Mr HOCKEY (North Sydney—The Treasurer) (14:24): I thank the honourable member for the question. He knows and I know that it is hugely important that we provide a well-resourced, sustainable safety net for those most vulnerable in the community. It is hugely important. Of course, welfare represents 35 per cent of the total Commonwealth budget, so we spend more on welfare than we do on health care for our citizens. We spend more on welfare than we spend on the education of our children. We spend more on welfare than we spend on the defence of the nation. Of course, whilst it is important to have a well-resourced, sustainable safety net, what matters most is that we can afford it. That is what matters most. The fact is we do have changing demographics, and I, on this very rare occasion, will quote the former—no, the current—member for Lilley. I am sorry I made that mistake. He said in a press release with the honourable member here: 'Increasing the pension age is a responsible reform to meet the challenge of an ageing population and the economic impact it will have for all Australians. Australia must move towards a higher pension age over the next decade.' It is quite interesting because the trajectory of our increase in the pension age eligibility to 70 follows the Labor Party's. But, obviously, given that it is going to 70 in the year 2035, I would say to you it is responsible to give people good notice that these are the issues that need to be addressed. It is easy just to put it aside. It is easy to be a critic. All of the criticism from Labor thus far has been political. None of it is about the policy. Ms Butler interjecting— The SPEAKER: The member for Griffith will desist! Mr HOCKEY: They are all politics, no economics. They are all politics, no policy. Come on and debate these things. Let's debate the issue in relation to the ageing demographic. Let's debate the issues about how we are going to continue to sustain our health system. Ms Butler interjecting— The SPEAKER: The member for Griffith will desist! Mr HOCKEY: Let's debate the issues that actually go to the heart of our economic prosperity. I would say to the honourable members: what we have laid down is a plan to ensure that what we receive in the future is sustainable— Ms Butler interjecting— The SPEAKER: The member for Griffith is warned. Mr HOCKEY: because, on the current trajectories, if we just adopt a business-as-usual line, the pain associated with rectification in the future is going to be far greater. It is going to be enormous. We do not want to get to that point. The coalition will not let it get to that point.