2022-03-30
The ACT Greens Federal Election candidates Tim Hollo and Dr Tjanara Goreng Goreng have today condemned the Morrison government’s backwards budget priorities.
Tim Hollo, Greens candidate for Canberra, said “This Budget makes the climate crisis worse, gives the least to those most in need and the most to the already wealthy, and does nothing to improve the dire state of our democracy.”
“As we’ve come to expect, the Morrison government is throwing more than $37.6 billion at coal, oil and gas corporations, including new money to frack First Nations land in the Beetaloo Basin and build new gas pipelines, while cutting spending on climate solutions by 35%.”
“Meanwhile it has no allocations for an anti-corruption commission or any other integrity measures, it makes housing more expensive, and it does nothing to raise wages, make childcare free, or properly fund our public schools.”
“The miserly $250 one-off payment for people on income support will do nothing to lift them out of poverty, while the already rich get tax cuts worth thousands of dollars a year. A low-income earner gets a one-off payment of $420, but a billionaire gets $9,075 a year tax cut - every year.”
“Canberrans are sick of pork-barrelling and searching for political leadership on climate, integrity and fairness. This budget takes us backwards on everything Canberrans care about”, Hollo also said.
Dr Tjanara Goreng Goreng, Greens Senate candidate, highlighted the continued structural problems with the budget.
“We have again seen huge handouts to billionaires and big corporations, cash thrown at Liberal electorates they’re desperately trying to hang on to, and a meagre cash offering that will do nothing to tackle the rising cost of living.”
“Meanwhile, it spends $13bn making housing more expensive, but has no new money to build affordable housing”
“The budget also does nothing to address the fact that one in three large corporations pays no tax. Instead, it proceeds with the bipartisan ‘Stage 3’ tax cuts to the rich, costing $183 billion over the next decade.”
“It would be cheaper to wipe student debt and make uni and TAFE free. How can there be consensus amongst our political class that this is not a better option?”
“The Liberals will never deliver the budget the Australian people deserve, and without pressure, Labor’s not going to support the structural changes needed by everyone who’s struggling.”
The “Enhanced paid Parental Leave’ package is still completely inadequate. It still does not include super, and does not actively incentivise shared care arrangements.”