Senator Andrew Bartlett Deputy Parliamentary Leader and Democrats Senator for Queensland Australian Democrats spokesperson for Family & Community Services
Democrat Deputy Leader Senator Andrew Bartlett has called on Labor and the Coaltion to spell out their plans for all people in receipt of Commonwealth pensions or allowances in the wake of the government’s latest election sweetener.
"We are seeing plans for increased payments for a small number of pension recipients that still fail to hit the mark or assist some of the most disadvantaged," Senator Bartlett said.
"People such as sole parents and the long-term unemployed who are in receipt of government allowances, not pensions, miss out all together in this latest vote buying grab.
"This group of people will fall further and further behind as their benefits remain linked to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) not the usually higher Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE) unlike most pensions, and they clearly aren't a big enough voter group.
"The inequity in the Coalition's gifting is simply staggering.
"It would be more equitable and sustainable to uniformly index all Commonwealth pensions and allowances, including those of civilian and defence Commonwealth superannuants and sole parents, with reference to both the CPI and MTAWE.
"Rather the picking and choosing to benefit through targeted vote buying, the Coalition and Labor must show the public what they are going to do to make all Commonwealth pensions and allowances equitable and resilient to the rapidly increasing cost of living," Senator Bartlett said.
