Fed: Greens call for pension increase

AAP General News (Australia)
08-08-2007
Fed: Greens call for pension increase

CANBERRA, Aug 8 AAP - The Australian Greens have called on the government to cancel
tax cuts for higher income earners and use the money to increase the aged pension by $60
a fortnight.

The government lifted the 40 per cent personal tax income threshold from $75,000 to
$80,000 in this year's federal budget.

Senator Brown said Prime Minister John Howard should cancel the tax cuts, which would
take effect from July 2008, and use the money to increase the aged pension.

"Pensioners are having to face the tough end of that increase in living, the cost of
rentals, the food, the transport, and they deserve a lift," Senator Brown said today.

"We're proposing that pensioners should get an extra $60 a fortnight.

"That would be more than paid for by canning the tax cuts for the mega-rich, for people
over $75,000, which is in this year's Costello budget."

AAP sld/sb/apm/bwl

KEYWORD: PENSIONS BROWN

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