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L.I.S.T. (Life in Simple Terms) -- Ideal Customer Profile & User Avatars

Product: Plain-English query platform for Australians aged 50+ navigating government services Target Services: Centrelink, Medicare, MyGov, aged care (My Aged Care), pensions, Services Australia Date Compiled: February 2026 Data Sources: Australian Digital Inclusion Index 2025, Australian Bureau of Statistics, National Seniors Australia, eSafety Commissioner, COTA Australia, Commonwealth Ombudsman, Services Australia, Australian Seniors Scams Report 2025

Table of Contents

  1. Market Context: The Problem L.I.S.T. Solves
  2. Primary Avatar: "Margaret" -- The Core User (65-75, Retiree)
  3. Secondary Avatar: "David" -- The Carer/Family Helper (45-55)
  4. Tertiary Avatar: "Karen" -- The Early Retiree (55-64)
  5. ICP Summary Matrix
  6. Product Implications & Design Principles
  7. Sources & References

1. Market Context: The Problem L.I.S.T. Solves

The Scale of the Problem

  • 4.2 million Australians are aged 65+ (ABS 2024), with this number growing rapidly as baby boomers age.
  • 49% of people aged 65-74 receive a government pension or allowance as their main income source (AIHW). This rises significantly with age: 26% of those aged 65-69 receive the Age Pension, jumping to 59% of those aged 70-74.
  • 82% of Age Pension applicants sought assistance with the application process -- they did not feel confident enough to go it alone (National Seniors/Retirement Essentials survey, n=530).
  • 88% of people surveyed were dissatisfied with Age Pension application forms and processes.
  • 95% of respondents were dissatisfied with the Centrelink call centre, primarily relating to wait times.

The Digital Divide Is Real

According to the Australian Digital Inclusion Index (ADII) 2025:

Age Group ADII Score Gap vs National Average Digital Exclusion Rate
55-64 -3.8 points ~15%
65-74 -12.1 points ~30%
75+ -24.6 points 66.5%
  • Only 6 in 10 Australians over 65 are regular internet users.
  • 73% of those aged 65+ need help setting up and learning to use new devices.
  • People aged 75+ need to spend more than 10% of household income on internet access (12% of this group), with 65-74 year-olds (8%) also disproportionately affected.
  • The largest gains in digital ability were among those 75+, whose scores rose from 23.3 to 41.5 between 2023-2025 -- showing demand and willingness to engage, but from a very low base.

The Government Service Experience Is Broken

  • MyGov was described by the Digital Transformation Agency's own research as using "difficult language, complex instructions" and frequently leaving users "locked out of their accounts."
  • The top three MyGov complaints: login difficulties; problems linking to member services; "not user friendly."
  • Seniors described MyGov as a "painful experience" with "nothing intuitive about it," where "the interfaces to each department are like crossing a moat designed to keep you out, or locked in."
  • Average Centrelink call wait time: 26-32 minutes (2024), with maximum waits recorded at 2 hours and 54 minutes in a single financial year.
  • COTA Australia warned that "a digital-only policy -- whether from government, business, or academia -- can be seen as a form of ageism."

2. Primary Avatar: "Margaret" -- The Core User (65-75, Retiree)

2.1 Demographics

Attribute Detail
Name Margaret (representative name)
Age 68-72 (sweet spot within the 65-75 range)
Gender Split ~55% female, ~45% male in this age cohort accessing government services. Women slightly over-represented because they are more likely to be widowed, have lower super balances, and depend more heavily on Age Pension.
Location Suburban Sydney (Western Sydney, Sutherland Shire, Central Coast) or regional NSW (Hunter Valley, Illawarra, Mid-North Coast). 82.7% inner regional and 80.7% outer regional areas have home internet access, compared to 87.9% in major cities.
Income Level Primary income from Age Pension: $1,178.70/fortnight single ($30,646/year) or $1,777.00/fortnight couple ($46,202/year combined) as of September 2025. May have modest superannuation supplement. 49% of 65-74 year-olds receive government pension as main income.
Living Situation Owns home outright (typical for this cohort -- average home value $597,000 for over-65 households). Lives alone (if widowed) or with partner. Increasingly, some are in retirement villages or considering the transition.
Education Mixed. May have completed high school and/or trade qualification. Less likely to hold a university degree than younger cohorts.
Marital Status Married/partnered (60%) or widowed/separated (40%). Widowhood is a major trigger event for needing to navigate government services solo for the first time.

