Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Social Services and Other Legislation Amendment (Seniors Health Card and Other Measures) Bill 2014 on this day, 17 July 2014. As the member for Corangamite touched on throughout her speech, today is a day of infamy, on which we saw the reasonable and responsible approach to addressing global warming destroyed by those opposite. The member for Corangamite did not talk about the seniors health card and other measures bill because she had nothing to say about it. Instead she seemed to focus on Labor Party activities. It made me see her Q&A performance in a new light. I thought it would have been difficult to go below that, but she achieved that today. I guess we will hear from many global-warming advocates opposite as they trot in here and do their little victory dance on this day of infamy. Throughout her speech, the member for Corangamite mentioned Bob Hawke, clinging to him as if he were some talisman who could give political leadership. Let us talk about Bob Hawke and what he did. Bob Hawke was able to do incredible things and take the Australian people with him, but we have seen the Tea Party extremists, these radical right-wing representatives—not conservatives—on that side of the chamber attack sensible responses to global warming. I know we are going to hear from these global-warming advocates as they dance around like the wyrd sisters from Macbeth, celebrating. The reality is that it is a day of infamy. I am amazed that, in her speech, the member for Corangamite would focus on their activities in the Senate when she should been talking about the legislation before us.

The policy measure in this bill will index annually the income test thresholds for the Commonwealth seniors health card to movements in the consumer price index. The seniors health card offers constituents in my electorate a range of benefits, including assisting seniors with concessional pharmaceuticals, with hearing aids and with dental and optometry services. Not for one minute am I going to parrot the lines of the Deputy Prime Minister and say that seniors living large, that seniors are wasting their money on cruises and the like. I know that whether you are on a pension or are a self-funded retiree cost of living pressures have been significant. I know that you as a Queenslander, Deputy Speaker Vasta, have seen electricity prices rise under Labor and LNP governments over the last few years. There has been something like a 70 per cent increase in the last five years. That is significant. There also have been increases in food prices, although fresh fruit and veggies accessed at the Brisbane markets, in my electorate, have been reasonably steady for the last couple of years. Many seniors voted for the Liberal and National parties in the last election, perhaps taking comfort from the statement of the Prime Minister, the then opposition leader, that there would be no cuts to the pension. We have just heard the member for Corangamite clarify that there will in fact be a cut to the pension by 2017. At least she had the courage to admit that fact.

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