GG 27/12
23 April 2012
Premier Colin Barnett has again shown his mean streak by refusing to quarantine the Gillard Government’s upcoming pension increase from public housing rent calculations.
The 22,000 pensioners living in public housing in Western Australia will be receiving increases of about $338 a year for singles and about $510 a year for couples combined.
“But the Premier will be taxing a quarter of that received by WA pensioners,” Special Minister of State Gary Gray said today. “I am ropable that he taxing the carbon price compensation for pensioners and that he’s taking such a mean-spirited approach.
“The Premier will now be taking an extra $85 a year from single pensioners, and $127 a year from pensioner couples.”
Over May and June this year, pensioners in WA will begin receiving the Commonwealth Government’s increase in pension payments.
Mr Gray said this was not the first time that Colin Barnett has ripped cash off pensioners.
“When the Federal Government delivered the biggest-ever increase to the pension in September 2009, the WA Government agreed to quarantine the pension increase from rent calculations, so that struggling pensioners had more money in their pockets,” Mr Gray said.
“However, in March 2011, Premier Barnett scrapped that deal and raised rents for WA pensioners in public housing – taking part of the Federal Government’s historic increase out of the pockets of pensioners in public housing. And now he is doing it all over again.”
WA pensioners will be worse off because of Premier Barnett’s mean-spirited and arrogant attitude toward those struggling to make ends meet.
“The Premier does not hesitate to raise electricity and water costs – WA electricity prices have risen by 57 per and water prices are up 45 per cent since Barnett came to power,” Mr Gray said. “And the prices are to rise again under Colin Barnett.
“This extra money from the Gillard Government is intended for pensioners as compensation for the carbon price. It is not for Colin Barnett and the West Australian Liberals.
“I’m calling on all pensioners to contact their local Members of Parliament to voice their opposition to this mean-spirited grab for cash.”| Media Contact: | Website: |
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| John Arthur - 0408 991 261 | www.smos.gov.au |