Shorter Indigenous life expectancy should mean lower pension age, court told

Indigenous Australians in the outback. The federal court is hearing a landmark case brought against the commonwealth by an Indigenous man seeking to access his pension early due to the life expectancy gap for First Nations peoples. Photograph: David McLain/Getty Images/Aurora Creative

First Nations Australians should be granted access to the pension at a younger age due to a gap in life expectancy “which is closely connected to race”, the federal court has heard.

The full federal court on Monday commenced hearings in a landmark case brought against the commonwealth by 65-year-old Indigenous man, Uncle Dennis, who is seeking to access the pension three years early.