The Shadow Treasurer, Malcolm Bligh Turnbull, goes from one weak media statement to another these days.
Faced with a Rudd Government determined to live up to its election promise of fiscal responsibility by raising the budget surplus above the projected 1.2 per cent of GDP, this is all Turnbull could come up with.
"But Opposition treasury spokesman Malcolm Turnbull was sceptical about the new plan, saying the previous government was already on track to deliver a big surplus in May.
"Because of the very strong economic management of the Howard Government we've got a very strong economy, very high revenues going into the Commonwealth Treasury, and as a result we've got a big surplus," he said.
"So Mr Rudd, as usual, is just trying to take credit for the hard work of others.
"It is meaningless to set a target that is already going to be met."
The business community appears to have a more optimistic view of Kevin Rudd's 5 point plan.
"However, Paul Xiradis from fund manager Ausbil Dexia says investors will welcome the plan.
He says rising inflation and interest rates have been a particular focus for the local share market."
ABC News yesterday:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/21/2142808.htm?section=australia
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/01/21/2142808.htm?section=australia
Here's how CNN International views Kevin Rudd's plan.
"Rudd set a new target of maintaining Australia's budget surplus at a minimum of 1.5 percent of GDP -- or about 18 billion Australian dollars (US$16 billion; euro11 billion) -- from the next fiscal year which starts on June 1.
Rudd had previously set a benchmark of 1 percent while the treasury's latest forecast for the next fiscal year was 1.2 percent."
CNN International yesterday:
It would appear that the Liberal's Malcolm Turnbull remains somewhat rudderless in the new Australian political climate.
Gone is the swagger and certainty he displayed before his party's electoral defeat.
No comments:
Post a Comment