Mr TURNBULL (Leader of the Opposition) (2:01 PM) —My question is addressed to the Prime Minister. I refer the Prime Minister to his announcement today of a fiscal stimulus package to which the opposition has given its support. I ask the Prime Minister: will the Prime Minister give Australian age pensioners a watertight commitment that there will be an increase in the base rate of the pension in the next budget?

Mr RUDD (Prime Minister) —The government in 12 months has delivered on what the previous government failed to deliver in 12 years. They had 12 long years to act on pension reform and did nothing. What this government did at the time it announced the last budget was commission the Harmer review and that review will report next February. Furthermore, the government has announced other measures today, of which the honourable member will be aware. My position and that of the Treasurer and the government is that we will prosecute long-term pension reform by the time of the next budget, as we have already indicated.