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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 10 Hansard (23 September) . . Page.. 3166 ..

Mrs Carnell: There is also a rebate. Are you going to talk about the rebate?

MR BERRY: Mrs Carnell talks about the rebate at the end of the year. You can get a rebate at the end of the year provided that you fill in all the paperwork and are able to access the service. Of course, Mrs Carnell does not want to talk about that. What a great idea! Hit them with a tax and teach them how they can get it back. "Hopefully, some will forget", says Mrs Carnell. The Liberals have introduced a tax on all withdrawals from a bank account with cheque facilities. This is despite a promise not to introduce any new taxes. Low-income people will be worse off with this new tax and older people will, of course, be affected adversely.

There is a rates hike for pensioners. Not only has the Liberals' rates mess seen many older Canberrans living in Canberra's inner suburbs pay a hike in rates this year; the Liberals have also cut the 50 per cent pensioner rates concession to $250 for all new pensioners from 1 July 1997. What a great deal for pensioners!

Mrs Carnell: The first person to announce that was Rosemary Follett.

Mrs Littlewood: Yes. Spot on!

MR BERRY: Hang your head in shame, both of you. This extra cost may force many older Canberrans living in inner suburbs out of their family home.

Mrs Carnell: If they are pensioners they get - - -

MR BERRY: The free dental scheme was abolished. The Carnell Liberal Government forced - - -

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! I understand that the Government is trying to reduce the number of interjections.

MR BERRY: Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, the Carnell Liberal Government joined their Federal counterparts in their refusal to assist elderly low-income people with their dental needs. They abolished the free dental scheme that pensioners have enjoyed for many years in the ACT. Now the elderly will have to pay up-front fees. Is that a fair deal for pensioners, Mrs Carnell?

Mrs Carnell: Yes. It is better than doing nothing.

MR BERRY: I think not. Is that a fair deal for pensioners, Mrs Littlewood? I think not. Hang your heads in shame. The free spectacle scheme was abolished. Is this a good idea, Mrs Carnell? Kate Carnell has also abolished the ACT spectacle scheme which gave pensioners a free pair of spectacles each year. Now pensioners have to find the money for spectacles out of their small pension.

These are the actions of an ACT Liberal government in support of John Howard and his attacks on older Canberrans as well. There have been electricity, water and sewerage price changes. ACTEW has changed its pricing structure, which has seen many pensioners pay more for their electricity and water. This makes winter bitterly cold.

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