THE HON BILL SHORTEN MP

LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
MEMBER FOR MARIBYRNONG

 

JENNY MACKLIN MP

SHADOW MINISTER FOR FAMILIES & PAYMENTS

SHADOW MINISTER FOR DISABILITY REFORM

MEMBER FOR JAGAJAGA

 

MEDIA RELEASE

 

ABBOTT’S BUDGET CUTS WILL HURT MORE THAN 600,000 QUEENSLAND PENSIONERS

 

Tony Abbott’s Budget of broken promises will mean concessions will be cut for more than 600,000 Queensland pensioners and almost 50,000 Queensland Commonwealth Seniors Health Card holders.

 

Around 650,000 Queenslanders will have concessions cut for vital services such as public transport, electricity and water bills.

 

Because of Tony Abbott, the National Partnership Agreement on Certain Concessions for Pensioners and Seniors Card Holders will be axed from 1 July this year. The cuts will start in just 42 days.

This is another hit to the retirement security of Queensland pensioners and self-funded retirees.

The Agreement provides Commonwealth financial support to the Queensland Government to provide pensioners and Commonwealth Seniors Health Card Holders discounts for essential services such as public transport and help paying their electricity and water bills.

Queensland was scheduled to receive up to $47 million under this Agreement in the 2014-15 financial year. Over the next four years, this could amount to a cut of as much as $188 million to Queensland.

Either the Queensland Government will now need to foot the bill or pensioners will have their concessions cut.

Just like he lied before the election, Tony Abbott is lying to pensioners after the election. These cuts will hit pensioners from July, not in three years like the Prime Minister says.

This is a further blow for Queensland pensioners who will have their pension cut at the same time as they are being slugged with new taxes for fuel and visits to the GP.

These cuts will hurt more than 600,000 Queensland pensioners, including more than 400,000 full-rate pensioners who currently have no income other than the $20,000 a year they receive from the Age Pension.

 

Tony Abbott’s first Budget is an unprecedented attack on the standard of living of Queensland pensioners, and a complete betrayal of the promises he made to them before the election, when he said:

 “No cuts to education, no cuts to health, no change to pensions, no change to the GST and no cuts to the ABC or SBS.”

TONY ABBOTT –INTERVIEW – 6 SEPTEMBER 2013

Tony Abbott has broken this promise and betrayed Queensland pensioners and it will hit them hard.

Tony Abbott cannot be trusted.

TUESDAY, 20 MAY 2014

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