The Claim
“Broke an election promise by changing age pension indexation, and eligibility age, and the threshold.”
Original Sources Provided
✅ FACTUAL VERIFICATION
The core facts of this claim are VERIFIED - The Coalition government did break a specific election promise regarding pensions. Before the 2013 election, Tony Abbott promised "no changes to pensions" [1]. However, the 2014 budget delivered by Treasurer Joe Hockey included significant pension changes [2]:
Indexation changes: The budget proposed changing pension indexation from the "higher of" method (CPI, PBLCI, or MTAWE) to a less generous calculation [3]. Under the existing arrangement established by Labor in 2009, pensions were indexed to the highest of CPI, Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index (PBLCI), or Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE) [4]. The Coalition proposed linking indexation to CPI only, which would have resulted in lower pension increases over time [5].
Eligibility age: The 2014 budget proposed increasing the pension age from 67 to 70, phased in from 2025 to 2035 [6]. This would have affected people born from 1966 onwards.
Assets test: The 2017 budget tightened the assets test thresholds, resulting in approximately 166,000 part-pensioners losing some or all of their pension entitlements [7]. The taper rate was changed so that pensioners lost $3 per fortnight for every $1,000 of assets above the threshold, up from $1.50 per $1,000 [8].
Missing Context
The claim omits several critical pieces of context:
1. Labor had already legislated pension age increases: The claim presents the pension age change as a Coalition initiative, but the increase from 65 to 67 was actually legislated by the Rudd Labor government in 2009-2010 [9]. This Labor reform was being implemented gradually from 2017 to 2023 [10]. The Coalition's proposal was to extend this further to 70, but the base increase to 67 was Labor policy.
2. The 70-year pension age was never implemented: While proposed in 2014, the plan to raise the pension age to 70 was abandoned by the Coalition in September 2018 under Prime Minister Scott Morrison [11]. The pension age remains at 67, which was Labor's legislated target.
3. Indexation changes were modified, not fully implemented: The proposed indexation changes were significantly modified and did not proceed exactly as announced in 2014 [12]. The "higher of" indexation method (CPI, PBLCI, MTAWE) remained in place.
4. The policy rationale: The government argued these changes were necessary for "budget sustainability" and to make pensions "affordable for decades to come" [13]. The Intergenerational Report had highlighted long-term pressures on pension costs due to population aging.
5. Labor's own pension reforms: The Rudd government made substantial pension changes in 2009, including the indexation method that the Coalition later sought to modify [14]. These 2009 changes significantly increased pension rates (single pension increased by about $30/week) [15].
Source Credibility Assessment
The original sources include:
News.com.au: A Murdoch-owned news outlet with a documented right-center bias according to Media Bias/Fact Check [16]. Generally factual in reporting but uses loaded language. Part of News Corp Australia network which has been criticized for political bias [17].
The Conversation: An academic-sourced news outlet with high credibility. It was the first Australian fact-checking team accredited by the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) [18]. Generally considered center-left in bias but high in factual accuracy.
YouTube video: Source unidentified and unverified - cannot assess credibility.
Both News.com.au and The Conversation are mainstream media sources, though News.com.au has a conservative leaning. The Conversation is generally more highly regarded for factual accuracy.
Labor Comparison
Did Labor do something similar?
YES - Labor governments made significant pension changes, including:
Pension age increase to 67: The Rudd government legislated the increase from 65 to 67 in 2009-2010, with gradual implementation from 2017-2023 [19]. This was a condition of the pension rate increases in the Secure and Sustainable Pension reform package.
Indexation reform: In 2009, Labor introduced the current "higher of" indexation method (CPI, PBLCI, MTAWE) and set the single pension at approximately 27.7% of MTAWE [20]. This replaced the previous CPI-only indexation.
Assets test changes: Various Labor governments made adjustments to pension means testing over decades.
Key difference: Labor's changes included pension increases alongside reforms, whereas the Coalition's 2014 proposals were primarily cost-saving measures. However, both parties have made significant structural changes to the pension system.
Comparative scale: The Coalition's proposed pension age of 70 would have gone beyond Labor's 67, but the 67 threshold was itself a Labor reform. The Coalition abandoned the 70-year proposal in 2018.
Balanced Perspective
While the claim that the Coalition broke an election promise on pensions is factually accurate, the full picture requires understanding:
Legitimate criticisms:
- Tony Abbott explicitly promised "no changes to pensions" before the 2013 election [21]
- The 2014 budget contained multiple pension changes contrary to this commitment
- The assets test changes in 2017 did reduce payments for approximately 166,000 part-pensioners [22]
Government justifications:
- The government argued changes were needed for long-term fiscal sustainability [23]
- The pension age increase to 70 (proposed) would have brought Australia in line with some international trends (UK, Germany, US also raising ages) [24]
- The Intergenerational Report showed unsustainable long-term trajectories for pension costs
Comparative context:
- Labor's increase to 67 was already legislated and being implemented
- The Coalition's 70-year proposal was abandoned before implementation
- Both parties have made major pension reforms when in government
- Pension policy is inherently contentious regardless of which party proposes changes
Key context: This is not unique to the Coalition - pension changes are a recurring feature of Australian government budgets across both major parties. The broken promise aspect is specific to the Coalition's 2013 election commitment, but structural pension reforms have been implemented by both Labor and Coalition governments.
TRUE
7.0
out of 10
The Coalition did break an election promise by proposing changes to pension indexation, eligibility age, and assets test thresholds after explicitly promising "no changes to pensions" before the 2013 election.
