Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Assistant Minister for Social Services, Senator Fifield. Can the minister confirm that the age pension will continue to increase every six months under this government?

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those on my left are not helping the conduct of question time at all.

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am very happy to confirm for Senator Seselja and for all Senate colleagues that the age pension will continue to increase and the pension supplement will continue to be paid. Age pension payments are increasing and they will continue to increase twice each year to keep up with the cost of living. In March this year, the pension increased by a maximum of $15.70 a fortnight for single pensioners and $11.90 a fortnight for each member of a couple, and the pension will increase again in September. That is the reality.

Mr President, you could well be forgiven for having a different perspective, for having construed a different fact and that is because of the outrageous and really quite irresponsible scare campaign those opposite have run, which has caused needless concern for Australia's age pensioners. In fact, I recently came across a brochure authorised by a Senator D. Cameron which said, 'Age pensioners lose $876 per annum senior supplement.' That was a lie. Senator Cameron and the Australian Labor Party know full well that age pensioners do not receive the senior supplement; indeed, they never have. They did not receive it under Labor and they do not receive it now. What some pensioners do receive is the pension supplement. I am pleased to inform the Senate that pensioners will keep their pension supplement and that the supplement will again increase in September. I am an optimist. I beseech those opposite to cease their scare campaign, to not needlessly concern Australia's age pensioners. (Time expired)

Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister explain the pension related measures in the budget and why they are necessary?

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There will be changes to indexation arrangements and the eligibility threshold for the age pension in three years time. From July 2025, the qualifying age to receive the age pension will continue to increase from 67 years by six months every two years until it reaches 70 years. We are keeping our commitment to the Australian people and ensuring that changes will not come into effect until after the end of this parliamentary term.

It will come as no surprise, I know, to colleagues that Australia's population is ageing. We are living longer; we are living better. That is something to be celebrated. And it is incumbent upon all governments to ensure that we get the policy settings right to make sure that our safety net is sustainable, not just now but into the future. That is why we are doing this—because we want to reinforce and underpin that safety net.

Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. What other measures is the government taking to reduce the cost of living for all Australians?

Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are concerned about cost of living on this side of the chamber. If those on the other side of the chamber were concerned about the cost of living, they would join with us and vote for the repeal of the carbon tax, because we know that the average Australian household will be $550 a year better off with the abolition of the carbon tax. But not only are we are seeking to abolish—with the help, I hope, of those others opposite, because I am an optimist—the carbon tax, but we are keeping the compensation that was put in place in order to offset the effects of the carbon tax. So: carbon tax—gone. But compensation—there. That is a serious cost-of-living measure; that is a serious effort by this government to do something practical and concrete for the cost of living of age pensioners and all Australians. I say I am an optimist; I will keep my fingers crossed that those opposite— (Time expired)