A/HRC/24/25 26. Ms. Ryan described the role of the Age Discrimination Commissioner and Australian legislation and policies on older persons. Existing legislation and policies focused on employment, access to goods and services, discrimination against older persons in access to education, accommodation and public premises, social security (including pensions, health care and access to medicines), home and residential care, and transition from paid work to retirement and aged care. She recalled that, despite the comprehensive protection available, certain rights of older persons were still undervalued and unprotected. 27. Ms. Ryan highlighted some of the main challenges faced by Australia in ensuring the protection of the rights of older persons. In the area of health and aged care, there was a need to manage the growing resource demand for health and aged-care services, to respond to chronic illnesses and dementia, and to satisfy the expectations of older Australians for higher quality services and greater control and choice. In the area of access to housing, issues included the availability, affordability and adequacy of housing for older persons, given that there was evidence that the number of homeless older persons was increasing. With regard to employment, many people left the workforce before they were ready and before they had sufficient savings for their retirement. Age discrimination made it difficult for older persons to obtain work or to work more. There was also a need for flexibility in working hours or part-time arrangements to allow for caring responsibilities or to manage illness or disability. 28. With regard to discrimination, Ms. Ryan underscored how negative stereotypes and perceptions about older persons constituted a significant barrier to the realization of their full potential. Surveys showed that views about older persons in Australia included the belief that they were a homogenous group, unable to learn or to change, unwell, lonely and an economic burden on society. The media played an important role in the reproduction of these stereotypes. Consequently, part of the work of the Age Commissioner was directed towards the promotion of positive perceptions of older persons, including a project called “Age Positive: promoting positive and diverse portrayals of older Australians”. 29. Age discrimination could be aggravated by other factors. One in five older Australians came from a culturally and linguistically diverse background, often facing barriers in their access to appropriate health and aged-care services. Overcoming these barriers required accessible and culturally appropriate services. In addition, many older lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons had endured lifelong discrimination and stigma, with a damaging impact on their physical and mental health and social wellbeing. 30. Ms. Ryan pointed out that, at present, there was no national government strategy for protecting older persons from violence and abuse. In addition, there was a real need for social protection for older persons in order to ensure an adequate standard of living. Approximately 80 per cent of all Australians aged 65 or older were reliant, to some degree, on the age pension, while the remaining 20 per cent relied on their own retirement savings. 31. Ms. Ryan also supported the development of a new international convention for older persons. The Australian Human Rights Commission was taking steps to meet relevant stakeholder groups and government ministers to encourage support for a new convention. Even though Australia could be considered an advanced country with a wide range of domestic protections for older persons, a convention would provide a unified framework reference for national law and policies, enhance the coverage of rights and provide a firm basis for monitoring implementation. At present, there was no specific international obligation to report on human rights issues affecting older persons. A convention could assist Australia to become a more effective human rights sponsor and donor, and it would bring greater coherence and fullness to the country’s protection of human rights for older persons. 8