Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Will the Prime Minister join the coalition and me in reassuring self-funded retirees that there will be no unexpected adverse changes to their superannuation arrangements now or in the next parliament?

A government member interjecting—

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister is denying the Prime Minister the call. The Prime Minister has the call.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

First, to the Leader of the Opposition: I know that he is engaged in a pretence about having a plan for the nation. I would remind the Leader of the Opposition that a plan is when you outline in detail what you are going to do, how you are going to do it, what it is going to cost and how you are going to pay for it. The unfortunate truth for the Leader of the Opposition is that not once since the election in 2010 has he produced a policy with a proper costing and not once since the election of 2010 has he produced a policy with credible savings—and that applies to all areas, including superannuation.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will return to the question

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I can say to the Leader of the Opposition very clearly is this: No. 1, as the political party that brought superannuation to working Australians, we will always do the right thing by the futures of working Australians and their superannuation, which is why we are increasing superannuation contributions from nine to 12 per cent. This is the superannuation scheme that the Leader of the Opposition variously described as a 'con' as he opposed Australian working people having superannuation. So the political party that created it—

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The Prime Minister was asked whether she would rule out any adverse changes for superannuation in the future, and that is the question she has to answer—and she is not even attempting to answer that now.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business will resume his seat. The Prime Minister has the call.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the political party that created superannuation, we will always be the political party that does the right thing by working Australians and their retirement income—decent, hardworking Australians: the modern families who we seek to serve. In stark contrast, the Leader of the Opposition has said to families around the nation—to working people around the nation—that he will rip off their superannuation. In particular, he has said that he is determined to rip away the low-income superannuation boost that we are giving them. That means 3.6 million workers earning under $37,000 face the Leader of the Opposition's rip-off—that is, three in 10 workers in this nation are on his hit list, people who he wants to see poorer when they retire—

Opposition members interjecting—

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will resume her seat. One point of order has already been taken on the question. The Prime Minister has the call and will return to the question before the chair.

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I can certainly say to the Leader of the Opposition: we, who are determined to benefit people like the 3.6 million low-income earners who would be predominantly women, will make sure we provide those benefits and we will fight the Leader of the Opposition's plan to rip them off.