The Abbott Government has just passed a milestone it would rather forget, 100 days since Treasurer Joe Hockey handed down one of the most unfair and unpopular Budgets on record.
“After 100 days of blunders, Joe Hockey and Prime Minister Tony Abbott still don’t get it,” Chifley MP Ed Husic said.
“They have misjudged the public mood and still don’t understand the level of anger directed at this Budget,” Mr Husic added.
“Australian families didn’t like this Budget 100 days ago and they don’t like it now.
“Chifley families are being slugged from all directions, whether it be through the Government’s GP Tax, student loans, increased fuel charges, cuts to schools and hospitals or hits to childcare and pensions.
“Watering the GP Tax down to a lower fee or allowing concessions for some groups as is now being hinted still won’t wash — It is a bad idea and should be scrapped.
Since the Budget, Joe Hockey has:
? compared his unfair GP Tax to beers and smokes;
? got basic details of the GP tax wrong on Q&A;
? confessed he wanted to cut harder in the Budget;
? constantly blamed everyone but himself for his rotten Budget;
? claimed pensioners would be better off because of his Budget cuts;
? told the millions of people opposed to his Budget to take a “chill pill”; and
? claimed poor people don’t drive cars.
All this while Australia is being run without an Assistant Treasurer since Arthur Sinodinos stood aside.
“Joe Hockey needs all the help he can get. He is clearly out of depth but trying to take the rest of us with him,” Mr Husic concluded. (Roger White)