2.2 Digital Literacy Level

Overall: Low-to-moderate. ADII score 12.1 points below the national average for 65-74 group.

Devices owned and used:

  • Tablet (iPad): Often the preferred device. Larger screen makes reading easier. ~58% of 65+ use a desktop/laptop, but tablets are increasingly favoured for their simplicity and portability.
  • Smartphone: 78% of seniors aged 65-75 own a smartphone (Deloitte). Used primarily for calls, text messages, WhatsApp to family, and basic photo sharing. Less comfortable using smartphone for complex tasks (forms, government portals).
  • Desktop/laptop: May have an older computer. Used for email, occasional web browsing, and online banking (if set up by family member).
  • Smart TV: May use for streaming (set up by children/grandchildren).

What they are comfortable with:

  • Making and receiving phone calls
  • Text messaging (SMS, WhatsApp)
  • Email (checking, basic sending)
  • Facebook (passive browsing, family photos -- 35.3% of 65-74s use social networking)
  • Online banking (if initially set up by someone else, used cautiously)
  • Video calls with family (Zoom, FaceTime -- gained adoption during COVID)

What frustrates them:

  • Passwords and login systems: Forgetting passwords, being locked out, multi-factor authentication codes. MyGov lockouts are extremely common -- 9 failed attempts triggers a lockout.
  • Jargon and bureaucratic language: Government websites use terms they don't understand ("deemed income," "assets test threshold," "linking code").
  • Small text and cluttered interfaces: Poor contrast, tiny buttons, information overload on government pages.
  • Pop-ups, cookie notices, and security warnings: Create anxiety and confusion. "Am I being scammed?"
  • Timeout sessions: Government portals time out, losing partially completed forms.
  • Multi-step processes: "Why do I need 6 screens to do one thing?"
  • Error messages that don't explain what went wrong: Generic errors with no plain-English guidance.

2.3 Psychographics

Fears (ranked by intensity)

  1. Being scammed or defrauded online

    • 84% of Australians 50+ have either encountered or been victims of a scam.
    • 83% say they worry about scams.
    • Australians aged 65+ reported 62,147 scams with $99.6 million in losses in 2024.
    • 1 in 4 report an AI-related scam experience.
    • This fear creates a chilling effect: they avoid doing things online because "what if it's not real?"

  2. Making a mistake that costs them money

    • Terrified of accidentally reporting something wrong to Centrelink and either losing payments or incurring a debt (the "Robodebt" trauma is still culturally fresh).
    • Fear of clicking the wrong button and authorising something they didn't mean to.
    • Fear of not understanding what they're agreeing to in online forms.

  3. Losing independence / becoming a burden

    • Baby boomers strongly value autonomy and independence.
    • 68% of Australians want to age in place.
    • Needing to ask children for help with "simple" tasks like checking their pension online feels humiliating.
    • Being unable to manage their own affairs signals a loss of competence.

  4. Privacy and data security

    • "Who can see my information?"
    • Distrust of what happens to data once submitted online.
    • Heightened awareness of data breaches (Optus, Medibank hacks are culturally significant in Australia).

  5. Being left behind / the world moving on without them

    • Government pushing "digital by default" feels exclusionary.
    • Bank branches closing, phone services being replaced by chatbots.
    • "I used to be able to just walk in and talk to someone."

Motivations

  1. Maintaining independence and dignity

    • Wants to handle own affairs without needing to ask for help.
    • "I managed a household / a business / a career -- I should be able to figure out my pension."

  2. Financial security

    • Getting the correct pension entitlements. Not leaving money on the table.
    • Understanding what they're eligible for after a life event (partner's death, health change).

  3. Peace of mind

    • Knowing they've done things correctly.
    • Not having a Centrelink debt hanging over them.
    • Understanding their rights and entitlements in plain language.

