Andrew Wilkie (Denison, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Older Australians are getting a raw deal from this government. Indeed, just last week in the Sunday Tasmanian, a survey of local pensioners found that many are struggling, that a staggering 74 per cent of respondents run out of money every fortnight and that 63 per cent go without necessities, including fresh food. So for a start, we need to fix the age pension because it is obviously far too low and should be lifted immediately to a liveable amount. Instead, this government seem determined to diminish retirement incomes for many older Australians, in particular for superannuants and those on part-pensions. While some measures, like the 2014 budget proposal to index pensions to CPI have rightfully been abandoned, pensioners are still being targeted in a ruthless campaign. For example, the changes to the asset test, which I voted against, have left some in my electorate entirely without a part-pension. Indeed, just recently I met with a constituent who has lost his entire part-pension and has to live on just $26,000 a year—entirely from his superannuation. Moreover, the cuts to part-pensions for defined benefit recipients are hitting hard many people who are, in fact, on very modest incomes. Even those approaching retirement have been targeted with changed rules around the accumulation phase of super.

More broadly, one of the most alarming findings in the Sunday Tasmanian was that 80 per cent of pensioners were concerned about being caught up in the Centrelink debt recovery process—and no wonder because this program is terrorising older Australians. While I am glad I was able to successfully lobby the Commonwealth Ombudsman to investigate the matter, the government still stands by it. Regrettably, things are only set to get worse as the program is expanded to cover the age pension.

Nor are the government doing any better with aged care because they have cut $1.2 billion from residential aged care and are refusing to take any action to crack down on the rorting by some home-care service providers. The Sunday Tasmanian research should be a powerful wake-up call to all of us. Pensioners are saying things like, 'I only buy necessities and hope I don't get sick,' or 'The budget is gone by about day nine or 10 of every fortnight,' or 'No lunch or coffee with friends; can get lonely.' No-one should have to live like this in our fabulously rich and fortunate country, so all members in this place and, especially the Prime Minister and his cabinet, really should read the newspaper article I refer to and, to that end, I seek leave to table the relevant edition of the paper.

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