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

What the Rudd Labor government and all its members are committed to is trying to assist pensioners as best we can to confront the rising cost of living. Part of that is providing strong economic leadership, part of it is providing immediate measures to assist them, as we did in the budget, and part of it is looking at the fundamental reform of pensions, to which we have committed. But we do not just think about age pensioners; we actually think about those pensioners with disabilities on disability support pensions. We think about veterans. The stunt proposed by the opposition totally excluded those people, took no account of them. They are on a related income and the opposition does not seek to recognise the stress they are under as well. The Rudd Labor government is committed to reform in this area. We are committed to assisting pensioners and we will be taking action. (Time expired)