Rod Kemp (Victoria, Liberal Party, Minister for the Arts and Sport) Share this | Hansard source

Sorry—no-one except card-carrying members of trade unions who are in this Senate. I correct that. You were right to draw that to my attention, Senator Carr. The fact is that over the life of this government the Howard government has given a very high priority to assisting pensioners. In relation to the issue you raised, Senator Brown, we did give a pensioner bonus, and I think that has been welcomed. You of course wonder what else we have done. I would have thought a lot of pensioners would have been delighted with the announcement we made in relation to the assets test. I would have thought that the changed treatment of that assets test would be one of the issues which a lot of pensioners would be happy with. I am rather surprised that you did not mention that.

This is a very good day to ask such a question, because tonight Mr Beazley will be putting down the Labor Party policy. The interesting thing for the community to see, since the Labor Party is quibbling over matters in relation to the Howard government’s budget, which has been overwhelmingly welcomed, will be whether in the Beazley reply tonight he picks up Senator Brown’s suggestion. I for one will be looking very closely to see whether Senator Brown’s suggestion has been picked up and properly costed, showing what the effect on the surplus will be. But of course the Labor Party would not want any measure which affected the surplus, in light of the campaign that they are running on interest rates.

It is an interesting test for the Labor Party. Senator Lundy asked me some questions in relation to child care and I had some questions from Senator Evans. The issue is what the Labor Party will put up tonight—whether, having raised concerns about this budget, Mr Beazley will in the budget reply tonight show that he has taken the views of senators seriously or whether senators are going to be ignored. The government has announced its policy. We believe it is a policy which has been welcomed.