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. I refer to page 69 of the Intergenerational report which assumes pension indexation will switch from CPI to the higher average weekly earnings in 2028-29. From that year pensions would be higher than under the Prime Minister's CPI adjustments. Will the Prime Minister now admit that pensioners will be worse off for 12 years because of his cuts to pension indexation? You cannot say no, there is a graph in the book.

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

I am absolutely committed to a strong and sustainable social security safety net. Under this government pensions will go up twice a year every year. The idea that somehow there are cuts to pensions is simply false. Never ever will any pension go down. The pension will go up twice a year every year. It will go up by the same indexation method that the member who asked the question put in place for family tax benefits. If the member who asked the question thought it was good enough for families, why isn't it good enough for pensioners? If it was so good for families that the member who asked the question put it in place, why isn't it right and proper for pensioners?

This is a document which sets out the challenges and the opportunities facing our country. We can grasp a much better future, we really can. What we have to do is ensure that over time we live within our means. It really reflects poorly on members opposite who, having criticised our policy, have come up with absolutely no policy of their own, not a single policy, not a word of a positive policy from members opposite. When the member who asked the question was in government—

Ms Butler interjecting—

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

The member for Griffith is not in her seat. If she speaks again she will be removed from the chamber.

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

occasionally she had an idea. One of her ideas was to have CPI for family tax benefit. It was not a bad idea. It was supported by the then opposition. I think the now opposition should return the compliment.