Karen Andrews (McPherson, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

At the time they were in government, when a motion was before this parliament to increase the pension, who voted for it and who voted against it? This side of the parliament voted for it; that side of the parliament to their shame voted against it. So I can say accurately as an observation of what occurred at the time that they had to be shamed into it and were dragged kicking and screaming to make that increase.

The minister has implied that this increase which occurred for pensioners today was more than would have been expected. But the minister had to concede this point this morning on radio station 5AA in Adelaide when Leon Byner said to the minister: 'The increase that people are going to get as of today is an increase that we would normally get anyway—correct?' The minister replied, 'Yes.'

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