Tangney 'people power' wins victory in Canberra
A show of “people power” by residents of the Perth southern suburbs
electorate of Tangney helped win a victory in Canberra by forcing the
Federal Government to back down from plans to cuts benefits for
seniors, local MP Dennis Jensen said Monday.
“My speech is one of thanks, to the thousands of pensioners and self-funded retirees in my electorate of Tangney, who have put people power back on the political map,” Dr Jensen said in an address to parliament.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s Government had planned to amend entitlement rules for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, a move which would have seen thousands of self-funded retirees stripped of benefits including crucial pharmaceutical subsidies.
The change had been due to come into force on July 1 this year but was withdrawn in the Federal Budget handed down earlier this month after a vocal campaign of opposition in which seniors in Tangney played a leading role.
“What he proposed was a direct attack on retired Australians who had worked hard all their lives and had made sacrifices to provide for their retirement by taking out superannuation,” added Dr Jensen.
“In a clear case of the politics of envy writ large, the Labor government proposed to penalise these people by denying many of them access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, at the very time in their lives when it is most needed.
“Over 3000 people in Tangney signed postcards in support of pensioners and retirees, and I brought those cards to Canberra.
“I would like to thank those constituents for helping to defeat such a mean-spirited and despicable attack on self-funded retirees in this country.”
Dr Jensen said he remained committed to protecting the rights of older Australians and improving their quality of life. He also campaigned strongly for aged pension increases, a plan the government eventually implemented in the recent budget.
“I think we, as a society, respect our older citizens and we must continue to demand that the government accords them that same level of respect,” he added
“My speech is one of thanks, to the thousands of pensioners and self-funded retirees in my electorate of Tangney, who have put people power back on the political map,” Dr Jensen said in an address to parliament.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s Government had planned to amend entitlement rules for the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, a move which would have seen thousands of self-funded retirees stripped of benefits including crucial pharmaceutical subsidies.
The change had been due to come into force on July 1 this year but was withdrawn in the Federal Budget handed down earlier this month after a vocal campaign of opposition in which seniors in Tangney played a leading role.
“What he proposed was a direct attack on retired Australians who had worked hard all their lives and had made sacrifices to provide for their retirement by taking out superannuation,” added Dr Jensen.
“In a clear case of the politics of envy writ large, the Labor government proposed to penalise these people by denying many of them access to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, at the very time in their lives when it is most needed.
“Over 3000 people in Tangney signed postcards in support of pensioners and retirees, and I brought those cards to Canberra.
“I would like to thank those constituents for helping to defeat such a mean-spirited and despicable attack on self-funded retirees in this country.”
Dr Jensen said he remained committed to protecting the rights of older Australians and improving their quality of life. He also campaigned strongly for aged pension increases, a plan the government eventually implemented in the recent budget.
“I think we, as a society, respect our older citizens and we must continue to demand that the government accords them that same level of respect,” he added
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