House debates Questions without Notice

Veterans

Monday, 2 June 2014 House of Representatives

Gai Brodtmann

Gai Brodtmann Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Defence

2:10 pm

My question is to the Prime Minister. In 2012 the Prime Minister told the national RSL conference:

If it’s inadequate just to lift Centrelink pensions by the Consumer Price Index, it’s even less fair to apply solely that index to those who have risked their lives for our country. Loyalty goes both ways.

Why is the Prime Minister breaking his promise not to change pensions, by applying the consumer price index to the pensions of 140,463 veterans?

Tony Abbott

Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister

2:11 pm

Again I would say to the member opposite that we made a commitment that DFRDB and DFRB pensions would be indexed by the higher rate, a commitment which the former government made in opposition but failed to deliver on in government. We made that commitment in opposition and we have delivered on it in government.

Mark Dreyfus

Mark Dreyfus Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General

Loyalty goes both ways!

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop Speaker

The member for Isaacs is warned.