Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

No, Senator, I am more interested in the public policy issues than stunts. All I know about cabinet decisions on an increase to the pension is that in 11 years the Howard government did nothing. We know that Mr Brough took a proposal to the Howard government cabinet and that some of the senators opposite decided to do nothing. What we have done is embark on fundamental reform of the pension system. That will occur, and, in the meantime, we have paid a down payment to pensioners to assist them in the short term. We are serious about reform of the pension and we are serious about assisting pensioners, and we would appreciate support from the opposition on serious public policy issues rather than a continuation of stunts.