Pension increases and commemorative coin – Doorstop, Melbourne

*** E & OE – Proof only ***

JENNY MACKLIN: From today, 3.3 million Australian pensioners, aged pensioners, disability support pensioners, those on the carer payment, wife and widow pensioners and, of course, our veterans on income support will start to receive a much-deserved increase in their pensions.

It will be for single pensioners who are on the maximum rate of the pension just over $70 a fortnight increase in their pension.

This is a much-deserved increase in their pension that I am sure will help every pensioner make ends meet.

This year is the hundredth anniversary of the aged pension and these are the most significant reforms to the pension since it was introduced 100 years ago.

This is the new $1 coin which has been struck to commemorate the centenary of the aged pension. This is a very special coin which I am sure many pensioners will keep as an indication of the very significant reforms that have been delivered to pensioners, 3.3 million pensioners around Australia.

The coin will be in circulation from tomorrow. It demonstrates this Government’s commitment to making sure that our pensioners have an adequate pension that they can rely on in the future.