs. Even so, the States and Territories have worked collaboratively over many years to develop a card nationally recognised by many private businesses and tourism providers. The private business discounts available to interstate seniors are listed in the Discount Directories published by each jurisdiction.
The Western Australian Government had been at the forefront of national efforts to determine the likely cost of establishing a reciprocal transport scheme. The difficulty, however, has been in trying to find a scheme that can be implemented across different transport and Seniors card systems that operate in each of the States and Territories. Extending concessions to seniors visiting from other states would have a significant cost impact on States and overall it would be to the detriment of the States and Territories that provide the greatest range of concessions.
Due to cost imbalance, creating a system of national entitlement would in my view require the Federal Government to allocate significant funds towards Seniors card concessions. Given Western Australia's commitment to assisting its seniors, this state actively and formally sought to take advantage of an offer made to all jurisdictions by the Federal Government in May 2002 to meet part of the costs of operating such a scheme.
Unfortunately, the Federal Government had a limited appreciation of the different Seniors card programs and concessions that operated in each of the States and Territories. This only served to complicate matters and delay the process. Unexpectedly, negotiations with the States and the Federal Government regarding travel and other concessions ceased when, without notice, the Federal Government withdrew its offer via a paragraph included in its Budget papers of May 2005.
From the perspective of Western Australia this was a disappointing outcome. While the Government of Western Australia remains open to discussion on this issue, negotiations are not likely to be recommenced unless the Federal Government demonstrates it is prepared to work in a cooperative and trustworthy manner.
Yours sincerely
Hon Mark Mcgowan MLA
Western Australian Minister for Seniors
Reply from SA
I refer to your email of 11 October 2005, concerning the possibility of a National Seniors card.
As you are aware the Seniors card program operates in the different States and Territories. While all share a common business name, logo and concept, the program is currently not a fully 'national' program. It is an affiliation of States managing independent programs as consistently as possible, within each State's environment.
The concept of a 'national' Seniors card has been explored in the past and in May 2002 the Australian Government offered $25.5 million funding over 4 years for a national transport scheme for seniors where interstate Seniors card holders were promised the same concessions as home-state card holders.
In May 2005 the Australian Government withdrew its offer on the basis it believed states and territories were unable to reach agreement. South Australia was willing to sign up to this agreement; however, it is now off the agenda.
However, the "national" Seniors card concept was recently discussed again at a conference of Seniors card managers from each State.
As a result of that meeting, a review of the program in each State is planned and there will be discussion on the merits or otherwise of a national program review through the Community Services Ministers' Advisory Committee.
Thank you for your interest in this matter, which will continue to be pursued by all State and Territory Governments in the future.
Hon Jay Weatherill MP
South Australian Minister For Ageing
Thank you for your email of 11 October 2005 concerning a national Seniors' card.
I am aware of the widespread support by seniors for a discount card that can be used throughout Australia. The Seniors card program enables resident seniors from each state and territory to access a range of discounts and government concessions. The adoption of a common Seniors card logo after the International Year of Older Persons in 1999 encouraged businesses to recognise card holders from all States and Territories.
While the Commonwealth provides seniors with access to government concessions through its Commonwealth Seniors Health Card and Pensioner Concession Card, State and Territory governments fund most of these concessions. I am aware of the Commonwealth's attempt to attach pensioner concessions to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card and to implement reciprocal interstate transport concessions for Seniors Card holders. In each case, the Australian Government's funding offer was inadequate to meet the total cost of providing the additional concessions to seniors and pensioners.
In its 2005 Budget, the Australian Government announced that it had withdrawn these offers and introduced a payment to assist self-funded retirees. The new Seniors Concession Allowance is paid to holders of the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card to assist in meeting household expenses and to compensate for the fact that they do not receive the same concession as pensioners. The current annual rate is $202.80 for each card holder.
For a national Seniors card to become a future possibility the Commonwealth would need to fully address the total cost of its previous funding proposals and, in particular, the long-term impact on state and territory concessions' budgets. The Australian Government would also need to ensure that pensioners are not disadvantaged in any proposal to increase the entitlements of self-funded retirees.
If you or your readers require any further information or assistance in relation to this matter, please contact Mr Mark Young, Senior Service Development Officer, Seniors Card Unit, Department of Communities on 3404 3516.
Yours sincerely
Warren Pitt MP
Queensland Minister for Communities, Disability Services and Seniors
The following is the response from Minister Gavin Jennings MLC, Victorian Minister for Aged Care and Seniors.
