Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Longman for his question and particularly for his very real concern for the 28,000 pensioners in his electorate. He understands, unlike those opposite, that these are very, very hard economic times for Australia’s pensioners. While there is more to be done, the government has certainly made a start. We have made it clear to Australia’s pensioners that we do intend to introduce long-term pension reform in the upcoming budget. Our Economic Security Strategy payments were a down payment on that long-term pension reform.

I will just remind those opposite that the Economic Security Strategy payments went to four out of every five Australians aged over 65. I have to say it is becoming increasingly difficult to know what on earth the position is of those opposite. We remember when the Economic Security Strategy was announced the Leader of the Opposition came out straightaway and said he supported it. Then, a couple of days afterwards, he said he wanted to change it. Then he voted for it, and now it seems that they oppose it. It seems that they did not want those four million pensioners to receive a down payment on long-term pension reform.

Just this morning we have discovered that the odd couple, the members for Sturt and Warringah—they seem to have finally buried the hatchet—

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