  4. Staying connected to the world

    • Government services increasingly require digital engagement.
    • Wants to participate, not be excluded.

  5. Protecting themselves and their partner

    • Making sure they're not missing out on benefits.
    • Planning ahead for aged care transitions.

Values

  1. Trust: Will only use services that feel safe, legitimate, and Australian. Government backing or endorsement matters enormously.
  2. Simplicity: Wants things explained once, clearly, without jargon. "Just tell me what I need to do."
  3. Privacy: Wants assurance their data isn't being sold or shared.
  4. Respect: Doesn't want to be talked down to. Wants to be treated as an intelligent adult who simply finds the system confusing.
  5. Reliability: Wants consistent, correct answers. If the tool says something, it must be right.

2.4 Journey: What Triggers Them to Need This Tool

These are the life events that drive Margaret to seek help navigating government services:

Trigger Event What Happens Government Complexity
Turning 67 (Age Pension eligibility) Needs to apply for the Age Pension for the first time. The application process is described as "too hard, too complicated and too long." 42.4% of applicants were dissatisfied. Income and assets tests are confusing.
Partner passing away Must notify Centrelink, adjust pension from couple to single rate, deal with estate matters, change Medicare details. Emotionally devastating timing meets maximum bureaucratic complexity. Must update multiple agencies while grieving.
Health event (stroke, fall, diagnosis) Suddenly needs to understand hospital costs, Medicare coverage, NDIS eligibility, home care packages. My Aged Care assessment process (now Single Assessment System from Dec 2024) is complex. Wait times of 2-6 weeks for assessment.
Moving to aged care Needs to understand means-tested fees, accommodation deposits, impact on pension. Aged care costs are notoriously opaque. RAD vs DAP, means-tested care fees, impact on family home assessment.
Pension rate changes Government changes deeming rates, income thresholds, or asset limits. Changes happen twice yearly (March and September). Hard to understand personal impact without recalculating.
Helping a partner who is declining Becomes a carer while also managing their own entitlements. May be eligible for Carer Payment or Carer Allowance but doesn't know. Additional forms and assessments required.
Downsizing home Selling the family home. Impact on pension assets test. Downsizer super contribution rules. Extremely complex intersection of Centrelink assets test, capital gains, super rules, and pension impact.

2.5 Current Behaviour: How They Currently Get Answers

Method Usage Experience
Call Centrelink/Services Australia First instinct. "I'll just ring them." Average wait: 26-32 minutes. Maximum recorded: 2h 54m. 95% dissatisfaction with call centres. Often get different answers from different operators. Sometimes disconnected after waiting.
Ask a family member (daughter/son) Very common, especially for anything online. Creates dependency and guilt. Family member may not know the answer either. Creates friction ("Mum, I'm at work, I can't do this right now").
Visit a Services Australia office Strongly preferred by this cohort. Offices increasingly directing people to online services. Wait times in person can also be long. Fewer offices in regional areas. COVID reduced face-to-face availability.
Ask a friend/peer Informal peer network at bowls club, church, community group. Information is often anecdotal, incomplete, or wrong. "My friend Shirley said..."
Avoid it entirely More common than acknowledged. Result: miss entitlements, overpay for services, don't claim what they're owed. Silent suffering.
Use a financial adviser Small percentage, usually those with more assets. Expensive. Many retirees on the pension cannot afford one.
Google it Increasingly common, but overwhelming. Government websites are dense. Search results mix official info with ads and scam sites. Hard to know what's current/relevant.
Be Connected / community programs Growing usage -- 2 million learners through the eSafety Be Connected program. Helpful for basic digital skills but doesn't solve the government-service-specific complexity.

2.6 Pain Points with Government Digital Services (Specific)

  1. MyGov account management

    • Locked out of accounts frequently (9 failed login attempts triggers lockout).
    • Linking services (Centrelink, Medicare, ATO) is confusing and often fails.
    • Multi-factor authentication adds friction.
    • After setting up MyID, some users now face two-stage login processes.

