Sarah Henderson (Corangamite, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I do not think we have seen so much confected outrage on the other side of the chamber for quite some time. The member for McMahon was yelling and screaming with such hysteria and getting so read in the face, I had to tune in my television set because I thought there was something wrong with the reception. Honestly, what we are seeing from the opposition is the utmost in hypocrisy. They have utterly lost their way. The fact that the Labor Party have just reversed its position after earlier deciding it would vote for these measures, and will now not vote for these measures, just shows what a mess the Labor Party are in. If you want to know about integrity, if you want to know about trust, turn onto the ABC tonight and watch The Killing Season and you will understand with greater depth and clarity why the Australian people rejected the Labor Party.

The government are proposing changes to the age pension which are measured, responsible and fair. These changes will see more than 170,000 pensioners with modest assets have their pensions increased by just over $30 a fortnight—that is an increase. The Labor Party will block an increase for pensioners who most need the government's help. And around 50,000 part-pensioners will now qualify for a full pension under the new rules. More than 90 per cent of Australia's age pensioners and others who receive pension-linked payments will either be better off or have no change to their arrangements under these new proposals.

Some members opposite know deep in their hearts that these are reforms that should be supported by the Labor Party. These changes are about looking after those who most need our help with compassion, equity and fairness—a fundamental obligation of government. But this is not the party of old. In opposing our changes, Labor are showing Australians that it has lost its way. As we heard earlier in the debate, Labor are making the Greens look utterly responsible in relation to these measures. Labor would rather look after millionaire part-pensioners than the most needy in our society.

Who are we talking about? Couples who own their own home with additional assets of less than $451,000 will get a higher pension. Couples who do not own their own home but have assets of up to $699,000 will also, under our measures, be better off. So it is incredible that Labor are opting to look after the part-pensioners with assets of well over $1 million and yet deny pensioners who most need our help with this pension increase. The member for Rankin has called these part-pensioners low-income earners. Why are Labor forgetting those who most need our help? With these measures, we are helping those who most need our help.

I want to reflect on what our government has delivered since we were elected. Since the election, the single pension is up by $52 a fortnight and the couple pension has increased by $78 a fortnight. We have abolished the carbon tax—a noose around the neck of every pensioner, imposed by the Labor Party—a saving for every household of on average $550 each year. Importantly, pensioners have kept the carbon tax compensation, which is $14 per fortnight for singles and $21.20 for couples. What we are seeing is a Labor Party which are very good at imposing taxes on Australians. Our government are focused on helping everyday Australians get ahead and save for their retirement. What we are seeing from members opposite, whenever they run out of money, is a planned raid on the superannuation accounts of Australians to fill Labor's black hole, a black hole created by their reckless spending.

I was delighted to host the foreign minister in Grovedale last week for a community morning tea. I can assure you, Deputy Speaker, we were talking about our government's focus on national security, on economic security, on job creation, on a fairer pension and on protecting superannuation. I can tell members opposite that people in my electorate are genuinely concerned about Labor's plans to raid their superannuation accounts. We will make sure that the accounts of Australians are protected and we will work very hard to look after those who most need our help.

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