Mark Arbib (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I would actually like to thank Senator Bernardi for moving this matter of public importance. I am glad he has put it on the record because it highlights the sheer hypocrisy and the cruel game that is underway on that side of the chamber. There is one thing that we all agree with: age pensioners have made and continue to make a significant and valuable contribution to the Australian community. These are people who have paid their taxes. They have worked hard for the country. They have gone to war; their spouses have sent their loved ones off to war for this country. They have lived through tough times. They have not benefited from the superannuation reforms that were brought in by the Keating government. It is for these reasons that pensioners do not deserve the treatment that they are getting from the other side of the chamber, because there is no doubt, from the speeches by Senator Bernardi and Senator Humphries and the speeches in the chamber, that this is nothing but a cruel hoax.

I have to say to Senator Bernardi, through you, Mr Acting Deputy President, that the wording of this MPI says it all. While the MPI recognises the valuable contribution of age pensioners, it only talks about immediate financial relief for single age pensioners. We are talking about the contribution of all pensioners, but the coalition will only provide a benefit to single pensioners. You have left out 2.2 million pensioners. We are talking about married pensioners, about carers, about people on disability benefits, about widows—