By AAP
Parenting payment single recipients will get an extra $3. 60 a week, while the Newstart, widow, sickness, partner and parenting payment partnered allowances have gone up $2. 60 a week for singles and $2. 35 each for couples. "This means total pension payments for people on the maximum rate will be $854. 30 a fortnight for singles, and $1288 a fortnight for couples," Mr Andrews said.
Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews says Australia's 3. 7 million pensioners are getting their second pension bump in 2014, after an earlier increase in March. "They've increased twice this year, they'll increase twice next year, they'll increase twice the year after," Mr Andrews told reporters on Saturday.
Read more here: Business Spectator
These rises are tied to the CPI, which has nothing to do with the government. The CPI was introduced in the 60s to allow wages and pensions to keep pace with rising prices. Yet every year whichever government is in power, and whiochever welfare minister is in charge, issues a press release claiming it as the current government’s bounty to the pensioners. It’s nothing to do with Kevin Andrews! It’s a regular twice yearly increase that happens no matter which government is in Canberra.