House debates

Monday, 26 March 2018

Questions without Notice

Pensions and Benefits

2:53 pm

Photo of Dan TehanDan Tehan (Wannon, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question. I'd like to point out that since the coalition formed government in 2013, pensions have increased by $86 a fortnight for singles and about $130 a fortnight for couples. Pensions continue to rise twice a year, and the age pension is paid at the highest fortnightly rate of income support payments in Australia's social security system.

On 1 January 2017, the pension assets test and taper rate were rebalanced to make the system better targeted and more sustainable into the future. Around 165,000 Australians received a higher pension as a result of changes to the assets test from 1 January 2017. This includes about 50,000 people who moved to the full pension. Around 90 per cent of pensioners are either better off or have had no change to their pension under these measures, and you supported it.

Comments

No comments