Media Release by The Hon Jenny Macklin MP

Liberals confirm plans to claw back pensions

Liberals confirm plans to claw back pensions

Today Jamie Briggs became the latest member of the Opposition to confirm the Liberals plans to claw back pension increases from Australia’s 3.4 million pensioners.

Writing in today’s Financial Review, Mr Briggs states:

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

Mr Briggs calls this important social support: ‘The dead hand of government.’

Mr Briggs’s statement follows Joe Hockey’s confirmation that the Liberals will rip away the Gillard Government’s pension increases, leaving all pensioners worse off under a Coalition Government.

What Mr Briggs thinks is the ‘dead hand of government’, is actually vital support the Gillard Government is delivering to pensioners and families.

It puts food on the tables of our pensioners, and helps our kids get to school.

Under Labor, pensioners will receive a net increase in their pension over and above any impact of the carbon price.

Under the Liberals, 3.4 million pensioners will lose about $338 per year for singles and about $510 per year for couples combined.

Only a Labor Government will deliver for Australia’s pensioners.

Only a Labor Government understands that payments such as family tax benefits and childcare support provide important support to Australian families.

Only a Labor Government has increased Family Tax Benefit Part A for teenagers, because we understand that kids don’t cost less when they turn 16.

This Government has introduced important reforms to help keep the family payments system sustainable into the future.

We are also reforming the Disability Support Pension to ensure we are providing people with a disability support to help them into work where possible, while retaining an essential safety net.

The Liberals have revealed what their true colours would be when it comes to dealing with families and vulnerable people.

Pensioners and families can’t trust a Liberal Government.