Senator FIFIELD (Victoria—Manager of Government Business in the Senate and Assistant Minister for Social Services) (14:43): I thought I heard Senator Ketter say that the government was intending to scrap indexation. That is the first time I have heard anyone say that. The government, after the next election, will be changing the basis upon which the age pension is indexed but indexed it will remain and increase it shall continue to do. In fact, it was only on Friday that the age pension went up again as a result of indexation, which is good news. The great lie of those opposite is that this government will— Senator Wong: Mr President I rise on a point of order: relevance. There was a very simple question and if the minister did not hear it, it was: is the government scrapping its plan to cut the indexation of the age pension? The minister is not being directly relevant to that question. The PRESIDENT: The minister has been directly relevant, and at the commencement of his answer he addressed the direct question asked by Senator Ketter. Minister, you have the call. Senator FIFIELD: As I said in answer to the first question, the government remains committed to all of its social services budget measures. I thought I had made that clear. Let me make equally clear that the pension has increased and will continue to increase and will continue to be indexed. The lie put forward by those opposite that this government is seeking to cut the pension is wrong. (Time expired)