Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Tomorrow at the Perth Town Hall—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No props.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

pensioners will be protesting against the Prime Minister's cuts.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the Opposition will put the prop down. We do not have props.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Okay. Tomorrow at the Perth Town Hall pensioners will be protesting at the 6PR Channel 7 Fair Go for Seniors rally. Given that Premier Barnett has confirmed that the Prime Minister is cutting pensioner concessions, will the Prime Minister finally admit that his budget is hurting pensioners?

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

I can confirm that pensions will go up every six months under this government. They will go up every six months under this government. This government has absolutely delivered on its commitment not to change pensions in this term of parliament. We have absolutely delivered on our commitment not to change pensions in this term of parliament. It is true that we have not continued with a national partnership agreement on pensioner concessions, but pensioner concessions are overwhelmingly the preserve of the states. Less than 10 per cent of the value of pensioner concessions was provided by the Commonwealth, and, given that in this budget the Commonwealth is providing the states with some $9 billion more, we thought that this was a small price that the states could pay to the task of budget repair.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There will be silence on my left.

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

I am pleased to say that, so far, every single state has undertaken to continue to maintain the value of pensioner concessions.