TURNBULL MUST ABANDON ENERGY SUPPLEMENT CUTS

03 April 2017

Federal Member for Blair Shayne Neumann has expressed concern that the Turnbull Government still wants to scrap the Energy Supplement to 1.7 million Australians, a payment designed to help vulnerable Australians with the cost of energy.

“With winter on the way, making sure pensioners are getting the support they need to meet the cost of energy. Unfortunately, Malcolm Turnbull and his Government are making things tougher than ever," Mr Neumann said.

“For pensioners scrapping the Energy Supplement will mean a cut of $14.10 per fortnight to single pensioners or $365 a year.

“Couple pensioners will be $21.20 a fortnight worse off or around $550 a year worse off.

“Australians on Newstart also face a cut - a single person on Newstart will lose $8.80 per fortnight or around $220 a year."

Mr Neumann said that cutting the energy supplement was the latest example of the Turnbull Government failing to look out for some of the most in-need Australians.

“This cut to the energy supplement is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the Turnbull Governments attack on pensioners and families.

“Just last week we saw $1.4 Billion cut from families and job seekers through changes to the Family Tax Benefit, waiting times for Newstart and cuts to Single Parent payments.

“That these cuts are coming at the same time that Malcolm Turnbull is ripping money out of the budget to hand big business an unfunded $50 Billion tax cut is just ridiculous.

“Mr Turnbull needs to sort out his priorities and start working for Australian pensioners and families.”