TREASURER Joe Hockey will today deliver an economic statement to parliament, declaring Australians’ living standards at risk unless the fractured Senate implements his unpopular budget measures. The Treasurer’s statement comes after the Australian Bureau of Statistics yesterday reported a second consecutive quarter of slumped economic growth and fallen incomes, casting a shadow over the outlook for the coming year. Speaking ahead of the statement, Mr Hockey insisted the opposition start “listening” and pass the $28 billion in budget cuts that have stalled in the upper house, saying it was the “only plan on the table” to deliver prosperity and opportunity. The cuts include the $7 Medicare co-payment, a 20 per cent to base university funding and the reindexation of fuel excise. “There is a risk that Australians could face a fall in living standards if we are unable to implement our economic action strategy,” Mr Hockey told ABC Radio. “We needed to lay down a credible path to get the budget back to surplus, and not for any ideological reasons — if you strengthen your household finances, you’re not only better able to cope with external factors but you have more choice about what you’re going to shape for the future. “We’re asking the Labor Party, the Greens, independents, to be sensible. I’ve offered them all briefings, I’ve offered to open the treasury and see the challenges … but unfortunately the opposition is not listening.” Mr Hockey will deliver the formal midyear economic update in the coming fortnight. Labor frontbencher Doug Cameron said Mr Hockey’s remarks were “pathetic”, claiming the budget cuts were “unfair” and “based on ideology”. “They’ve introduced a budget which says that the big end of town can get away scot free and yet the poorest people in this country are going to get hammered,” Senator Cameron said. “Well our values, Labor’s values, say that is unacceptable and we will not accept these positions.” Independent senator Nick Xenophon, asked about Mr Hockey’s criticism of the Senate, said the Treasurer should “look in the mirror”. “If the government is serious about tackling the budget deficit they can scrap today, as a gesture of good will to the Senate, the ridiculous, exorbitant, age-of-entitlement-like paid parental leave scheme which is costing billions of dollars on the budget bottom line,” Senator Xenophon said. Mr Hockey rejected criticism that Labor had merely adopted the obstructionist tactics pioneered by the Coalition during the Rudd and Gillard governments. “In opposition we did make hard decisions. There were a number of things that we did support that the government did that we didn’t particularly like, but we knew it was in the national interest. “I’ve faced criticism for all of my political career. I expect I’ll face criticism until the day I die. I don’t care about what people say about me. I care about what needs to be done for the Australian people.” theaustralian.au/national-affairs/labor-isnt-listening-over-budget-challenges-says-joe-hockey/story-fn59niix-1227144355284
Posted on: Thu, 04 Dec 2014 00:42:15 +0000