Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Hansard source

This amendment may be well intentioned, but it is sending pensioners all the wrong signals—that we are willing to debate other issues before their needs. Frankly, I think we have taken so long to get to the point where we can actually have a decent debate on pensioners in this chamber that to delay it a minute longer would be foolish. I am making a short statement now, but I think we need to get to the issue. Family First will be moving a second reading amendment that we will need to get to about increases for disability pensioners; the parenting payment; carers, who are doing it tough; wife pensions; and all of those others. So we do not want to delay this at all. We want to make sure that pensioners get a fair go and a fair say in this chamber now rather than delaying it for other issues. The amendment put forward may be well intentioned, but it would stall the issue of the debate, which is giving real help to pensioners in need and giving them a fair go.