Ursula Stephens (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Sorry, Mr President, I was daydreaming—what an embarrassment! My question today is to the Minister for Human Services, Senator Kim Carr. I apologise for the daydream, but it is Seniors Week in New South Wales and the ACT, and we have many seniors in the gallery. Can the minister outline to the Senate just what the government is doing to invest in delivering better support for senior Australians?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Stephens for this question. This government has delivered the single biggest boost to pensions in 100 years. Since 2009, we have increased the maximum rate of pensions by $207 per fortnight.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Kim Carr, just resume your seat. When there is silence on my left, we will proceed. Senator Kim Carr.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, those opposite do not want to hear this.

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just resume your seat. On my left!

Mathias Cormann (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You're raising it to undermine the Prime Minister. You're undermining the Prime Minister. You're just talking up Rudd.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cormann!

Government senators interjecting—

On my right!

Opposition senators interjecting—

On my left! Senator Carr.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Since 2009, this government has increased the maximum rate of pension by $207 per fortnight, and from today the pension rate has increased again. Today that means an extra $35.80 per fortnight for those on the maximum rate. My department will be delivering these payment increases to over 2.2 million senior Australians. This includes the extra support through the Clean Energy Future Household Assistance Package. Pensioners have already received their clean energy advance. Today they receive the first of their clean energy supplements. This government recognises the enormous contribution that seniors have made to this country and to this society. We know those opposite do not share that view. We know those opposite would take money away from seniors in this country. We know that under an Abbott government every single pensioner in Australia would lose more than $350 per year. Every pensioner couple would lose more than $530 per year. Those opposite would take back more than $1 billion a year in extra support that this Labor government is delivering to pensioners. This government recognises that senior citizens have very specific needs, and we have extra support for accommodation, for income support— (Time expired)

Opposition senators interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

When there is silence on my left, we will proceed.

Senator Brandis interjecting—

Order! When there is silence on my left, we will proceed.

Ursula Stephens (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can I ask the minister: other than the financial support that he has outlined, what other action is the Department of Human Services taking to actually improve services for older Australians?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Department of Human Services provided over $34.7 billion in payments on behalf of the government to age pensioners last year. This department, however, is much, much more than just a payments agency. The department provides personalised services to senior Australians—services like Australian Hearing, who, of course, help Australians with their hearing impairments. They deliver almost a quarter of a million hearing health services to senior citizens every year. The government is also providing more than 156 Financial Information Service officers who help Australians understand and make informed decisions about their finances. These are people who work with older Australians to help plan for their retirement, and there are some 2,700 seminars in which 80,000 participants joined last year. Of course, we are looking to find new ways to make— (Time expired)

Ursula Stephens (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can I ask the minister: are there any alternative approaches to delivering services to older Australians.

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is with some regret that I have to inform the Senate that those opposite do not support the measures that we are taking to assist senior citizens. Of course, they are happy to stigmatise people who get support from government. Those opposite do not say very much about their policies, but what we have seen in recent times is an insight into their thinking. The member for North Sydney has railed against people who he says have a sense of entitlement. The member for Mayo has recently told us:

Pensions, disability support, family tax benefits and childcare support, among others, create a cycle of dependency for millions of Australians.

They think that support equals dependency. So we know that they will cut the Clean Energy Future Household Assistance Package. We know that they will take more than $1 billion back from the support that this government is providing to pensioners. For those opposite, when it comes to services to senior citizens, it is not a matter for them of just leaving people behind— (Time expired)