Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The interjection from the member for North Sydney was,  ‘Another committee’. This recommendation was the unanimous final report of an inquiry by the Senate backed by you, Joe—backed by him, backed by everyone on his side, including the member for Warringah. Pardon us for actually doing what we all agreed to do as a consequence of this particular Senate inquiry.

Furthermore, I draw the attention of those opposite as to who initiated the Senate inquiry last year: the Labor Party from opposition. We initiated it from opposition, the then Prime Minister, Mr Howard, agreed with that inquiry proceeding. Its recommendation was to go to the heart of the base pension level for the future. That recommendation was supported by the Liberals and by the Nationals in the Senate. Labor have acted upon that and now opposition members say they do not agree with their own party. That is what they are saying.

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