Pension qualifying age rise still on the cards
An independent agency has confirmed the Turnbull government still intends to lift the age pension qualifying age to 70, in a Senate committee on Monday.
Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) Phil Bowen said the government remained committed to four measures as part of the $13 billion of budget savings it failed to get through the senate in 2014, which included lifting the pension qualifying age.
The measures include overhauling the energy supplement which flows to welfare recipients, streamlining the court system and changing workplace compensation laws.
The PBO’s last report on unlegislated measures estimated budget savings of $1.96 billion between 2025 and 2027 from lifting the pension qualifying age to 70.
Mr Bowen told the committee the PBO had not released an updated report because so many of the unlegislated budget measures had already been scrapped.
Mr Bowen, who is set to retire in July, said, “If you are going to publish a bottom line you can't have a debate about it unless you know what is driving it.”
What’s your take? Do you think this is the right move by the government?