QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator RUSTON (South Australia—Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) (14:53): I acknowledge the Western Australian shadow minister for agriculture in the gallery. My question is to the Minister representing the Minister for Health and Ageing, Senator McAllister. Terry and Pam Thompson of Saratoga, New South Wales, are aged 85 and 80.

They made a submission to the Senate inquiry into your government's plan to cut the additional private health insurance rebate for older Australians. They are both age pensioners with no other income. To keep their private health cover, they have given up holidays, meals out and entertainment.

They told the inquiry that, once there is nothing further to sacrifice, they'll be forced onto the public system. In their words, your government's plan 'lacks compassion'. Minister, the Parliamentary Budget Office has now confirmed that $1.6 billion of the $3 billion this policy claims to save comes directly from the pockets of pensioners like the Thompsons.

Do you think it's compassionate to expect pensioners to give up holidays, meals out and entertainment to pay for your lazy tax grab?