The Coalition has dumped its plan to increase the retirement age to 70 by the year 2035.

Speaking to Ben Fordham, Prime Minister Scott Morrison denied making a “captain’s call” on the issue.

Mr Morrison says, under his leadership, the decision not to raise the pension age won’t be reviewed.

National Seniors Australia Chief Advocate Ian Henschke tells Ben Fordham the announcement was a “surprise” but proves we’re “well and truly in election phase”.

“The people that are most affected by (raising the pension age) were going to be those that were born after Jan 1, 1966,” he says.

“In this one action you were going to, I suppose, focus the minds of everyone who was under the age of 52.”

Ian says it’s time to take “politics” out of pension decisions, and all changes should be set by an independent body.

“I think what we’ve got to do is not just pull a lever here or there, which is what we tend to be doing every time there is an election.”

Click PLAY below for the full interview