Judith Troeth (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I request that Senator Evans table the advice that he has received. I would also like to mention that I have in front of me advice from the Clerk of the Senate addressed to Senator Minchin dated 15 September which says, ‘There is no barrier to the introduction of such a bill in the Senate.’ And later on it says, ‘A bill to increase the rate of age pensions does not need to contain an appropriation of money.’ So I ask Senator Evans, noting that he again seems to think that the House of Representatives is more important than the Senate: why do the government seek to hide behind their own flawed view of the Constitution rather than simply introducing the Urgent Relief for Single Age Pensioners Bill themselves, thereby guaranteeing justice for pensioners?