Tanya Plibersek (Sydney, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Given the Prime Minister ruled out scrapping his $5½ billion gold-plated paid parental scheme in question time on 27 February, will the Prime Minister now give senior Australians the same certainty, and rule out any cuts to the age pension?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What the opposition is attempting to do here is to spread fear in our community. The priorities of this government are clear, and for the pensioners of Australia, the priorities are very, very clear indeed. We will scrap the carbon tax and we will keep the compensation The people who are trying to prevent a benefit to pensioners are members opposite, who want the pensioners of Australia to keep paying the carbon tax. If we are talking about benefits to pensions, we want to take the carbon tax off the pensioners of Australia, and Labor is voting to keep it on them. Shame, Labor, shame! Give the pensioners of Australia a fair go by voting to take the carbon tax off their power bills.