Greens move to amend Coalition pension bill

"The Greens will help progress the pension bill through Senate if the Coalition ends luxury car tax filibuster," Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"Australia's 1.2 million aged pensioners are doing it tough and need some immediate relief. So do disability pensioners and veterans. They cannot wait another nine months for government action. Especially not after government ministers have admitted they could not live on the single aged pensions themselves," Senator Brown said.

"The Greens will support moves to have the pension bill debated urgently if the Coalition agrees to end its filibuster on budget bills like the luxury car tax, Medicare levy thresholds and condensate," Senator Brown said.

The Australian Greens will also move to amend the Coalition's pension increase bill to include disability pensioners when it is debated in the Senate.

"The Coalition has moved to include veterans who receive pension payments in this bill and the Greens will amend the bill to include disability pensioners as well," Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"The matter is urgent for Australia's aged pensioners, veterans and disability pensioners and should be dealt with as soon as possible. However the Greens think it would be prudent for the Senate to deal with the revenue raising budget bills first," Senator Brown said.

Further information: Ebony Bennett 0409 164 603

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Ebony Bennett
Media Advisor
Senator Bob Brown | Leader of the Australian Greens
e: ebony.bennett@aph.gov.au
m: 0409 164 603 | p: (02) 6277 3170 | f: (02) 6277 3185
w: www.bobbrown.org.au <http://www.bobbrown.org.au/>   <http://www.greens.org.au>
 

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