Linda Burney (Barton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Only months ago the government promised that a million pensioners would get an $800 bonus from changes to deeming rates. Can the Prime Minister confirm that only 191 pensioner couples will receive $800? How can the Prime Minister explain this broken promise?

Josh Frydenberg (Kooyong, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Barton for her question. I can confirm that, under these are new deeming rates, affected pensioners will receive up to $40.50 extra a fortnight for couples, which is above $1,000, and up to $31 extra a fortnight for singles—that is $804. On average, a couple receiving the age pension can expect to receive $314 a year extra and a single can expect $250 extra.

The cost of these changes to the deeming rates was $600 million to the budget, and they will benefit around one million people. But as you know, Mr Speaker, there are two deeming rates; there is a lower deeming rate and an upper deeming rate. The member opposite should acquaint herself with the facts.