Last night and again this morning, Prime Minister Tony Abbott laid bare the broken promises and twisted budget priorities that will come to characterise his first budget.

 

“Tony Abbott has now confirmed that this will be a budget of twisted priorities and broken promises,” said Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.

 

“A broken promise is a broken promise. A tax increase is a tax increase. No amount of weasel words can disguise that Mr Abbott."

 

In a speech delivered to the Sydney Institute, Tony Abbott outlined his plans to cut the Age Pension, cut the Disability Support Pension cut the Carers Payment and cut Family Payments.

 

Shadow Minister for Families and Payments, Jenny Macklin, said it is outrageous that vulnerable Australians will have to suffer while the Prime Minister introduces a Paid Parental Leave Scheme which will see wealthy women paid $75,000 to have a baby.

 

“This was a remarkable display of the Prime Minister’s twisted priorities,” she said.

 

“Why should vulnerable Australians, those who can least afford it, have their support cut so Tony Abbott can implement his unfair and unaffordable Paid Parental Leave Scheme?”

 

Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen said the Government had concocted a budget emergency to soften the community for savage cuts and new taxes.

 

“This is a Prime Minister who before the election said there would be no new taxes. And in his very first budget, he looks set to introduce a new tax – a tax that will undoubtedly damage confidence in the economy.”

 

“The Prime Minister has no mandate to introduce new taxes or make changes to pensions in this year’s budget – regardless of when these measures commence – both of which he promised not to do at the last election. ”

 

Shadow Minister for Payments Jenny Macklin said the Prime Minister’s promise that there would be ‘no cuts to pensions’ includes the Disability Support Pension and the Carers Payment, as well as the Age Pension.

 

“All of these pensions look set to be cut in the Prime Minister’s very first Budget. The Prime Minister should keep his word.”

 

TUESDAY, 29 APRIL 2014

 

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