Australia's Federal Opposition leader, Brendan Nelson, will try to turn his political fortunes around this week by adding more pressure to the Government over a potential pension increase.

Dr Nelson's private members bill calling on the government to lift the single rate of the pension will fail because he doesn't have the numbers.

But he hopes it willl add to pressure on the Government which is waiting until after a review next year to act on the pension.

But Dr Nelson's tactic has already been criticised by other pensioners because he is for only calling for an increase for those on the single aged payment.

His leadership is under real pressure, although the former treasurer, Peter Costello says he does not want it and supporters of the current shadow treasurer, Malcolm Turnbull, say they won't move against Dr Nelson yet.

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