Let's lower the retirement age. Please don't increase it!

The Government has announced that the retirement age will be increased from 65 to 67 years in 20 years time. The rationale for this increase is that life expectancy is increasing while the burgeoning cost of the universal pension is unsustainable. It would appear that the majority of Kiwis have accepted this. I don't.

I think this policy announcement is a political cop out. I think it is dishonest and morally reprehensible. I think it is a preemptive move to prevent the under-investment by Government in retirement funding from becoming a toxic election campaign issue for the Establishment Parties.

Increasing the pension age is wrong and I will explain why.

Life expectancy may have been increasing up till now, but it is about to start decreasing

Image above: Back in the Good old Days when we were all terribly healthy.

Baby-Boomers of New Zealand come from the strongest stock and were the best-nourished generation of Modern Times.

We got sunshine and we exercised constantly. We were not sent to war as young men. Young women gained control of their reproduction and no longer die during childbirth. We got car seat belts and industrial machine guarding. We benefitted from minimal medications, but the best of modern medications. It is hardly any surprise that we are expected to live longer than any generation that came before us. But this trend for longevity is about to reverse.

I'm now over 35 years into the business of health. When you work this long at one thing it is hardly a surprise that your get to notice trends, s