Andrew Bartlett (Queensland, Australian Democrats) Share this | Hansard source

I also indicate the Democrats’ support for this amendment and, while I am on my feet, the previous amendments. I covered this issue in my second reading contribution, so I will not repeat all those comments now. My understanding is that the measure in the legislation regarding the pensioner education supplement will impact on only a very small number of people, but for that small number of people it will be detrimental and will be income that they could certainly find valuable.

It is worth noting the comment in the committee report made by government senators that the amendments are:

… the latest measures to improve workforce participation and improve employment rates.

If the minister can come up with a rationale as to how this particular measure that this amendment addresses increases workforce participation and improves employment rates, I would be interested to hear it. But removing somebody’s entitlement to the pensioner education supplement, which I think is about $31.20 a week, does not seem to me to be particularly beneficial in that respect; it does not seem to be beneficial in any respect at all, frankly.