Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to discuss the Rudd government’s lack of focus towards the plight of age pensioners in Australia. All across Australia, senior citizens are making a valuable contribution to our society. Whether they are volunteers or helping look after their grandchildren, senior citizens are an integral part of our community. However, despite this, Australia’s seniors are now in a state of despair over the Rudd government’s lack of care for them. The first sign to emerge which showed this government was not focused on age pensioners was back in March, when Mr Rudd would not commit to the pensioners and carers bonus. This caused widespread concern within the community, especially among age pensioners, who were already struggling to survive on measured pensions and had factored in their annual bonus in their household budgets. Thankfully, senior citizens, Australians and the opposition were loud and clear in saying that we would not tolerate the more vulnerable members of our community being neglected for cost-cutting measures, and the Rudd government performed a backflip—the first of many to come.

The Rudd government’s disregard for Australia’s elderly was made clear again when aged care was not an agenda item at the 2020 Summit and only one per cent of summit delegates were over the age of 75. This is despite the fact that older Australians make up 13 per cent of the Australian population, a figure that is projected to rise to 25 per cent over the next 40 years.

The Rudd government’s lack of focus towards pensioners peaked on budget night in May, when the government did not increase the basic fortnightly pension rate despite the struggles that age pensioners are facing with rising grocery and petrol costs. However, Australia’s pensioners are not timid and are fighting back with highly publicised rallies. Australia’s pensioners have already taken a stand against the government, refusing to sit back and accept this unfair treatment from a government intent on only providing funding to where the votes are.

On Thursday, 5 June, more than 500 people packed into the Perth Town Hall for a forum to highlight the plight of cash-strapped pensioners. Seniors in attendance berated the government, saying the age pension is a pittance, particularly at this time of high inflation, high grocery costs and high petrol costs. Unfortunately, this rally was held during a sitting week and I was unable to attend to show my strong support for Australia’s pensioners.

The following week, on Monday, 9 June, I was invited by the Carlisle senior retirees group in my electorate of Swan to speak and answer questions on the federal government. I found this session extremely informative and was concerned to hear from the group that senior citizens in my electorate were worried by a lack of certainty in their lives. Their expectations had been raised by Kevin Rudd during the election campaign and they now feel let down and unsure of their future. The Carlisle retiree group included members Mrs Edith O’Doherty, Mrs Maureen Castle, Mr David Mellett and Mrs Doris Kendle. They told me about the concerns of seniors, which include food and petrol prices, superannuation problems, a need for the rise in the pension, payment for volunteers, private health insurance, waiting times at hospitals and the increasing strain that the Silver Chain is under. They also spoke about the closure of the Royal Perth Hospital, which the state Labor government has flagged.

Age pensioners across Australia are speaking loud and clear, and they are telling us they are in financial difficulty and fear for their future. The costs of medications are too high; they used to be able to get their pharmaceuticals and prescription drugs for free, but now they have to pay. Single pensioners are struggling, as they only receive 59 per cent of the couple pension. When one partner dies, the fixed living cost remains. They had hoped for some relief from the federal government. Pensioners hoped the Rudd government had listened to them, but they now feel that no-one in the government is listening to them. Many widowed pensioners have never had paid employment. Instead, they worked hard in their homes, raised their children, looked after their houses and took care of their husbands. This, however, means they have not accumulated any superannuation and do not have adequate financial support. Many pensioners also do not have discretionary income at all and the pension is falling short of meeting their basic needs. Some pensioners are even cutting back on the necessities of life, risking their health and wellbeing.

Even the Western Australian state Labor MP for Victoria Park in my electorate has come out and criticised the Rudd government’s neglect for age pensioners. In the local community newspaper, the Southern Gazette, the Labor member announced he will be presenting a petition to the Rudd government in a bid to rally for higher pension rates. The Labor MLA said that although pensions were indexed against inflation, they did not reflect Australia’s cost of living. The Labor MLA even admitted the recent Rudd government budget failed to provide pensioners with suitable remuneration.

In summation, this government has made its priorities crystal clear: if you are not a working family or if you are in a demographic that does not predominantly vote Labor, then you do not matter. The Rudd government’s abandonment of older Australians is jeopardising their health and wellbeing, along with their sense of being a part of the Australian community. The coalition recognises that the greying of Australia’s population is an issue that needs to be addressed in order to protect more vulnerable members of our community.