  2. Centrelink online claims

    • Age Pension application requires extensive financial documentation.
    • Forms time out, losing progress.
    • "Deemed income" concept is fundamentally confusing to non-financial people.
    • Assets test calculation is opaque.
    • Error messages are unhelpful.

  3. Medicare online

    • Claiming is relatively straightforward, but understanding bulk billing vs gap fees is confusing.
    • Medicare Safety Net thresholds are hard to track.
    • Linking Medicare to MyGov frequently fails.

  4. My Aged Care portal

    • "Navigating the aged care system can be confusing" -- the portal's own acknowledgment.
    • Assessment process recently changed (Single Assessment System from December 2024), adding confusion.
    • Understanding the difference between home care packages, CHSP, and residential care is overwhelming.
    • Wait times between application and assessment: 2-6 weeks.

  5. Language and readability

    • Government websites written at a reading level far above what's comfortable for many seniors.
    • Heavy use of acronyms (ACAT, RAS, CHSP, HCP, RAD, DAP, MPIR).
    • Legal disclaimers and caveats make everything sound uncertain.
    • "I just want to know: am I eligible? How much will I get?"

  6. Lack of personalisation

    • Every government website provides generic information.
    • "Here are 47 pages about the Age Pension. Good luck figuring out which bits apply to you."
    • No tool says: "Based on what you've told me, here's what you need to do next."

3. Secondary Avatar: "David" -- The Carer/Family Helper (45-55)

3.1 Demographics

Attribute Detail
Name David (representative name; could equally be "Sarah" -- women make up 91% of sandwich generation carers)
Age 48-53
Gender Predominantly female (91% of sandwich carers are women), but men increasingly involved, especially for financial/admin tasks.
Location Lives in a different suburb or town from parent. May be metro Sydney while parent is regional, or vice versa.
Income Dual-income household, $120,000-$180,000 combined. Middle class. Own mortgage.
Living Situation Married/partnered with school-age or young adult children. Classic "sandwich generation."
Employment Full-time professional. 52% report increased stress at work due to caregiving responsibilities.
Digital Literacy High. Comfortable with technology, smartphones, apps, online banking. Uses technology daily for work.

3.2 The Sandwich Generation Reality

This avatar is part of the estimated 1.5 million middle-aged Australians in the sandwich generation:

  • 2.65 million unpaid carers exist in Australia (ABS 2024).
  • 11.9% of the population are carers, including 1.2 million primary carers.
  • 9 in 10 carers have experienced signs of caregiving burnout.
  • Top symptoms: emotional exhaustion (47%), sleep disturbances (46%), physical exhaustion (45%).
  • 48% say caregiving affects their social life.
  • 42% experience burnout and fatigue.
  • 39% use more personal leave from work.
  • Sandwich carers contribute an average of $1,500/month to support aging parents.

3.3 Their Frustrations

  1. Time poverty

    • Cannot spend 45 minutes on hold with Centrelink during work hours.
    • Government offices close at 5pm -- the same time they finish work.
    • Weekends spent trying to decipher government letters that arrived at Mum's house during the week.
    • "I spent my entire Saturday trying to figure out Mum's pension reassessment."

  2. Knowledge gap

    • Digitally capable but not an expert in government entitlements.
    • Can navigate a website easily, but doesn't know what to search for.
    • "I don't know what I don't know. I don't even know the right questions to ask."

  3. Emotional labour

    • Playing the role of translator between parent and government.
    • Parent gets anxious, calls them at work panicking about a Centrelink letter.
    • Navigating parent's pride ("I don't need help") vs reality ("But you do, Mum").
    • Guilt about not doing enough / not being there in person.

  4. Permission and authority barriers

    • Cannot act on parent's behalf without formal authorisation.
    • Centrelink requires either Power of Attorney or a nominee arrangement.
    • Setting up nominee access through Centrelink is itself a bureaucratic process.
    • "I'm trying to help, and the system is designed to make it harder."

  5. Information is parent-specific

    • Generic government advice doesn't help. They need answers specific to Mum's situation.
    • "Mum has $X in super, owns her home worth $Y, gets Z per fortnight. What happens when Dad goes into aged care?"
    • This level of personalisation doesn't exist in current government channels.

