Another landmark policy loss is looming for the Abbott government, as Senate crossbenchers firm in their resolve to sink a $22 billion cut to pensions.
Just days after the Coalition's defeat on its higher education reforms, Palmer United Party's Zhenya "Dio" Wang and independent senator Glenn Lazarus have signalled their opposition to Scott Morrison's fresh bid to change pension indexation - where a lowering of the indexation rate would be accompanied by regular reviews of pension adequacy.
Senator Wang and Senator Lazarus' opposition follows that of independent senator Jacqui Lambie and strong reservations expressed by South Australian senator Nick Xenophon.
While fellow crossbenchers John Madigan and Ricky Muir are yet to state their positions and senators Bob Day and David Leyonhjelm have been more receptive to the Social Services Minister's proposal, even if all four agreed this would not provide the six votes the Coalition needs to pass legislation.
The government announced in the 2014-15 budget that it would lower the rate of pension indexation from September 2017, linking it with inflation instead of wages growth.
This was met by staunch opposition from Labor, the Greens and the crossbench. But there have since been hopes that Mr Morrison, who took over the portfolio in December, would be able to pass the outstanding measure before the next budget is handed down in May.
The change in pension indexation has been projected to save more than $22 billion over 10 years by the Parliamentary Budget Office.
Just days after the Coalition's defeat on its higher education reforms, Palmer United Party's Zhenya "Dio" Wang and independent senator Glenn Lazarus have signalled their opposition to Scott Morrison's fresh bid to change pension indexation - where a lowering of the indexation rate would be accompanied by regular reviews of pension adequacy.
Senator Wang and Senator Lazarus' opposition follows that of independent senator Jacqui Lambie and strong reservations expressed by South Australian senator Nick Xenophon.
While fellow crossbenchers John Madigan and Ricky Muir are yet to state their positions and senators Bob Day and David Leyonhjelm have been more receptive to the Social Services Minister's proposal, even if all four agreed this would not provide the six votes the Coalition needs to pass legislation.
The government announced in the 2014-15 budget that it would lower the rate of pension indexation from September 2017, linking it with inflation instead of wages growth.
This was met by staunch opposition from Labor, the Greens and the crossbench. But there have since been hopes that Mr Morrison, who took over the portfolio in December, would be able to pass the outstanding measure before the next budget is handed down in May.
The change in pension indexation has been projected to save more than $22 billion over 10 years by the Parliamentary Budget Office.
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