Jon Sullivan (Longman, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. Will the minister outline how the government’s Economic Security Strategy will deliver extra support to pensioners, carers and working families?

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Longman for his question and his particular interest especially in supporting the pensioners and seniors on Bribie Island that I know he does so much for. Today is a red-letter day for Australia’s age pensioners, for our disability support pensioners, for our veterans, for our carers and for working families. The government’s measures that the Prime Minister and the Treasurer announced earlier today will give extra much-needed support to four million pensioners and 1.9 million Australian families. These changes, these much-needed increases in support, are a down payment on our pension reforms for the future, and it is only this government that is going to deliver long-term pension reform to make sure that the pensioners of Australia are able to have a decent standard of living into the future.

I am very pleased to inform the House that already there has been a very positive response both from Australian seniors and from disability organisations. From the National Seniors association we have had comments already, saying that older Australians have warmly welcomed the federal government’s move to provide generous lump sum payments to pensioners and low-income self-funded retirees in time for Christmas. The National Seniors chief executive has said that the government has ‘clearly recognised the pressure that older Australians are under’, and he goes on to say—and I think this really sums it up—that in a real sense it means being able to ‘buy presents for their grandchildren, have ham on the table, or fix that leaky roof’. We do hope that it does help pensioners and other senior Australians do those extra things around the house that they need to do. National Seniors go on to say—and they are an important part of the national pension reform process—that they welcome this move and look forward to working with the Labor government through its pension review in building a sustainable pension system over the longer term.

We have had similar comments from the Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association. They are saying, ‘Thankfully, this measure covers all pensioners and carers,’ and they go on to say that it is a ‘very, very welcome step’. The Fair Go for Pensioners Coalition also says, ‘Very welcome news to build confidence and security among pensioners and seniors in this two-part announcement by the Prime Minister both in the immediate in which pensioners will be pleased to do their bit for the community by spending this money on essentials and helping to boost the economy and in the security that the long term is going to be looked at.’ Certainly this is recognised by the Fair Go for Pensioners Coalition. There were similar comments from the Council on the Ageing and also the National Disability Services organisation, recognising for the first time that these payments have been extended to people on the disability support pension and recognising that they too need this extra help to make sure that they can make ends meet.

This is a very important day for all pensioners, veterans and carers because they do need immediate support. They need our long-term reform and they will get it. Families also can rest a little bit easier as we come up to Christmas. Families who are receiving family tax benefit part A will get a one-off payment of $1,000 for each child in their care. That is $1,000 for three-quarters of Australia’s families so that they can have a little bit extra to make sure that all the costs that they face will be easier for them as Christmas comes. This is a very important announcement for all of these Australians who need our support. As a result of this measure, we will be able to see growth continue in our economy.