Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

While there is a lot of hyperventilating from Senator Polley and Senator Conroy, I suggest that what they need to do is have a chat with some of their colleagues in the shadow cabinet. For example, there is the shadow Treasurer, Chris Bowen, who supports the Greens policy on this measure. Tony Burke supports the Greens policy on this measure. Anthony Albanese supports the Greens on this measure. Mr 'Let's reduce income inequality across Australia' Andrew Leigh is in favour of the Greens on this measure. Half the shadow cabinet supports this decision and we have a Prime Minister who goes into bat for people with assets of over $1 million. They are the new battlers for the Labor Party.

To be frank, I am just staggered that we are here. I thought this would be a non-controversial debate. I thought we would be here with this legislation supported by all members of parliament and we would go some way to fixing a pension system that was broken. The last time the government was in control of pensions we had single parents camped out at Jenny Macklin's office complaining about removal of income support for those people. Here, we are expected to believe that this is an opposition that supports the battlers—those millionaires and single parents, of course.

Who else supports the policy? Let us have a look. The Australian Council of Social Service, a group of people who go into bat for the most vulnerable in our community, are staunchly in support of these changes, and there is the Council on the Ageing and UnitingCare. They all strongly back the changes—along with half the shadow cabinet. It is no surprise that we have industry super funds that do not support it. They are a vested interest in this with a clear mandate to ensure that governments look after people's retirement incomes rather than their own members'. It does not surprise me that the ACTU supports the position of Australian industry super, given the nexus between industry super funds and the ACTU.

My message to the Labor Party is, if this policy position is so reprehensible, rule it out. Let us see Mr Shorten, if he becomes Prime Minister, make an unequivocal commitment to repeal this piece of legislation. It is simple. You can demonstrate that your words are more than hollow words by making a clear commitment to ruling out these changes should you become the next government of Australia. So far, there is deafening silence. We have an opposition leader who criticised this position but will not commit to reversing it. That is hypocrisy, in the extreme.