CANBERRA - Prime Minister John Howard says Australians should work until they are in their middle to late 60s to ensure the country's future prosperity.
But he says his comments are no reflection of any plans he may have for his own retirement.
"If everybody worked at leastuntil they were in their middle to late 60s, that would make an enormous difference," Mr Howard, who turns 68 this year, told ABC radio today.
"The big problem Australia's had is far too many people retire at 55.
"Until quite recently, that cohort of 55-64 in Australia was less in work ... than comparable cohorts in other relevant countries."
His comments follow the release of the federal government's second intergenerational report on the impact Australia's ageing population will have on the economy in the decades ahead.
Mr Howard acknowledged it could be difficult to find the right time to retire, with many who retired suddenly finding it hard to strike a new life balance.
"There are many, many people I know who have retired after a very, very busy life and suddenly they're doing nothing, and they go to pieces," he said.
"They are used to being relevant and useful and then all of a sudden they find they're not.
"People ought to stay in the workforce longer, perhaps work part-time."
The prime minister warily broached the subject of his life after politics, though carefully avoiding any hint of a retirement date.
"I'm sure I'll have plenty of other things to do (in retirement)," Mr Howard said.
"I don't have a boat but I'm quite sure that there'll be things I can find to do.
"But I'm not getting into the business of speculating what they might be - you know what people will then do."
He repeated his old mantra that he would remain as prime minister as long as the Liberal Party wanted him in the job.
