Kate Thwaites (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak on behalf of the pensioners of my electorate. Time and time again the Morrison government shows nothing but contempt for the pensioners of this country. Just last week every member of the Morrison government voted against not cutting the pension. What message does that send to pensioners in my community and around the country who have worked hard and helped build the communities that we all live in today? It tells them that this government is not on their side. This government is not on the side of pensioners and it will take any chance it gets to cut and destroy our social security system. Just last year it tried to freeze the pension. For the first time in two decades there wasn't going to be an increase, and it wasn't until Labor caught the government out on this that it acted.

Deeming rates is something I've raised in this place before. The government continues to short-change pensioners by maintaining unreasonable, inflated pension deeming rates. In the middle of a pandemic, when pensioners are anxious about costs and staying safe, while things are changing all around them, the government short-changes them on deeming rates. Since the Liberals and Nationals have been in government the cash rate has been cut 10 times, yet the aged pension upper deeming rate has been adjusted only four times.

The lack of respect this government has for older Australians and the lack of support it gives pensioners is shameful. We see this with the speculation about a cashless welfare card—a privatised card which keeps 80 per cent of people's pension payment. The Minister for Families and Social Services has signalled her intent, saying she wants to start a conversation about universal cashless welfare cards. If the government gets its way, all pensioners will be moved onto a cashless welfare card managed by a third party—a private equity firm that will dictate what pensioners will be able to spend their money on. Pensioners won't have cash. Think of all the things that an aged pensioner might use cash for: lunch at the RSL in their community, the second-hand goods that they buy, or a scratchie or lotto ticket. Pensioners won't be able to use the cashless welfare card for these purchases.

We know the concept of a cashless welfare card carries a stigma, and in communities that have been part of trials there are many people who feel shame and embarrassment. Is this how this government wants to treat older Australians? Is this how it wants to treat pensioners? These are people who should have dignity in their retirement. They're people we should be supporting, not telling them their spending habits need to be monitored. We know these cards don't work. Privatising welfare doesn't work. We should be standing up for pensioners. Pensioners deserve a government that's on their side, not one that's telling them what they can spend their money on or one that's maintaining unreasonable deeming rates. Labor will always stand up for pensioners. We know they built this country. We've got your back. Labor is on your side.

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