Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Under this Prime Minister's deal with the Greens to cut the pension, a single age pensioner with a super income of less than $25,000 a year will lose $8,200 of their part pension every year. Does the Prime Minister think that pensioners with a super income of $25,000 a year are rich?

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

No, I do not. But let me explain exactly what this government is doing. We are increasing the pension for 170,000 Australians with modest assets. That is what we are doing. We are increasing the pension for 170,000 Australians with very modest assets—and yes, Madam Speaker, we are ensuring that people with a million dollars in assets and the family home will no longer get the part pension. We are ensuring that. I draw a fundamental distinction—

Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I am not sure that the Prime Minister knows that a pensioner with—

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

The member will resume her seat. Resume your seat. You know perfectly well you may not get up there and argue on a point of order. It is totally out of order and you do it constantly. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

This line of questioning is driven by two things: first of all, the Labor Party's embarrassment that the Greens are actually more economically responsible than they are—at least on this issue; and the wonky moral compass of a political party which wants to take money—

Dr Chalmers interjecting—

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

The member for Rankin will leave under 94(a).

The member for Rankin then left the chamber.

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

off pensioners with modest assets so that millionaires can get a part pension. That is the truth of what the Labor Party is now proposing. What the Labor Party is now proposing—and it is clear from this line of questioning—is that they want to take money away from people with modest assets, from pensioners with very modest assets so that people with their own homes and $1 million in assets will stay as part pensioners. They would rather look after people with $1 million in assets than look after people with very modest assets. That is the clear conclusion from this line of questioning.

The other thing that Labor simply does not understand is the difference between a social security benefit, which is money that the government pays to people out of tax, and superannuation. Superannuation is the people's money. It is not owned by government. Because there is a tax concession, they say, it belongs to the government. That is their position. Because there is a tax concession it really belongs to Bill, the trouser king. There he is. He wants to trouser your money.

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

The Prime Minister will resume his seat. The Prime Minister will refer to people by their correct titles.

Mr Dreyfus interjecting—

I just said that; I do not need you to repeat it. The Prime Minister has the call.

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

I do apologise. I allowed my enthusiasm for the government's position to run away from me. The sad truth about Labor under this leader is that they would rather see millionaires receive a part pension than ensure that pensioners with modest assets are better off. This government has got its values and its principles right.