Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I can say one thing about the budget that was handed down last night, and that is that this government is delivering on the shocking cuts that were in the 2014 budget. Delivered last night were cuts of $240 million in emergency food relief for organisations that help our most vulnerable and $12 million for volunteer support programs. Another cut delivered last night was $45 million from the ABC. There were cuts to community legal aid centres and billions of dollars in cuts to health and education. This government is delivering on it cuts in the shocking 2014 budget. But that is okay. It comes back to priorities. What the government said last night is that they prioritise tax cuts for millionaires. Last night they delivered a tax cut for millionaires of $16,000. Meanwhile, those on the smallest incomes will get nothing. The member for Petrie said in the Federation Chamber today: 'That's is okay. We give it to the people on $80,000. For those on $50,000, $60,000 and $70,000—don't worry. When you earn $80,000 you'll get the tax cut.' How are they going to earn an extra $30,000 to get the tax cut? When is the bill coming forward to suggest that we will increase wages by an extra $30,000 for those on $50,000? We have negative wage growth in this country. Wages are not going up by $30,000, as some would like to suggest; they are going backwards. This government is delivering for one end of town and hurting the rest of us. (Time expired)

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