Are Media, Australia’s leading omnichannel content company for women, together with Carers Australia and a coalition of carer support and advocacy groups, are joining forces to call on both the Federal Government and the Opposition to add superannuation to the fortnightly Carers Payment.
Last month, The Inquiry into Unpaid Carers recommended the Australian Government consider options to incentivise and recognise the impact of caring, including through superannuation systems.
In total there are some 2.65 million unpaid carers in Australia some of whom receive means tested income support from the government for an average of 11.5 years*. Seven in ten of primary carers are women**. According to Carers Australia, a primary carer loses an average of $175,000 in superannuation and $392,500 in lifetime earnings to the age of 67^.
Some who are carers for extended periods of time will lose substantially more, with the most affected 10% losing at least $940,000 in lifetime income and $444,500 in retirement savings^. “Cost of Caring” is the latest social change campaign from Are Media’s Change AREgenda and follows successful campaigns to help improve financial literacy among women, criminalise coercive control, lobby to raise $2 billion for social housing, stop the financial abuse of older Australians, and remove the GST on sanitary products.
Are Media Chief Executive Officer, Jane Huxley, said that over the coming year – and in the lead up to the 2025 Federal Election – the company will call on both the Government and the Opposition to commit to the reform as a key election issue.
“Carers are heroes in the home and in communities, but their roles are too often unrecognised and undervalued. Carers provide 2.2 billion hours of unpaid care each year in Australia, which would cost nearly $80 billion to replace with formal paid care. Carers sacrifice careers, travel, education goals, social lives and their own wellbeing to look after the needs of others – but who is caring for the carers?,” she said.
“The ‘Cost of Caring’ campaign will be a powerful voice for carers across Australia and will involve content and advertising across every available Are Media touchpoint to drive awareness and education, encouraging our almost 8 million strong monthly audience to take action through social media, signing a petition and engaging with local MPs and other key decision makers.”
“We will use our influential platforms to drive reform for the many thousands of carers, the majority of whom are women, that for generations have suffered financial hardship as they selflessly care for loved ones and others.”
The “Cost of Caring” campaign will focus heavily on case studies around Australia involving carers, the work they undertake and the impact, both economically and socially, this has on their lives. Brands involved will include The Australian Women’s Weekly, Woman’s Day, marie claire and Better Homes and Gardens.
Read the full article on Are Media’s website.
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