MYEFO not a budget update, just more of the same
Acting Greens Leader Adam Bandt says the Abbott government’s cruel budget priorities have continued in the MYEFO mini budget update.
“This isn’t a budget update at all, it’s just more of the same. This isn’t Joe Hockey’s shock absorber, it’s just a shocker,” Acting Greens Leader Adam Bandt said.
“Instead of listening to the public and the Parliament, the government is still trying to balance the budget by taking the axe to the young, the old, the sick and the poor.
“Joe Hockey cannot cut his way back to surplus.
“It is time for the Treasurer to bite the bullet and talk about tax.
“Someone will have to pay more tax or lose some concessions to raise the revenue we need and the question is whether it’s the big polluters and big banks or everyday Australians.
“The question now is whether Joe Hockey has the guts to end tax breaks and subsidies to wealthy companies or whether he’ll keep pushing for the rest of us to pay more to see the doctor or go to uni.
“Total cuts to the aid budget of around $11bn are an attack on our generosity from an Abbott government desperate to let its big business backers off the hook.
“Had we kept the carbon price, there’d be an extra $18bn of revenue available.
“If the government is serious about balancing the budget, the Greens have costed proposals to raise an extra $69 billion by making polluters and the wealthy pay their fair share.”
Media Contact: Adam Pulford, 0429 109 054