Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

This government makes no apology for being upfront and saying that the single age pension is lacking. The only ones who should be embarrassed are those opposite, who did nothing about improving it during their 12 years in office. The Rudd government will not be putting up its hand in support of something that excludes 2.2 million pensioners, including the disabled and their carers. Pensioners in Australia are doing it tough. We recognise that. We in the Labor Party have a century-long commitment to the fair go—