Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition earlier this year in his capacity as shadow Treasurer slapped down any suggestion that there be an increase in the base rate of the pension. The hypocrisy of the opposition on this is manifest. Whilst they continue with their hypocrisy, with their cobbled together measures—measures that leave out more than two million Australians who receive a form of pension—the government will get on with the business of delivering practical measures, like the $128 this week, like the $500 utilities allowance, like the $500 bonus, and we will address the question methodically and comprehensively in a thorough-going review, and we will not be listening to those who had 12 years to act. Let us line them up: the Leader of the Opposition, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, the Manager of Opposition Business, the new spokesman on the ETS—and the list goes on. None of them did anything in government to make a difference on this question, and that is how they will be judged.

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