‘A morsel on one hand’: Browne criticises $250 pension increase

Opposition Senator Amery Browne has criticised the Government’s $250 increase in the grant for pensioners, saying the adjustment offers little relief to pensioners struggling with the rising cost of living and the cost of medication.

Browne was responding to the pension increase announced in the Fiscal 2027 Budget on Monday, questioning how the Government intended to fund the adjustment while the allocation to a ministry he previously held was reduced by $850 million compared with the previous year.

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Speaking to reporters outside of Parliament on Tuesday, he said the increase amounted to giving pensioners “a morsel on one hand” while taking away “a basketful on the other”, arguing that difficulties accessing essential medication and other forms of social support continued to place pressure on vulnerable citizens.