Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. In the seat of Mallee, 19,959 age pensioners will have their concessions cut for electricity, water, council rates and public transport. In addition, they will be $160 per fortnight worse off after 10 years because of this Prime Minister's budget. Why should the people of Mallee pay for their local member's failure to stand up against the Prime Minister's broken promises?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Pensions in Mallee, and everywhere else, are going up under this government. There are 36,208 households in Mallee. Let me repeat that. There are 36,208 households in the seat of Mallee that the member who asked the question is so concerned about. Every one of those households could be, on average, $550 a year better off if the member for Bendigo would do the right thing by those 36,208 households. Indeed, there are probably 36,617 households in her own seat of Bendigo. Come on, Member for Bendigo, help those 36,617 households. Take the carbon tax burden off their backs and do it now.