  6. Coordination across multiple agencies

    • Need to deal with Centrelink, Medicare, My Aged Care, ATO, state government services, private health funds -- all separately.
    • Each has different login systems, processes, and requirements.
    • No single place to get a coherent picture.

3.4 What David Wants from a Tool Like L.I.S.T.

  • Plain-English answers to specific scenarios: "Mum's husband just died. What does she need to do with Centrelink? In what order? By when?"
  • A checklist: Step-by-step guide for life events, not a wall of text.
  • Speed: Get the answer in 2 minutes, not 2 hours of phone calls.
  • Reliability: Trust that the information is current and correct.
  • Shareable output: Something they can print or send to Mum to explain what's happening.
  • After-hours availability: Can use it at 9pm on a Tuesday after the kids are in bed.
  • No need to create yet another government account. Existing government login fatigue is real.

3.5 David's Journey

Stage Behaviour
Trigger Parent calls in distress about a government letter, pension change, or health event.
First action Googles the issue. Gets buried in government websites, forums, conflicting advice.
Escalation Calls Centrelink on parent's behalf. Faces wait times. May not have authority to act.
Frustration Spends 3-4 hours across multiple days trying to resolve what should be a simple question.
Resolution Eventually pieces together an answer from multiple sources. Not always confident it's correct.
Emotional toll Resentment builds. Relationship with parent strained. Work productivity drops.

4. Tertiary Avatar: "Karen" -- The Early Retiree (55-64)

4.1 Demographics

Attribute Detail
Name Karen (representative name)
Age 58-63
Gender Split Roughly even. Women retire slightly earlier (average 62.7) than men (average 64.9).
Location Suburban NSW. May be planning a sea/tree change to regional area.
Income Transitional. May have redundancy payout, super drawdown, part-time work income. Not yet eligible for Age Pension (minimum age 67).
Living Situation Owns home (possibly still with mortgage). Partner may still be working.
Digital Literacy Moderate-to-high. ADII gap only -3.8 points vs national average for 55-64 age group. Used computers throughout career. Comfortable with email, online banking, smartphones.

4.2 The Transition Challenge

Karen is in a unique position:

  • Still digitally capable but finding government systems increasingly complex.
  • First time dealing with Centrelink since perhaps their 20s (if ever). The system has changed completely.
  • Complex financial situation: Super access rules, transition-to-retirement strategies, tax implications, and eventual Age Pension eligibility all intersect in confusing ways.
  • Planning horizon: Needs to make decisions now that will affect their financial position for decades.

4.3 Key Scenarios Karen Faces

  1. "Can I retire at 60?"

    • Needs to understand the gap between stopping work and Age Pension at 67.
    • Super access rules: can access super from age 60 (if born after 1 July 1964).
    • Transition to retirement strategies: only available from age 60.
    • Tax implications of super drawdown vs employment income.

  2. "What am I eligible for before the Age Pension?"

    • May be eligible for JobSeeker Payment (with modified mutual obligations for 55+).
    • Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (if not quite eligible for pension).
    • Low Income Health Care Card.
    • Doesn't know these exist or how to apply.

  3. "What happens to my super and pension when I sell the house?"

    • Downsizer super contribution rules (up to $300,000 per person from sale of home).
    • Impact on future Age Pension assets test.
    • Interaction between super balance and pension eligibility.

  4. "My company offered me a redundancy. What do I need to know?"

    • Tax treatment of redundancy payments.
    • Impact on Centrelink waiting periods.
    • Whether to roll money into super or invest elsewhere.

  5. "My partner needs aged care. What happens to our finances?"

    • Means-tested care fees.
    • Protected person provisions (partner still in the family home).
    • Impact on combined pension assessment.

4.4 Karen's Digital Relationship

  • Capable but impatient: Can use government websites but gets frustrated by complexity and information overload.
  • Compares to private sector: "If I can do my banking in 30 seconds, why does Centrelink take 45 minutes?"
  • Researches before acting: Will read multiple sources. Wants to feel confident before submitting anything.
  • Higher expectations: Expects modern UX. Notices bad design.
  • Mobile-first: Increasingly using smartphone for research and tasks.
  • Will abandon: If a government process is too hard, will delay (possibly missing deadlines or entitlements).

