Federal Member for Ballarat, Catherine King today warned local pensioners to prepare for the worst with media reports indicating the Abbott Government is planning cuts to the age pension.
“Over 25,000 people in Ballarat receiving age, disability and carer pensions would be insulted by Joe Hockey’s comments that they were living in an entitlement culture,” Ms King said.
“This is just another example of the Abbott Government’s twisted budget priorities.
“On one hand, Tony Abbott is preparing to hand out $75,000 to millionaire mums to have a baby while trying to blame age pensioners receiving up to $840 per fortnight for putting the budget under pressure.”
Before the election, Tony Abbott promised that there would be no cuts to pensions:
ABBOTT: I can assure your listeners that there will be no cuts to health, no cuts to education, no cuts to pensions, no change to the GST.
[Tony Abbott – 5 September – ABC AM]
“As with recent cuts by the Abbott Government to health and education, we now know the opposite to be true,” Ms King said.
“This latest attack on the most vulnerable in our community follows cuts to local hospitals and proposed new health taxes including a Hospital and GP Tax.”