Helen Kroger (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

In the 13 weeks since 1 July, when I was fortunate enough to join you in this chamber—although this is now only my third week sitting in the chamber—one thing I have found is the extraordinarily audacious claim to the moral high ground that those on the other side of the chamber take in relation to all matters of government. But the one thing that I particularly find appalling is the way in which they advocate that they own the rights to compassion and that it is they alone who understand the needs of Australians. Since being in government—only nine months—it is so clear that they not only do not own the rights to compassion but they actually do not care and do nothing about it for all Australians. The one thing I have observed in the last three weeks in this chamber is that they blame everything on the previous Howard-Costello government. They do that because they have no idea about what is necessary to govern for all Australians in this country.

Earlier, Senator Sherry referred to a big surplus buffer and how irresponsible it would be of the government to not maintain that surplus. We then heard from Senator Marshall, but I was not sure what it was we heard from him. His theatrics were such—because he was focusing on the cameras—that I was distracted from the content of what he was saying. And my fellow senator Senator Furner has learnt well from his colleagues when it comes to blaming the former Howard-Costello government.

The whole point here is that the pensioners themselves do not consider these to be political stunts. The pensioners themselves are absolutely scandalised at the disdain with which the Rudd Labor government treats them. Of all pensioners, it is the single pensioners who are the most hurt here. Single pensioners on fixed incomes have no capacity to deal with increasing grocery costs, yet we heard as an election pledge from the Prime Minister himself that grocery prices would come down. Fuel prices and energy prices have also escalated out of control. In Victoria, if our pensioners cannot afford fuel and decide to catch public transport—if they are game enough to put their own personal security at risk—they actually find there is no room for them on the transport system either. They are not being catered for and they are not being looked after.

In one of the electorates in the state that I represent—the Deakin electorate in Victoria—we have some 14,350 residents who are either partnered or single pensioners who are all worse off. In February this year, Mike Symon—he is the member for Deakin, for those who do not know him, which is quite possible because he is a man missing in action in Deakin—said that ‘cost of living issues’ were ‘of concern to many residents’. He added:

With a large percentage of residents over the age of 65 there was much concern voiced over aged care and pensions …

He was pledging to the people of Deakin that he would look after them. Rather than looking after them, he has gone into hiding. He is treating them with the same disdain as all pensioners are treated by the Rudd Labor government.

Finally, it is reported that 30 per cent of pensioners have less than $1,000 in their bank accounts. They have no buffer. The response of the Rudd Labor government is to hold more inquiries. There is an inquiry that will conclude in around six months time, which will then roll over into the Henry review, which is anticipated in 2009. Pensioners cannot afford to wait. With 30 per cent of pensioners only having a thousand bucks in their bank accounts, there is no buffer for them to deal with this. (Time expired)

Question agreed to.