But under the Coalition’s plan announced last year by then treasurer Joe Hockey, the retirement age could increase to 70 by 2035.

In the face of a rapidly ageing population, both major parties have moved in recent years to increase the age at which the pension becomes accessible.

Undoubtedly, one of this country’s most pressing challenges is keeping some semblance of control over a pension bill growing at about 6 per cent a year.

However, simply legislating to make citizens wait longer to receive a full or partial pension is not in isolation going to solve what is a very real problem.

While much attention is given to the struggle of our youth to find gainful employment, there is no shortage of older Australians struggling to crack the jobs market.

Older workers earning higher wages are particularly vulnerable during economic downturns when companies are struggling to stay afloat and must cut costs.

Or they might find themselves in the dole queue if the profession they chose decades ago becomes obsolete.

It could even be that after years of toil their creaking bodies can no longer take the physical punishment anymore.

If in the years ahead Australians are expected to work until they are 70, there will be an awful lot of nurses, bricklayers, miners, farmers and truck drivers – to name but a few gruelling professions – forced to change careers late in life.

For all the medical advances driving up life expectancy in Australia, there remain few permanent solutions to crippled backs, dickie knees and arthritic hands.

Therefore, the money the government saves by raising the retirement age must be invested smartly.

It needs to be poured into programs designed to retrain older workers to ensure they have the skills the market demands.

It would not hurt either to spend some educating potential employers about the benefits older people can bring to the workplace.

There is little point legislating for a higher retirement age if it merely results in a generation of unemployable workers.