Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Let me be very clear to the Leader of the Opposition: I am concerned about the position of this pensioner and I am concerned about the position of every Australian pensioner. That is why I am proud to lead a government that delivered a historic pension increase and why I am proud to lead a government that increased the pension as part of our carbon pricing plan. What I will not stand for and what I do not think any pensioner in Australia should have to stand for is the Leader of the Opposition using them as if they are political pawns in a game. The Leader of the Opposition should have looked at this electricity bill and he should have quoted in this parliament what it says about carbon pricing. It says this:

This represents an estimated increase of 9.13% for an average daily usage …

That is what it says. That represents the decisions that have been taken around the country on carbon pricing and its impact on electricity pricing. No amount of negativity, no amount of misleading, will change that.

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