Menu





CHESTER SEEKS $300 PAYMENT FOR PENSIONERS

Apr 15, 2009 | Fighting For Pensioners

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

September 4, 2008  

The Nationals Member for Gippsland Darren Chester has called for a $300 pre-Christmas payment for pensioners and carers as they wait out the Rudd Labor Government’s never-ending series of reviews. 

Mr Chester also told Federal parliament today that the single age pension was inadequate and must be urgently increased by $30 per week to provide a decent standard of living. 

“If the government wants to buy some time … I support an immediate catch-up payment of $300 to pensioners and carers – including people with a disability who were discriminated against in the May budget,” Mr Chester said. 

We can’t afford to condemn our pensioners to another 12 months of struggling to find the money to eat healthily, pay bills, cover their medical expenses and to get around to visit friends and attend social activities. 

“The Federal Government is paralysed by a mentality of reviews and inquiries and is failing to take action to help older Gippslanders, carers and people with disabilities to enjoy a decent standard of living. 

“Why not act now? Why wait until next February for the review findings… then further delays while the review is considered.

It could be another 12 months before this government does anything to help pensioners. 

“We all know that the single age pension is inadequate – we’ve already had reports and inquiries which have highlighted the problem. 

“I urge government Ministers to end the blame game in relation to pensioners and carers and get on with the job they were elected to do.” 

Mr Chester said a pension review background paper released last month revealed that the single rate of pension – which is set at 60% of the couples rate – was lower than the average of 63% for major OECD countries. 

“We are clearly falling behind world standards,” Mr Chester said. 

He said he supported calls for the single age pension to be increased to two-thirds of the couple’s rate and for regular scheduled reviews over the coming years to make sure that pensioners don’t fall behind the rest of Australia. 

“These are the people who built our great nation. They allow us to enjoy the privileges we have today.  These people deserve better,” Mr Chester said. 

Archived Content