Around 1,460 local pensioners have no cause to celebrate this New Year’s Day.
Malcolm “the Grinch” Turnbull and the Greens’ decision to change the pension asset test means some local pensioners face significant cuts to their payments, while some will lose concession cards as well.
“It’s double whammy hit for about 330 local pensioners, who not only lose their pension altogether, but will lose important concessions,” Federal Member for Blair Shayne Neumann said.
“Local pensioners have every right to be angry and upset as they were told promised no changes to their concession card and associated benefits.
“Anyone who currently has a Pensioner Concession Card will continue to receive a concession card that provides the same benefits.”
JOE HOCKEY, 2015 BUDGET SPEECH, 12TH MAY 2015
Turns out the Liberals were lying all along.
The Minister for Human Services, Alan Tudge recently let the cat out of the bag on ABC radio.
Presenter: Do they lose their pensioner concession card because that gets them discounts on things like rego and council rates, utility bills as well?
Alan Tudge: That’s up to each local council and each state and territory government as to how they’re going to deal with that. I mean we deal with what the federal policy is…
Presenter: But you can’t give them any guarantee that on the other stuff.
Alan Tudge: Well it’s up to each state and territory government what their policy decisions are.
ALAN TUDGE, RN BREAKFAST, 15 DECEMBER 2016
Pensioners now know they can’t trust a word the Turnbull Government says.
The Liberal Party is the Party of pension cuts.
Federal Member for Blair, Shayne Neumann, says around 1,460 local pensioners face significant cuts to their pension from New Year’s Day because of cuts made by the Turnbull Government and the Greens.
Around 1,130 pensioners will see an average cut to their pension of $133 a fortnight.
A further 330 local pensioners will lose their pension entirely, leaving them on average worse off by $203 a fortnight.
Mr Neumann said Malcolm Turnbull is the Grinch who Stole Christmas for local pensioners.
“Labor voted against this cut to pensioners in the Parliament and we will continue to fight for a fair go for pensioners.
“Cutting the pension shows how out of touch Malcolm Turnbull and the Liberals really are.
“They are taking money off pensioners at Christmas while trying to give a $50 billion handout to big business and the banks.”
Pensioners who are concerned about how the Government’s changes to the pension assets test will affect them are urged to contact Centrelink Financial Information Services on 132 300.
