Why thousands of Aussies are sharing this single picture of a tradie

An image of a hardworking tradie has gone viral as Australia gradually increases the pension age requirements from 65 to 67, and research suggests it will need to be pushed forward even further. 

The tradie is holding a sign that says: ‘Only a bloke who’s worked in an office his whole life would think you can work until you’re 70.’

It comes as Australia’s pension age rises to 67 on July 1 this year, and research suggested it needs to be  increased to 70 by 2050.

But many Aussies have hit back, claiming an older person’s body cannot handle physically demanding work.

‘My body is just tired, as is my husbands, who is 66. We both need to just rest now. We had planned on retirement at 65. Then they changed the goal post,’ one Aussie said.

‘I’ve worked 43 years as a butcher. I’m almost 65 yrs old, I think I’ve done enough, and my body agrees,’ a second added.

‘I spent many years in a quarry as well as a coal mine, my body is physically worn out, so I 110 per cent agree with his poster,’ a third wrote. 

‘My husband is now 60 in a physically demanding job, his body is saying ‘enough’,’ another person said.

‘He has done his job, raised a family, put food on the table, a roof over our head. He has earned the right to slow down and enjoy some time doing what he wants now.’

Others called for Australian politicians to work as labourers before making decisions on raising the retirement age. 

‘The politicians all need to get out of their chairs and do a tradies’ job for a week or two then they will know what a bad back is and realise that the body won’t let you work until you are 70,’ one person wrote. 

A second added added: ‘I would like to see all politicians work a week as a bricklayer, a boilermaker, a plumber, or a builder – doing what we did to 65, they couldn’t for a week.’ 

Currently, Australians are able to access a pension wage at 65 years and 6 months as long as they were born between July 1, 1952 and December 31, 1953.

Those born after that date will be able to access their pension from the age of 66.

However, from July 1, anyone born after January 1, 1957 will have to work even longer with the pension age increasing to 67-years-old.

Macquarie University Professor of statistics, Hanlin Shang, claims their research suggests the pension age will need to increase to 70 years old.

‘As Australians live longer than before, it presents a challenge to the government to fund retirees through a pension scheme,’ Macquarie University statistician Professor Hanlin Shang said.  

‘Less people in the working group and more in retirement will make the old age dependency ratio (OADR) higher.

‘What this means is there are less working people to support elderly people. And with more elderly people in the population, this will create a burden for the government pension system.

‘Raising the pension age is the obvious way to sustain the current pension scheme without collecting more taxes.’

The research suggests a higher pension age of 70 should not be introduced until 2050, following a rise to 68 by 2030 and 69 by 2036.