GLENN STERLE

Labor Senator for Western Australia

Duty Senator for Hasluck

This is not a Budget for Australia’s future – this is a short sighted attempt to save Tony Abbott’s job.

Last night’s Budget has more tax, more debt and higher unemployment.

This Budget is fundamentally unfair.

On Joe Hockey’s own numbers, he has doubled the deficit in one year.

The fundamental unfairness of last year’s Budget disaster remains – all but two measures from last year’s Budget remain in this Budget. 

At the core of this Budget are the same cuts the public rejected last time: $80 billion cut from hospitals and schools; $100,000 university degrees; cuts to family payments.

The Government has failed the test it set for itself – spending is up, deficits are up, unemployment is up.

The Government has failed the test Labor set – it is short sighted, unfair and it fails the future test.

Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey have broken their promise to families that they would not be hurt – this Budget is paid for by cuts to households’ budgets.

Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey have broken their promise for no new taxes – this Budget contains 17 new taxes.

Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey have broken their promise to offset new spending – spending initiatives are greater than actual savings.

This Budget is a shambolic mix of two year measures, political fixes and recycled attacks on Australians.

But instead of focussing on the issues that concern ordinary Australians the most, this Government is focused on saving itself. 

Labor has offered the Government more than $20 billion over ten years’ worth of fair and responsible savings – by ensuring multinational companies pay their fair share of tax and reducing excessive tax concessions for high income earners.

This is a short term Budget to fix a short term political problem and save one man’s job.