OFarrell Government rips off local pensioners

03 April 2013

smu_baz_o_faz.jpgFederal Member for Throsby Stephen Jones has slammed New South Wales Liberal Premier Barry OFarrells decision to take part of the Federal Governments pension increase from more than 2,400 pensioners living in public housing in the Illawarra and Southern Highlands.

Ive had a lot of calls to my office this week from local pensioners who cant believe that the extra money theyve been given could be so easily snatched away again to serve the NSW Liberals bottom line Jones said.

The Federal Government knows that pensioners on a fixed income have the least room to move in their budgets. Thats why its so important that when prices go up, the pension goes up to match it.

Stephen Jones said the Federal Government provided local pensioners an increased payment from 20 March this year.

Single pensioners on the maximum rate are now receiving an extra $35.80 per fortnight, and pensioner couples on the maximum rate are now receiving an increase of $54.00 per fortnight combined.

This payment includes the new Clean Energy Supplement.

This is an obvious cash grab from a typical Liberal Premier who cares more about his own hip pocket than looking out for local pensioners, Jones said.

And Tony Abbott has promised to rip it all away - rolling back more than $1 billion a year in extra support from pensioners across the country.

Under an Abbott Government, every single pensioner in Australia would lose more than $350 a year and every pensioner couple would lose more than $530 a year.