Pensioners angry about cuts

It’s been more than seven weeks since the Federal Budget and the anger in the community about this Government’s cruel cuts and broken promises still hasn’t faded.

Local pensioners have been stopping me in the street concerned about the changes to pension payments, which could make them up to $80 per week worse off within a decade.

Unfortunately, pensioners in our community took Mr Abbott at his word, when he pledged “no changes to pensions” before the election. Now they’re concerned that this Government’s broken promises will make it more difficult for them to get by.

Mr Abbott and his Government say that these cuts are necessary because of a “budget emergency”.

But as several pensioners have pointed out to me recently, how can there be a budget emergency when the Government wants to spend $21 billion on a paid parental leave scheme which will give $50,000 to millionaires when they have a baby?

You may have seen reports this week that the Government plans to make even more changes to payments, especially for those on the Disability Support Pension.

It seems that this Government’s goal is to shift vulnerable people with a disability onto lower payments, and cut some people off from support entirely.

That’s not fair. This welfare review should not be used as cover for another round of savage cuts to the most vulnerable people in our community.

As part of the Labor team, I will continue to stand up for pensioners against cruel cuts which will make it harder for people to get by.

First published in the Logan Reporter on 4 July 2014

#loganreporter #local