The Council of Social Service "strongly" supported them. The Council on the Ageing was pleased to see them "in black and white". Now the Greens will ensure they become law.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and Jenny Macklin say Labor will oppose the government's pension plan on Tuesday. Credit:Andrew Meares

At the moment, part pensions are paid to couples with assets of up to $1.151 million. That's right – more than $1 million, plus a family home.

After losing a fight to wind back the indexation of pensions in its first budget, the Coalition came back with a plan that took away the pension from people who didn't badly need it (while keeping their access to the health benefits card) and lifted the rate of pension for the poorest of those that stayed on it.

After the change, a home owner couple could have up to $823,000 and still get the pension and a non-home owner couple could have $1 million. Pensioners with modest assets would get an average of an extra $30 per fortnight.