Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Payments) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Why is the Prime Minister still determined to ram his attack on pensions through the Senate? Doesn't this mean nothing of substance has changed and there is no reboot?

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Herbert will desist.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This is a government that is determined to deliver the surplus that members opposite promised but could never actually manage. This government is serious about doing the things that the member for Jagajaga just talked about.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Jagajaga. The member for Wakefield is nearly out the door.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The library and the Treasurer talk about this, from the 'book of Macklin': 'Australia's economic report card—back in surplus, on time, as promised. Returning to surplus gives the Reserve Bank flexibility to cut interest rates further'. Well, we never got back to surplus did we?

Ms Macklin interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Prime Minister will resume his seat, and the member for Jagajaga will resume her seat. She does not get up to argue. The Prime Minister has the call.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When it comes to the pension all we want to do is give to pensioners the same indexation rate that the member who asked the question gave to people on family tax benefit. The member who asked the question can shout and scream across the chamber as much as she likes, she can say 'unfairness' as much as she likes, but if it was fair to do this for the family tax benefit, as she did, well then it is perfectly fair for other social security benefits.

This is a government that is determined to keep faith with the Australian people. We keep faith with the Australian people by bringing the budget back under control. We are repairing the budget. Members opposite are sabotaging it every day.