AUSTRALIA: Strong argument to increase aged pension

SYDNEY (Sydney Morning Herald), May 18, 2008: The federal opposition says there is a very strong argument to increase the age pension, but has not yet committed to such a policy. Pensioners stripped to their underwear in Melbourne on Friday in protest at the government's failure to lift the pension in last week's budget. The same day opposition spokeswoman for ageing Margaret May said she would support an increase to pensioner payments. Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson said on Sunday the coalition had not decided to commit to a policy of increasing the pension but there was a strong argument to do so. He said the coalition's pensioners policy would be released once it was fully costed. "There is a very strong argument for raising the base rate of the pension," Dr Nelson told ABC Television. "I am very strongly of the view that it is time for us now to further strengthen the financial position of Australian pensioners and we are in the process of developing policy at the moment. "I can assure you that we will release that policy once it has been fully concluded." © 2008 AAP Copyright © 2008. The Sydney Morning Herald.