Ann Sudmalis (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer outline to the House how the government is acting to make sure retirees and pensioners are given more choice to live longer and healthier lives, especially those in my electorate of Gilmore? Is the Treasurer aware of any other policy alternatives?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Gilmore for her question. This year's budget, once again, provides a clear plan for a stronger economy, because we understand that you need a stronger economy to guarantee the essential services that all Australians rely on, and that includes older Australians—Australians going into their senior years.

Our plan for a stronger economy means that we've got a clear plan to give Australians more choices for a longer life. That's what this budget delivers—more choices for a longer life. That means we're protecting the choices of Australians as they age and we're protecting their dignity as well. Last week I was pleased to join the member for Gilmore in Nowra, as I was the member for Petrie up in North Lakes, where we talked to senior Australians about our new package, our new plan for more choices for a longer life. We went through what those choices were. There is the $10,000 Restart wage subsidy to ensure that, as they age, Australians, if they want to get back into the workforce, have the same sort of subsidy to support them doing so as there is for a younger Australian. We are extending the Pension Loans Scheme, not just to where it was before with part-pensioners, but so that all pensioners, all self-funded retirees, all older Australians of pension age will be in a position to access that program, which for a couple can mean $17,000 in extra income each year. We are increasing the pension Work Bonus, which means that older Australians can earn $1,300 extra a year, and it doesn't touch their pension. Even better, if you're self-employed as an older Australian you can earn $7,800, and it doesn't touch any of your entitlements in relation to the pension. Twenty thousand aged-care places for in-home care—14,000 announced in the budget; 6,000 announced last December. Ensuring that Australians who want to choose to remain in their home, live with their families and enjoy all of the things that they have in their later years can be delivered as well. There is $82½ million for mental health support for Australians living in residential aged care; $146 million for residential aged care in rural and regional areas to ensure that those needs are being met.

So we're a government that's delivering for older Australians to give them more choices and to protect their dignity. The Leader of the Opposition wants to put his grubby hand into their pocket and rip out their tax refunds. It was the one single issue that came up time and again, whether it was in Nowra or North Lakes or elsewhere in the country. They have a clear message for the Leader of the Opposition: 'Get your hands out of our pockets.' It's the single biggest tax measure over the budget and forward estimates. The big bucket of cash he wants to use to spray around the country to buy votes around the country is being paid for by self-funded retirees, by retirees, by pensioners, by small business owners. He's got his hand so deep in their trousers that they are wincing at the prospect of a Labor government. (Time expired)

Ms Madeleine King interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Brand is warned. I remind her to look at the Practice on interjecting when not sitting in her seat.

Mr Perrett interjecting—

Well, I'll have a look at the update and check. Just simply: don't take offence, but I won't take the word of the member for Moreton.

Anne Aly (Cowan, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Why is the Prime Minister giving an $80 billion handout to big business instead of supporting Labor's personal income tax plan which will leave middle-income Australians better off? Why is this arrogant and out-of-touch Prime Minister looking after big business instead of middle-income Australians?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question. The honourable member represents the seat of Cowan in Western Australia and she understands very well, I would hope, the importance of business investment, entrepreneurship and enterprise, and she should understand that the growth in jobs across our nation and particularly in Western Australia following the downturn, the inevitable downturn, of the mining construction boom has been based on hardworking Australian businesses investing and having a go—overwhelmingly Australian owned family businesses. These are the businesses that her leader wants to tax even more. We have reduced taxes on businesses with turnovers up to $50 million a year. She is a member of a party that wants to increase taxes on those businesses. So she's got to go out across Cowan and go to all those family businesses and say, 'The Labor Party wants you to pay more tax.' When the honourable member does that, do you think those businesses are going to say, 'Oh, that's terrific. In that case we'll hire some more people'? No, they won't. What the Labor Party is doing is putting at risk the jobs that have been created since September 2013—the 1,013,600 jobs; the fastest, largest jobs growth in our nation's history in 2017. All of that is being put at risk by an antibusiness tax grab from the Labor Party: over $200 billion—taxes on grannies and grandpas. Yes, it is. They're going after them: retirees, self-funded retirees. And the honourable member would have quite a few of those in her electorate. She should perhaps go to a seniors meeting—

Dr Aly interjecting—

Oh, the honourable member's calling back. Apparently, in Cowan older Australians are looking forward to giving 28 per cent of their income to a Labor government. They're lining up!

I would never challenge the honourable member on this matter, but having been to Cowan on a few occasions, I have to say I find her version of events quite implausible. I have no doubt that older Australians, whether in Cowan, Maribyrnong or any other electorate in this House, expect respect and support, and will not accept a government that goes after their savings. (Time expired)