Tony Zappia (Makin, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Manufacturing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There are over 18,300 aged pensioners in the Makin electorate, which I represent, and over 206,000 in the state of South Australia. Before the election they were not told by the Abbott government that if it were elected it would change indexation to pensions to CPI only, making them $80 a week worse off within a decade; cut deeming thresholds for part-pensioners; cut pensioner concessions; increase the pension age to about 70 years of age by the year 2035; and cut $1.3 billion worth of other Commonwealth funded pension concessions. In fact, they were told the opposite—right on election eve, when they were told there would be no cuts to pensions.

In addition to all that, the Abbott government proposed to make doctor visits dearer and X-rays, pathology tests and medicines more expensive, knowing full well the impact that would have on aged pensioners around Australia, because they are one of the user groups of our health system.

Aged pensioners are being targeted unfairly by the Abbott government as it tries to balance its budget. Aged pensioners will not be conned by the spin of this government. They know full well that they are being targeted by this government and that they are being asked to wear an unfair burden in the government's attempts to balance its budget.

The Abbott government should drop its unfair cuts to pensions which, over the next 10 years, will rip some $23 billion from pensions. It should treat them in the way that they deserve.