FOR veteran concreter Russell Grulke, there is a big difference between smoothing out wet cement and working at a desk.

Mr Grulke, who has been working with concrete for 37 years, wants to see different retirement ages for people who work in more labour-intensive fields.

The Commonwealth Bank has told older Australians last week they must be prepared to work longer into their 60s.

But Mr Grulke said it was unrealistic for manual labour workers to keep doing the same job past retirement age, saying the physical limitations were too great.

"There are plenty of guys my age who are still laying concrete," he said.

"Guys behind a desk will be able to do that until they are 70 usually.

"The question is what are guys who have spent their whole lives in manual labour going to do when they can't do it anymore?"

Mr Grulke said age would factor into his decision to hire someone, adding it was hard, but not impossible, for older workers to re-skill.

"If I had a 60-year-old concreter asking me for a job, I'd be hesitant to offering him one over a bloke in his 30s," he said.

"(But) I've got a 68-year-old who drives my trucks for me and all he's ever done is driven trucks."

A survey by the Financial Services Council and Commonwealth Bank found 72% of over-50s surveyed said they were willing to stay in the workforce longer.

But Mr Grulke said that wasn't an option for some older Australians.

"All he's getting is his wages and not much else," he said.

"I don't think either side of politics has dug deep enough into this."

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