Rudd must guarantee pensioners relief before Christmas - Greens

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd must guarantee Australia's aged pensioners will get some relief before Christmas, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown said today.

"The Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Treasurer have all admitted that they could not live on the single aged pension, yet they expect Australia's 1.2 million pensioners to wait another 7 months, or longer, before they get any relief. That is unacceptable," Senator Brown said.

"If the Rudd government can afford to give out $31 billion in tax cuts, it can certainly afford to increase the single aged pension by $30 a week, which would cost approximately $1 billion a year."

"Prime Minister Rudd should guarantee single aged pensioners will get some relief before Christmas," Senator Brown said.

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