House debates

Monday, 22 September 2014

Questions without Notice

Budget

2:31 pm

Photo of Tony AbbottTony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

The government stands by the proposals that were included in the recent budget, and those proposals will certainly ensure that pensions continue to go up twice a year every year. They will go up every March; they will go up every September. The rate of increase might be a little different from 2017 onwards, but what these changes do will mean that our social services system is sustainable into the long-term, and that is a very, very important national goal. Our country could not go on as it was, living way beyond its means. We cannot go on as we still are, borrowing $1 billion a month every single month to pay the interest on the former government's debt and deficit and to sustain spending programs which this country simply could not and cannot afford.

So we stand by our budget, but nevertheless we do accept that some of the budget measures do need to be negotiated through the Senate—

Ms Macklin interjecting

and we will do so in a constructive, a courteous and a collegial way.

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