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

I am referring to the question of superannuation for low-income earners. It seems to me amazing indeed that the member for North Sydney and the member who asked the question can feign concern about the circumstances of low-income earners when they will go to the next election asking those low-income earners for their vote knowing that they are going to deliver a superannuation reduction to them—more than three million of them, predominantly women. No doubt they will be trying to cover that up and not actually looking into their eyes and saying, 'I want you to be worse off,' but of course that is what they want. I point out that their wanting of low-income earners to be worse off is compounded by the plan to take away the Schoolkids Bonus, which would make families around $15,000 worse off over their children's journey through school. I say to the member who asked the question that he should be protesting the Leader of the Opposition's plan. That is the right thing to do. He should acknowledge that Labor invented superannuation, that Labor is increasing contributions from nine per cent to 12 per cent, that Labor has always delivered the important retirement income changes for Australians and that it is Labor in these circumstances, where hard-hitting cuts are proposed against low-income Australians, who will fight this change because it is wrong.

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