Thank you for your email of 11 October 2005 regarding the outcome of a recent poll conducted by @boutSeniors regarding the establishment of a national Seniors card.
The Victorian Government supports the effective nationalisation of our Victorian Seniors card by ensuring reciprocal interstate arrangements for Victorian Seniors card holders.
While the Victorian Government supports interstate reciprocal arrangements for Seniors card holders, the Commonwealth has effectively put the brakes on these initiatives.
In May 2002 the Australian Government promised that it would provide funding to State and Territory governments to implement reciprocal transport concessions for Seniors card holders when they travel interstate. As you may know, the Australian Government withdrew its funding offers to State and Territory governments in July this year. This is disappointing as Victoria and the other States and Territories were prepared to continue working on negotiation of a solution to this matter.
I have recently written to the Minister for Family and Community Services Senator Kay Patterson and asked that the Commonwealth Government reactivate plans for reciprocal seniors travel arrangements.
Considerable effort has been made to establish reciprocal arrangements in other areas between all Australian Seniors card programs. The Victorian Seniors card program, together with Seniors card programs in all States and Territories, has been very successful in negotiating reciprocal discount arrangements with the majority of participating businesses and services throughout Australia.
Earlier this year on 11 February 2005, the Minister for Transport, the Hon Peter Batchelor, announced the Victorian Government’s extension of concession travel on V/Line passenger services for all Australian pensioners regardless of their State or Territory of origin. Most pensioners over 60 would be eligible for Seniors cards.
The Victorian Government would like the Commonwealth to help secure a similar arrangement for all Seniors card holders and will continue to lobby other State and Territory governments to implement reciprocal arrangements for Seniors card holders so as to ensure what would effectively be a national Seniors card for Victorian Seniors card holders.
Thank you for providing me with the results of the poll undertaken by @boutSeniors. I hope that the information I have provided is of assistance.
Yours sincerely
Gavin Jennings MLC
Minister for Aged Care
Minister Responsible for Senior Victorians
Minister explains why
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Australian Government's decision in the last Budget to withdraw offers to State and Territory Governments to fund the extension of core concessions to holders of the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC).
The Australian Government was committed to this measure and made every effort to encourage the states to comply. However, after more than three years with a generous offer on the table to fund 60% of costs of concessions, some states indicated they would never agree to contribute to such an arrangement. In light of this resistance, the decision was taken for the Australian Government to instead provide benefits directly to CSHC holders via the annual payment of a $200 Seniors Concession Allowance, to be indexed by CPI. This allowance has since been extended to 44,000 war widows and veterans with a Gold Card.
With the states and territories expected to cover just 40% of the cost of these concessions, I was of the view that this was a more than reasonable cost sharing arrangement from the states' perspective, given the concessions to be provided were all state based. I am still firmly of the opinion that all states and territories should provide concessions to CSHC holders and I will continue pursue my state and territory counterparts to deliver further concessions.
I have since noted the South Australian Government, as part of its recent Budget announcement, has indicated it will introduce an additional one-off $150 payment to pensioners and self funded retirees for energy costs. I welcome this measure as a promising first step, and hope that it will serve as a precedent for other state governments to recognise their responsibilities to CSHC holders.
The Australian Government has been entirely reasonable in this matter, and I am obviously very frustrated at the unwillingness of the states to provide such concessions. I would strongly encourage you to continue to advocate to the state and territory governments on behalf of CSHC holders.
Senator Kay Patterson, Minister for Family and Community Services Minister
The following is the response from Mr Kon Vatskalis, Acting Minister for Senior Territorians, Darwin.
Thank you for your email dated 11 October 2005 to Minister Scrymgour regarding the development of a National Seniors' Card.
The issue of a National Seniors' Card has been raised previously and discounted for logistical a reasons, mainly due to different benefits and concessions attached to the Seniors' Card in each State and Territory.
The Seniors' Card is fundamentally a business discount card, with the discount offered by the business. Whilst reciprocity is encouraged across Australia, it is at the individual business' discretion whether they extend the discount to interstate visitors or not.
Some States also provide Government concessions to only Seniors who are permanent residents of that State. These concessions are accessed through their Seniors' Card.
The State and Territory based management of the Seniors' Card is operating well. Seniors can already access most of the available business discounts and it is unlikely a national card would give Seniors access to the Government concessions available in States where they are not permanent residents.
Yours sincerely
Kon Vatskalis
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