Senate calls on Rudd to show more heart for pensioners

The Greens say their successful Senate motion calling for an immediate $30-a-week rise for single pensioners, puts the onus on Prime Minister Rudd to provide more help for single pensioners.

"The Senate has called on Mr Rudd to introduce legislation for an immediate $30-a-week rise. This motion will help assure him such legislation would go through both houses of Parliament as top priority," Senator Brown said.

"All sides of politics are calling on Mr Rudd to show more heart and give pensioners immediate support."

The Senate this afternoon passed Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown's motion:

That the Senate-

1. gives considered support to legislation for an increase in pensions, in particular an immediate rise of $30 per week for single aged pensions; and
2. calls on the Government to act on this immediately.

The government opposed the motion but it passed on the voices.

The following motion also passed with Opposition support:

That the Senate:
            Calls on the Prime Minister (Mr Rudd), the Deputy Prime Minister (Ms Gillard), the Treasurer (Mr Swan), the Minister for Health and Ageing (Ms Roxon) and the Minister for Finance and Deregulation (Mr Tanner), who have all publicly stated that they could not live on the single aged pension, to explain why they will not immediately increase the single aged pension by $30 per week.

"The Ministers' replies to the Senate will be of great interest to Australia's pensioners," Senator Brown said.

For more information: Ebony Bennett 0409164603