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

It is a complex area of policy. That is why we have put in place this fundamental examination of the issues at stake. That is why we have sought to include the concerns of carers and those on disability pensions and those on veteran pensions—unlike the opposition. We realise that there are a lot of people living on these pensions whose livelihood and standard of living depend on these payments.

We realise that there are a range of complexities that impact on other payments and other entitlements throughout the social security system. It is not simple, but that is not a reason not to do something. Unlike the former government, we actually took on the responsibility of trying to make a difference in this area but we will do that in a proper, measured and considered way. We made a down payment in the last budget—with immediate relief of $900 a year for most pensioners—and we seek to take forward that work in a more fundamental way as the review reports and as we prepare for next year’s budget. Sure, we did not fix all of those problems in the three or four months we had prior to the last budget. We acknowledge that. But the complexity of it means that one is not capable of doing it without serious public policy work.

The opposition come into this chamber now and say to us that they can cut 5c off the price of petrol, they can lower personal income tax rates, they can increase the pension by $30 a week, they can protect luxury car owners from having to pay tax and they refuse to close a tax loophole that allows Royal Dutch Shell, Chevron and BP to exploit our mineral resources without paying appropriate taxation. In doing all that, they will demolish Australia’s surplus, Australia’s savings. This is what passes for economic policy inside the Liberal Party these days.

Australians are not mugs, so do not treat them as mugs. Australians know that, in government, the coalition did not cut the price of petrol. They know that the coalition did not increase the rates of pensions. They know that the coalition are snake-oil salesmen. Despite arguing all the time they were in government that they needed big surpluses, now they are in opposition the coalition are saying: ‘We do not need a surplus. Despite the terrible economic conditions that are occurring internationally we do not need any protection against that. We do not need a surplus. We do not need to have luxury car owners pay tax. We do not need to have big oil companies pay tax and, by the way, we can cut 5c off your price of petrol and we can increase pensions.’ Suddenly in opposition they can be all things to all people—all care and no responsibility.

The realities of government are quite different. You have to act responsibly. You have to balance all the other pressures in the economy. You have to try and make good public policy. This government is committed to making good public policy. It is committed to addressing the challenges the economy is confronting, and it is also committed to giving a better deal to Australia’s pensioners, veterans, carers and to those on the disability pension. All of them deserve our consideration. All of them deserve greater support. This government has acknowledged that.

We get criticised now for acknowledging it, but we are honest. We actually believe that there is a problem that that needs to be addressed. We made a serious down payment in our first budget and we have undertaken to do the serious public policy work that will need to underpin any major reform in this area.

Serious, hard public policy work will involve very difficult choices for the government, and eventually very difficult choices for this parliament, but it is not as simple as some would have you believe. Australia’s pensioners are not mugs. They know that the Liberal and National parties did nothing for 11½ years and they know when the coalition come in here now and promise pensioners the world that they are speaking with forked tongues. Pensioners know that you are holding out false hope. They know that you did not do anything for them in government and that when you now say that you can fix all the woes of the world you are misleading them. This is a serious matter and this government treats it seriously but we will respond in a serious, balanced and mature way, not by supporting political stunts.