Melissa Parke (Fremantle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Minister for Disability Reform. Will the minister update the House on how the government is supporting senior Australians after a lifetime of work? What challenges are there to this support?

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Disability Reform) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Fremantle for her question. she understands that it is right that those older Australians who have contributed a lifetime of work deserve our support and of course, especially for those who are living on fixed incomes, we do understand how important it is that we as a government give them a helping hand.

That is why I can announce to the parliament today that from today Australia's 3.5 million pensioners will be receiving an increase. For single pensioners on the maximum rate, that will mean an extra $17.10 a fortnight, and pensioner couples on the maximum rate will receive an extra $25.80 a fortnight. Typically, those opposite show no interest whatsoever in what pensioners are going to receive—no interest whatsoever. Just turn your back like you did for 12 years in government. That is what pensioners got from those opposite.

We know that it took a Labor government to deliver these historic reforms to pensioners, and it is not only the increase to the pension; there were also the very significant improvements to the indexation arrangements to make sure that the pension would keep up with pensioners' costs of living. Of course, this government delivered that pension rise, fully funded, fully costed, and delivered it in a sustainable way. That was never done by those opposite, who refused to deliver to pensioners when they needed it most.

We delivered this significant increase to the pension, and we will continue to make sure that pensioners keep up with the cost of living. We know that at exactly the same time we have Liberals in Queensland and in New South Wales clawing back this increase from pensioners. Barry O'Farrell is putting the money in his pocket and Campbell Newman is putting the money in his pocket instead of helping pensioners. And we know that each and every one of you want to do exactly the same: take the money off pensioners to fill your $70 billion black hole.