Steve Georganas (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and Minister for Disability Reform. Will the minister update the House on how the government is supporting Australians in their retirement?

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Disability Reform) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much to the member for Hindmarsh, who does so much for pensioners in his electorate. He and everybody on this side of the parliament knows that pensioners can rely on Labor. They can rely on Labor governments. It was this government that delivered the biggest pension rise in Australia's history. Of course, we also delivered an improved indexation system to make sure that the value of the pension keeps up with pensioners' costs of living. We have seen millions of pensioners get an increase. If you are a single pensioner on the maximum rate, it is $172 a fortnight extra, and for couples it is $182 a fortnight extra—all because of this Labor government's reforms.

Today I have announced that, from 20 March, we will see another improvement to the pension as a result of the reduction in the pension deeming rates. More than 740,000 pensioners will benefit from a higher pension. In South Australia, around 70,000 pensioners will benefit as a result of that decision. Part-pensioners will see an average increase to their pension of $6.80 a fortnight. Also from 20 March, Australian pensioners will start receiving the new clean energy supplement. Pensioners will get that either fortnightly or quarterly. Over the next year for single pensioners that will be worth around $338 annualised, and for a couple $510.

Australian pensioners know they will be getting this extra money. What they also know is that this Leader of the Opposition is determined to claw that money back. We know when the Leader of the Opposition was a minister in the previous government he said no to a pension rise. He said no to a pension rise when he was in the cabinet. We know this was true.

Mr Abbott interjecting—

He says he never did. We know from your mate Mal Brough that that is exactly what you did. It was your mate Mal Brough that told the whole country that the Howard cabinet said no to a pension rise.

Ms Anna Burke (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister will return to the question.

Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Disability Reform) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And now you want to claw $300 out of the pockets of pensioners. Labor will make sure we look after pensioners, while you claw it back.