Peter Dutton’s pensioner policy: Opposition Leader confirms mining magnate Gina Rinehart planted seed

The Opposition Leader has confirmed WA’s richest person was among those who planted the seed about enticing pensioners to plug the country’s workforce holes. Speaking on his second trip to Perth in less than a fortnight, Peter Dutton confirmed conversations had taken place with mining magnate Gina Rinehart before unveiling his pensioner proposal. The policy would allow elderly people to work more without having their pensions cut. They can currently pocket $300 a fortnight without losing a cent, but Mr Dutton wants that stretched to $600 to help fill employment vacancies. “I had a number of discussions with Gina Rinehart, including in relation to ... this policy,” Mr Dutton said. Mr Dutton said he had spoken to many small businesses around the country that echoed the same workforce woes. “I think Gina Rinehart and many others have been pushing this for a long time ... we looked at this policy in the Morrison government and its been under consideration for a period of time,” he said. “I know Gina Rinehart has an interest in many areas of public policy and I encourage that, I think business people that have been successful, we should listen to what they’ve got to say. “But in the end, the decision that I made was based on many conversations over a long period of time and just the obvious need for workers in the community. This is not a revolutionary idea , many people have been advocating for this for a long period of time, the labour market is incredibly tight.” Mr Dutton said his policy would cost about $112 million a year and believed the economic benefit would be “too significant to dismiss”. The federal Liberal Party leader said it was unviable to have businesses operating at 30 per cent capacity when there were pensioners who said they would work if they didn’t lose their pension. “We remove that roadblock and provide a reduction in the disincentive for people to take up that work,” he said. Speaking on the war in Ukraine, Mr Dutton also said he would support Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visiting Ukraine while he was overseas. “I think the message that we stand with Ukraine in incredibly important,” he said.