Brendan Nelson (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Given the Prime Minister believes that he could not live on the single age pension of $273 per week, how much more does he think that single pensioners need in order to survive?

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Treasurer, the Deputy Prime Minister and I—and I believe others in response to that question—have been straight up and down about this. We have been clear-cut in our language in saying that there is a massive problem in terms of the ability of age pensioners to live on the current age pension. That is what we believe. We have said that. That is why we have a program of action to deal with it.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can I just say to those opposite that they should bring some attention to bear on a further piece of data on this, which came out today. The Leader of the Opposition said before that the cost-of-living pressures for pensioners had really gone through the roof but only in the last few months. Can I suggest that he has a look at the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia, HILDA, Survey, which came out today, which studies the period 2001 to 2005. Can I say to those opposite that this is a period when they were in office and this is a period for which we have clear-cut data on what was happening when it came to elderly couples. This survey says—

Wilson Tuckey (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order on relevance. I think the pensioners of Australia are entitled to a clear answer.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for O’Connor will resume his seat. He knows he has to indicate which point of order he is making and not just make a debate.

Wilson Tuckey (O'Connor, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The answer should be relevant to the question, and this account—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member has made his point of order. The Prime Minister is responding to the question.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The survey, the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics Survey of 2001-05, which is a period in which those opposite were in a position to do something about this, says that older Australians missed out on the increase in the standard of living in Australia over that period. In fact, it said that their standard of living increased by just 0.7 per cent across that time.

The second point I would make is that across that 2001-05 period revenues to the government from personal income taxes grew from $77 billion a year to $112 billion a year.

Chris Pearce (Aston, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order on relevance. The Prime Minister was asked: how much more do pensioners need to survive?

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will listen carefully to the Prime Minister’s response. The Prime Minister is responding to the question.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Household, Income and Labour Dynamics Survey shows that there was a real problem in 2001-05 in terms of the standard of living of older Australians, including pensioners. In that same period the revenues going to the Howard government went through the roof. If you look at what happened with company tax in that period, you will see receipts went up from $31 billion to $49 billion. Despite the fact that the data showed clearly that we had an emerging problem of cost-of-living pressures for pensioners in that period and despite the fact that the public revenue of Australia in their period in office was awash with cash, the opposition did nothing about it. Here is the point for all members of this House to consider: they were the pressures in 2001-05—we have the data—and that is how much money the opposition had to deal with it, but on 11 August last year when, according to the Australian, Mal Brough took to cabinet a proposal for a $30 per week increase—

Dennis Jensen (Tangney, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order, once again on relevance. There are thousands of seniors waiting to hear this answer.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The problem for those opposite is that the past does not exist. It is as if the problem with cost-of-living pressures suddenly emerged on 24 November last year. My question to the member for Bradfield is: what did you do in cabinet 12 months ago when this was put before you and you had money to deal with it? What did you do as—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The House will come to order so that question time can continue.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is: when could this have been dealt with properly? Those opposite sat there in cabinet—the member for Bradfield; the member for Curtin, she who interjects most robustly, given her deep, longstanding compassion for the poor in this country; the member for Wentworth, given his deep, longstanding compassion for the poor—

Chris Pearce (Aston, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order as to relevance. The Prime Minister is now answering his own question.

Harry Jenkins (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Aston will resume his seat. When the member for Aston earlier raised a similar point of order on this question I said I would be listening carefully. I simply say that, in the traditions and precedents of this place, the answer that the Prime Minister is giving is relevant. If people have a problem with that then, as I have suggested ad nauseam, there are other ways in which the House might address a perceived problem.

Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In August last year the member for Curtin said nothing in cabinet, the member for Bradfield said nothing, the member for Higgins said nothing and the member for Wentworth said nothing. They were all there and prepared to act, but they did nothing. This government is getting on with the business of implementing reform.