O7 AUSTIAI. IAPRESS STATEMENT NO. 84
4 May, 1973
STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER
The Hon. E. G. Whitlam M. P.
PUBLIC SERVICE AGE LIMITS
The Prime Minister announced today that the upper age
limits applying to appointments to the Commonwealth Service as
Clerk, Clerical Assistant and Typist have been removed. This
move will greatly increase the opportunities for employment of
middle-aged and married women in the service.
The age limits have been 28 for clerks, 30 for clerical
assistants and between 30 and 45 ( depending on circumstancks)
for typists. The removal of the limits results from a spe. cial
review being carried out by the Public Service Board of all age
limits currently applying to recruitment to the Commonwealzh
Service. This review is being made in the light of the current
recruitment situation and in relation to present day social
and economic conditions. The review has shown that the need
of the Service for a proportion of career entrants can, in the
present circumstances, be served adequately without mandatory
age limits. The removal of age limits is a contribution to the
flexibility of the work force. People such as those displaced
by technological change and married women seeking to re-enco:
the work force will no longer be debarred by age from cowmpeting
for permanent appointment to the Commonwealth Service.
If present trends continue, it is probable that in the
future many women will return to work when their children & re
old enough and will usually have about twenty to thirty years
of working life ahead of them. To enable women to resume
their careers when they wish to do so, and to ensure tnat t. i:
abilities, training and experience are not wasted, the Govecn..; cnt
hopes that other employers will be prepared to plan career ditterr
for women which includes a break in service. 2/
In other words, if there is to be real equality of
opportunity, we must accept the fact that the work pattern
of women is different. A woman should not be unduly penalised
in employment by requirements such as unbroken service,
full-time working hours and other conditions governing her
eligibility for security of employment and opportunity for
advancement beyond junior status.
This decision of the Public Service Board is the beginning
of a realistic policy enabling women to reconcile domestic
responsibilities with a career. It is hoped that further steps
will include the introduction of permanent part-time work and
other forms of employment as well as flexible working hours.
The community as a whole will benefit in the long run.