The leader of the Greens has slammed Labor’s budget as a “betrayal of renters, students, jobseekers, young people and everyone doing it tough.”
Adam Bandt, delivering his budget reply speech on Wednesday night, says Tuesday’s budget gives billionaires tax cuts, while people in poverty get left behind – something Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised would not happen.
“Tonight, as the cold starts to bite, people are going to sleep, freezing, in their cars,” said Mr Bandt.
“But Labor’s budget spends a quarter of a trillion dollars on tax cuts for the wealthy … it has $16.7bn handouts for wealthy property moguls, and $368bn for nuclear submarines.”
Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced a $2.85 per day rise to the JobSeeker rate as part of his budget measures, despite calls from organisations such as the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) to raise the rate to at least $76 per day.
“It’s hardly enough to buy a loaf of bread,” said Mr Bandt in his reply.
“If you receive rent assistance, you will get an extra $1.12 per day.
“That’s not going to cover rent increases which are rising ten times that amount in capital cities.”
When the budget legislation is put before parliament, Mr Bandt said the Greens will fight to make big corporations and billionaires pay more tax, fight for renters and fight for the climate and environment.
“If Labor worked together with the Greens we could immediately stop all new coal and gas, lift people out of poverty, freeze rent increases, and wipe student debt.”