Christian Porter (Pearce, Liberal Party, Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

With respect to the funding that you have just raised, $180,000, as you note, has been applied to the South Australian scheme. There has been a further $1.8 million agreed, and we can provide details of that. There is also $8 million which is in negotiations. From the Commonwealth's perspective, we are ready to go with those, but, because this is a cooperative program with the states, the greater volume of that $8 million is pending approval by state cabinets. Otherwise, the Commonwealth's position on that is fixed and, as far as we are concerned, that money is ready to flow.

With respect to the pension age issue, it is very interesting that the member for Jagajaga noted that the relevant report that recommended this measure said that the pension age should not be lifted to 70 until 2035, which is what the member for Jagajaga noted. The government policy is not to lift the pension age to 70 until 2035. So the way in which this issue has been—

Ms Macklin interjecting—

Well, Member for Jagajaga, what you said was that the relevant report that recommended this said that the pension age should not be lifted to 70 until 2035. In fact—

Ms Macklin interjecting—

Well, Member, as you know, it is staggered over a period of time, but a child born today would have their 18th birthday—

Ms Macklin interjecting—

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