However, the claim's framing omits that: (1) the pension age increase to 67 was Labor policy, not Coalition; (2) the proposed increase to 70 was never implemented; and (3) both parties have made significant pension reforms when in government. The broken promise is factual, but the presentation lacks context about the broader history of pension policy changes across governments.
Final Score
7.0
OUT OF 10
TRUE
The Coalition did break an election promise by proposing changes to pension indexation, eligibility age, and assets test thresholds after explicitly promising "no changes to pensions" before the 2013 election.
However, the claim's framing omits that: (1) the pension age increase to 67 was Labor policy, not Coalition; (2) the proposed increase to 70 was never implemented; and (3) both parties have made significant pension reforms when in government. The broken promise is factual, but the presentation lacks context about the broader history of pension policy changes across governments.
📚 SOURCES & CITATIONS (24)
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1
Then and now: the Abbott government's broken promises - Sydney Morning Herald
On the eve of the 2013 federal election Tony Abbott promised no cuts to education, health, or the ABC and SBS, and no changes to pensions. Fairfax Media looks at how those promises fared in the Abbott government's first budget.
The Sydney Morning Herald -
2
Budget 2014: Entitlements for older Australians cut in Hockey budget - ABC News
The Government will eliminate or cut a range of entitlements for older Australians, in what Treasurer Joe Hockey says is an attempt to make pensions "affordable and sustainable for decades to come".
Abc Net -
3PDF
ACOSS Budget Bills Submission - Pension Indexation
Acoss Org • PDF Document -
4
Explainer: the policy challenge of indexing welfare payments - The Conversation
Australia’s rising number of pensioners leaves the government conflicted on pensions and how they are indexed.
The Conversation -
5
Federal Budget 2014: Joe Hockey hurts his way into history - SMH
An unprecedented $80 billion cut to health and education spending over the next decade leads a list of tough savings measures affecting age pensioners, seniors concession card holders, family payments and people on the disability support pension in the Abbott government's first budget.
The Sydney Morning Herald -
6
Morrison does about-face on age pension eligibility rising to 70 - The Conversation
The controversial plan to raise the age of the pension to 70 has been scrapped, with eligibility rising to 67 in 2023, where it will stay.
The Conversation -
7
How pension asset test changes will ripple through the economy - ABC News
Changes to the pension on January 1 will affect the way people plan and behave.
Abc Net -
8
Retirement income and savings trap caused by Coalition's 2017 superannuation and age pension changes - Save Our Super
by Jack Hammond and Terrence O’Brien Note: SuperGuide has invited advocacy group, Save Our Super, to highlight the immediate and long-term implications of the federal government’s latest changes to super and the Age Pension. The authors of this article, Jack Hammond QC, founder of Save Our Super, and Terrence (Terry) O’Brien, a retired Treasury official, … Continue reading
Save Our Super -
9
Increasing age pension to 67 was Labor policy - Former Ministers (DSS)
Formerministers Dss Gov -
10
Who can get Age Pension - Services Australia
Servicesaustralia Gov
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11
Scott Morrison scraps plans to raise pension age to 70 - ABC News
The Federal Government dumps a plan to make people wait until they turn 70 to be eligible for the aged pension.
Abc Net -
12
2014 Australian federal budget - Wikipedia
Wikipedia -
13
2014 Budget: what did the Abbott Government achieve? - News.com.au
News Com
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14PDF
Pension Review Report and 2009 Reforms - Treasury
Treasury Gov • PDF Document -
15PDF
Indexation & the budget long-term impacts - Parliamentary Budget Office
Pbo Gov • PDF Document -
16
News.com.au - Bias and Credibility - Media Bias/Fact Check
RIGHT-CENTER BIAS These media sources are slightly to moderately conservative in bias. They often publish factual information that utilizes loaded words
Media Bias/Fact Check -
17
Murdoch propaganda machine catastrophic for democracy - Independent Australia
News Corp publications and television shows offer little in the way of actual news and rely heavily on biased commentary.
Independent Australia -
18
The Conversation - Bias and Credibility - Media Bias/Fact Check
LEAST BIASED These sources have minimal bias and use very few loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or
Media Bias/Fact Check -
19
Retiring at 70 was an idea well ahead of its time - UNSW
Unsw Edu
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20
Article 3 - Towards higher retirement incomes for Australians - Treasury

Towards higher retirement incomes for Australians: a history of the Australian retirement income system since Federation | Treasury.gov.au -
21
Promise check: No unexpected adverse changes to superannuation - ABC News
As opposition leader, Tony Abbott promised on at least 12 separate occasions in 2013 not to make any unexpected adverse, negative or detrimental changes to superannuation.
Abc Net -
22
Pension changes - ACOSS
From 1 January 2017, the asset test for the pensions has been tightened, meaning that some part-pensioners with assets of more than $291,000 (single homeowner) or $453,500 (couple homeowner) will […]
ACOSS -
23
Coalition scraps proposal to lift retirement age - Sky News Australia
SkyNews.com.au — Australian News Headlines & World News Online from the best award winning journalists
Sky News -
24
Scott Morrison ditches Coalition plan to lift retirement age to 70 - The New Daily
Prime Minister Scott Morrison says his newly-minted government has abandoned a coalition commitment to raise Australia's retirement age to 70.
Thenewdaily Com
Rating Scale Methodology
1-3: FALSE
Factually incorrect or malicious fabrication.
4-6: PARTIAL
Some truth but context is missing or skewed.
7-9: MOSTLY TRUE
Minor technicalities or phrasing issues.
10: ACCURATE
Perfectly verified and contextually fair.
Methodology: Ratings are determined through cross-referencing official government records, independent fact-checking organizations, and primary source documents.