Source: The West Australian

Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson has interrupted question time in an attempt to censure Prime Minister Kevin Rudd over plans to scrap one-off bonus payments to seniors and carers in the May budget.

Dr Nelson has moved a motion censuring Mr Rudd and the government for its plans to axe the payments, received by 400,000 carers and more than two million elderly and frail Australians.

“In particular, I move to censure the prime minister and his government for failing to guarantee that the carers and seniors bonuses paid in the last budget when the surplus was $12 billion will be paid in the forthcoming budget, when the surplus is expected to be much larger,” Dr Nelson told parliament.

The motion follows seven coalition questions to Mr Rudd on the bonuses.