Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Coonan, you want to keep chirping away. I welcome your contribution later today to explain why, after 11 long years, after a long period as a senior minister in the Howard government, you failed to do anything for pensioners. For you to turn around within eight months of going out of power and cry crocodile tears does not wash with pensioners—does not wash. If you were serious you would have done something. You did nothing. You stand on your record. You stand condemned. What this government did is make a huge down payment to assist pensioners and carers in its first budget. We inherited an economy with inflation at rampant levels, and that is putting enormous pressure on pensioners. We are trying to bring inflation under control, and if the Liberal Party—