Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Environment and Water (Senate)) Share this | Hansard source

But the opposition, with the support of the Greens, sought to rectify this yesterday by asking this place to vote against schedule 4. If we had voted against schedule 4 in this place then the existing entitlements, which means bereavement allowance paid at the age pension rate, would have been the status quo. Members of One Nation missed that vote and they came back into this place and asked for that vote to be recommitted because they agreed with the government. Now why are you moving this motion today if you agree with the government? The simple fact is: this is exactly contrary to what the government put forward yesterday and, what's more, it does not restore the entitlements for bereavement allowance to everyone who would have otherwise had it under the existing arrangements in the legislation. You should have stuck with your vote to reject schedule 4 yesterday because, had you voted it down, people would receive exactly the same rate as they do now, which is what you're seeking to do with this amendment. But what's more, your claim that no-one will be worse off is completely false, because those 30 persons a year will no longer be eligible for bereavement allowance.