Guy Barnett (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I stand today to speak in support of the motion moved by Senator Bernardi to take note of answers from government ministers with respect to pensioners. Pensioners are doing it hard. The Rudd Labor government do not care about pensioners. That has been demonstrated not only today but in recent days through the government’s inaction in their lack of support for our opposition legislation to increase the base rate for the single age pension by $30 a week.

It is very disappointing indeed when they know full well that they can support this legislation, this initiative, and make a difference in the lives of pensioners across Australia. They know that since they were elected there has been upward pressure on prices with respect to groceries. They know there have been increases in petrol prices. It is very hard. I can quote Senator Bilyk when she said, ‘I know it is hard for pensioners to make ends meet.’ Too right, I am glad she knows that. I know that senators in this chamber are aware of that.

I had an incident only last week where a local pensioner in my home town of Launceston was expressing extreme concern about her ability to pay the bills: the heating bill and the power bill, and to pay for food. She was referring to one of her friends who had an extra cost of upgrading the bathroom for a new shower screen. These are real-life examples where pensioners need help. For some people in the government $30 a week may not sound like a lot, but it means a lot right now and pensioners need it now. The government have said, ‘Yes, let’s have a review.’ For goodness sake, they have 165-odd reviews going on at the moment. My understanding is that the review they are talking about will not report until early next year and then, of course, they are going to have to consider the report that is delivered and we probably will not see anything announced until the May budget next year. We are talking about September 2008; we are talking about now.

The fact is this government are big on smoke screens, big on symbolism and very, very short on action—doing and delivering. Actions speak louder than words; we all know that and the government could get behind this coalition bill to make a difference in the lives of pensioners. We have seen the dilatory approach to the management of our economy by the Rudd Labor government. Sadly, as a result of the budget with an increase in spending, we have seen the increase in taxes and of course we have had the increase in grocery prices, the increase in petrol prices and upward pressures all round.

That is particularly so in rural and regional parts of Australia, but in Tasmania for example, in the northern parts, petrol prices are up to 15c per litre higher than they are in the southern part of the state and indeed they are significantly higher than Melbourne and Sydney. It is so much harder for pensioners in Tasmania than those in other parts of Australia. So $30 a week is important, we can deliver and it would be a very good result.

We are all concerned for pensioners but we can deliver and make a difference in their lives. We all know that a fair whack of them would be eating blackberry jam—why is that? The reason is that it is the poor man’s strawberry jam. They would be eating blackberry jam because they do not have the money to pay for a decent amount of food and groceries each week. It is hard going for them. Let us make it very clear that this government should turn around—if you call it a backflip, we will welcome it. They have been saying: ‘No, no, no. Yes, pensioners are hurting, they need help.’ Then they say, ‘Let’s have a review that will report early next year’—that is, the Henry review. Mr Rudd has dudded the pensioners and he should do a backflip and support this immediate increase for pensioners. We have done the hard yards in government. We have delivered a strong economy. The Rudd Labor government have a $22 billion surplus. They can use some of that and they can use it wisely in supporting this legislation put forward by the coalition.

Question agreed to.