2017-02-14
The Australian Greens today said they will oppose the Government’s Omnibus Bill in its entirety.
“The Australian Greens will be opposing this bill in its entirety. The measures in the Bill will hurt struggling Australians to support.
“The threat that the social safety net cuts are necessary to pay for childcare reforms and the NDIS shows their spiteful and ham-fisted approach to our most vulnerable.
“Prime Minister Turnbull, please stop trying to tell Australians that we need to hack at the social safety net to pay for childcare and the NDIS. That is rubbish and you know it.
"People with disabilities have rejected the Government's cynical attempts to justify the cuts to pay for the NDIS as do we. The Government over-reached in trying to sell their cuts, cutting supports for one group of vulnerable Australians for another vulnerable group is low politics.
“They need to go back to the drawing board and stop being so allergic to revenue raising. Ditch negative gearing, close tax loopholes, stop handouts to the ultra-wealthy, it’s not rocket science.
“I welcome Nick Xenophon’s opposition to the bill in its current form but he needs to spell out what parts of the social safety net he will allow to be cut as part of his negotiations with the Government.
“It is great that Nick has listened to calls from the Greens and the community and will be opposing cuts to Family Tax Benefit and the five week wait for young people accessing the social safety net, but he needs to make it crystal clear what remains on the chopping block.
“He mentioned this morning that education supplements for pensioners could be cut to save $100 million over four years. He also supported the one week waiting period rolling out across all working-age income support payments. We need the full picture”.
Media Release Family, Ageing, Community and Disability Services