Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

As we have noted, opposing and supporting the very same measure is now pretty much standard practice for members opposite, particularly for the member for Jagajaga. As we have noted before, the member for Jagajaga opposed changes to the pensions and assets test for months in the lead-up to the March 2016 election while she was also taking signatures on a petition opposing the measures that they were also supporting. Weeks after they had agreed to the pension asset changes, she was still collecting signatures. Labor supported the closing of the carbon tax compensation at the 2016 election but now opposes the same policy today. They support and oppose the same policy at the one time. How is that even possible as a matter of rational, common sense? What they do now is get up here and accuse us of making a savings measure, which they also supported and which they have also banked on.

It might also be noted that this government has just allocated $260 million as a one-off payment to pensioners. They will get $260 million to cope with electricity prices. Do they support or oppose that? Do they support and oppose it at the same time? Or do they oppose it, then support it and then oppose it again? Make no mistake, the thing they now complain about is the very thing they have already banked, saved and spent.

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