Indigenous Australian wants early pension due to short lives

By ROD McGUIRK
Associated Press

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — An Aboriginal man is taking Australia’s government to court to argue that Indigenous people should have access to their pensions earlier than other Australians because Indigenous life expectancy is years shorter. Dennis Fisher says he is taking the action to benefit other Indigenous Australians. The case was filed by lawyers for the 64-year-old in Federal Court last week. The lawyers say it will argue that Indigenous people should be able to access their pensions earlier to account for the gap in life expectancy until that gap is closed. Indigenous men have a life expectancy 8.6 years shorter than other Australian men and Indigenous woman 7.8 years shorter.