4.5 What Karen Wants from L.I.S.T.

  • Scenario modelling: "If I retire at 62, what benefits can I access and when?"
  • Jargon translation: "What does 'deemed income' actually mean for me?"
  • Sequencing: "What should I do first, second, third?"
  • Confidence: "Am I understanding this correctly?"
  • Comparison: "What's the difference between these two options?"
  • Currency: "Is this information up to date?" (Government rules change frequently.)

5. ICP Summary Matrix

Dimension Margaret (65-75) David (45-55) Karen (55-64)
Core Need "Just tell me what I need to do" "Help me help my parent" "Help me plan and not miss anything"
Digital Skill Low-moderate High Moderate-high
Time Available Ample but anxious Very limited Moderate
Primary Device Tablet / desktop Smartphone / laptop Smartphone / laptop
Trust Requirement Very high Moderate-high Moderate
Trigger Life event (pension, death, health) Parent's crisis call Career transition
Current Solution Phone Centrelink, ask family, avoid Google + phone calls + frustration Research online, financial adviser
Pain Level Extreme High Moderate-high
Willingness to Pay Low (pension income) Moderate-high (values time) Moderate (values accuracy)
Feature Priority Plain language, big text, trust signals Speed, checklists, shareable answers Scenario modelling, comprehensiveness
Frequency of Use Episodic (life events) Episodic but urgent Concentrated during transition period
Emotional State Anxious, overwhelmed Frustrated, time-poor, guilty Cautious, planning-oriented

6. Product Implications & Design Principles

For Margaret (Primary):

  • Large, readable text as default. Minimum 16px body, 20px+ headings.
  • High contrast colour scheme. No light grey text on white backgrounds.
  • Minimal navigation. One question, one answer. No complex menus.
  • Trust signals everywhere: ".gov.au source" badges, "Information current as of [date]" labels, clear privacy statements.
  • No login required for basic queries. Account creation is a massive barrier.
  • Print-friendly output. Many in this cohort will print the answer.
  • Plain English only. Every government acronym must be expanded and explained.
  • "Did this answer your question?" feedback mechanism -- simple yes/no, not a 5-star rating.

For David (Secondary):

  • Fast, specific answers. No preamble. Get to the point.
  • Life-event checklists. "Parent passed away? Here's what to do, in order, with deadlines."
  • Shareable via link, email, or PDF. David needs to send this to Mum or siblings.
  • Mobile-optimised. David is using this on his phone at 9pm.
  • Save/bookmark scenarios. "I'll need to come back to this."
  • No government account needed. David doesn't want another login.

For Karen (Tertiary):

  • Scenario comparison. "Retire at 62 vs 65 -- what changes?"
  • Calculator-style tools for pension eligibility, assets test impact, super drawdown.
  • Clear timelines. "At age 60, you can do X. At 67, Y becomes available."
  • Link to authoritative sources. Karen will want to verify.
  • Modern, clean interface. Karen notices and cares about UX quality.

Universal Principles:

  1. No jargon. Ever. If a government term must be used, explain it immediately.
  2. Source everything. Every answer should cite the specific government source.
  3. Date everything. Government rules change. Users must know if information is current.
  4. Empathy in tone. These are people dealing with stressful life events, not "users" completing "transactions."
  5. Never assume digital literacy. Don't say "click here" -- say "press the blue button that says..."
  6. Fail gracefully. If the tool can't answer, direct them to a human (with phone number and best times to call).
  7. Australian English. "Centre" not "Center." "Organisation" not "Organization." Cultural familiarity builds trust.
  8. No dark patterns. No upsells, no data harvesting, no newsletter popups. This audience is hyper-alert to anything that feels like a scam.

7. Sources & References

Digital Inclusion Data

ABS Data

Government Services & Complaints

Scams and Safety

Carers and Sandwich Generation

Aged Care Navigation

Digital Literacy Programs

COTA Australia (Advocacy)

Income and Pension Data

Centrelink Wait Times

Regional Connectivity

Aging in Place