Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Families and Social Services, Senator Ruston. Last week in an interview with 3AW's Neil Mitchell, the minister described the age pension as 'generous'.

An honourable senator: What!

Yes, that's what she described it as. Can the minister explain why pensioners doing it tough should accept her view that the payment is generous?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for his question and for the opportunity to clarify this particular statement. I understand that many older Australians, particularly our age pensioners, are impacted significantly by cost-of-living pressures. But I would like to say that, with the comments that were reported in the paper last week, I certainly did not intend to say or to infer that older Australians who rely on the age pension are doing it easy. I am concerned that any offence may have been taken by or caused to our older Australians. As I said, I know older Australians are doing it tough and that's why one of the first things I did, on becoming the Minister for Families and Social Services, was to seek advice from my department in relation to deeming rates, which was the subject of the interview to which Senator Farrell is referring. In doing this, we managed to provide assistance to nearly a million older Australians and other recipients of allowances by reducing the deeming rates from the lower threshold by 75 basis points, or 0.75 per cent, and for the upper deeming rate by 25 basis points, or 0.25 per cent. This way we will see older Australians, about 360,000 older Australians, actually end up with more money in their pockets in their fortnightly payments.

The other thing, too, is that the track record of this government since it came into government is a very strong track record of supporting older Australians. We have increased the pension for singles by $117.80 a fortnight and by $177.40 per fortnight for couples. You can be assured that this government will make a priority of looking after our older Australians.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Farrell, a supplementary question.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer refused to endorse Senator Ruston's description of the pension as generous. Instead, he said, 'I understand pensioners have challenging times; a number of pensioners do it really, really tough'. Has the Treasurer, or any other member of the government, raised concerns with the minister about her comments?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Farrell for his follow-up question. I agree entirely with the comments that the Treasurer made in relation to older Australians, particularly our age pensioners doing it tough at the moment. Cost-of-living pressures, financial pressures on older Australians, particularly those on pensions—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Farrell, on a point of order?

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question wasn't whether the minister agreed with the Treasurer. My question was: has the Treasurer spoken to her about her comments?

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Farrell, the minister's been speaking for 15 seconds. I might also say that the minister can be directly relevant to the question by directly addressing part of the question, as she is doing in this case.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In relation to older Australians, and, particularly, aged pensioners: I will reiterate again and again and again that I understand that older Australians are doing it tough and aged pensioners are doing it tough.

But Australia has a very comprehensive social welfare system. One part of that is the aged pension. The sustainability of our social security system is absolutely essential. But I do not move away from the comments—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order. Senator Farrell on a point of order.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You were very generous to the minister, but my question was a simple one. Has the Treasurer, or any other member of the government, spoken to the minister about her comments?

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You've restated part of the question, Senator Farrell, and I reiterate that a minister can be directly relevant to a question by being directly relevant to part of it. I believe the minister is being directly relevant.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr President. I will say it again: I accept the fact that older Australians, particularly, aged pensioners, are doing it tough. The Morrison government has quite clearly made it a priority to look after older Australians, and our track record stands for itself. (Time expired)

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Farrell, a final supplementary question.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Special Minister of State) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In response to the minister's offensive claim, the National Seniors Australia chief advocate, that very fine man, Mr Ian Henschke, from South Australia, said:

Look, I realise the minister is very new, but maybe she should go read a report that was done by the Per Capita group, that one in four pensioners are living in poverty.

Has the minister now read the report by the Per Capita Group? Does the minister still consider the pension to be generous?

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Farrell for his follow-up question.

The track record of the Morrison government when it comes to prioritising older Australians is one of which we can be proud. Notwithstanding the fact that many older Australians are doing it tough with cost-of-living pressures, the track record of the Morrison government is in ensuring that twice yearly we don't just increase pensions by CPI but take into account a suite of other impacts that impact on our older Australians and our pensioners. There is the fact that we have introduced $365 million over two years for the—

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order, Senator Ruston. Senator Wong on a point of order.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question didn't go to a history of the social security system. The question went to whether or not the minister still considers the pension to be generous.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Given the quote read out by Senator Farrell, the material I am listening very carefully to from Senator Ruston, I believe, is directly relevant to the quote. You've restated the question; I can't instruct a minister how to answer a question as long as they are directly relevant.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Families and Social Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm not sure whether Senator Wong actually heard the answer to the first question that was asked by Senator Farrell. I said in response to the first question from Senator Farrell that I certainly did not intend to infer that older Australians were doing it easy. And I am concerned about any offence that may have occurred or been taken by older Australians over comments that were made.