If there is any tiny shred of good to come from the election of Donald Trump to the Presidency of the United States, it is that the electorate voted in a man of 70 years to run one of the most complicated countries in the world. The other serious contenders were a woman of 69 (Hillary) and a man of 75 (Bernie Sanders). No-one seemed to make much of an issue of their age during the election, apart from Hillary’s bout of pneumonia, which by the way seemed to last two days before she was up and at it again. How many people of 69 do you know who have contracted pneumonia and got up and run for President of the United States two days later? These people are made of strong stuff. And yet in Australia I am sure you would be laughed at if you turned up for a lowly office job at the age of 70. Some young Human Resources manager versed in corporate speak would determine that you were too old and turn you dispirited out of the door.

I am writing this in the USA on a trip to New York and last night we...