After a predictable attack on the Gillard Government (which according to him has completely failed to appreciate the iron law of economics that no country has ever taxed its way to prosperity) he swung into a pitch redolent with the perfume of American Tea Party politics in that television viewers were treated to the prospect of smaller government, lower taxes and greater freedom and, of course, stopping the boats.
A golden future was apparently only as far away as a light at the end of the tunnel, because in the Coalition we're patriots.
Decoding this patriotic light was rather revealing.
To get to this future Abbott was promising not to promise Medicare-funded universal dental care or a national disability insurance.
He also assured voters that any tax cuts pledge made today was at least four years down the road before it came into effect. Around 2017 if these cuts happened at all – because implementation apparently requires the projected 2012-13 budget deficit to all but disappear and, the precise timing and the precise quantum is something that we will announce in good time.
He told his audience that he would also impose an est. $2.7 billion per annum new tax on the business sector in order to change the paid parental leave scheme legislated by Federal Labor.**
Abbott revealed that under any government led by him there would be cuts to unspecified federal services, programs and funding, as well as increased privatisation of service delivery. Apparently he intends to cut somewhere in the vicinity of $12 billion a year off the budget bottom line this way, while at the same time committing to new spending around $10 billion each financial year.**
This new $10 billion supplied by taxpayers is going towards Abbott’s emissions reduction fund - which will be paid to business for what they are already doing without any additional government subsidy.
He made it clear that as prime minister he would support persons and families having aspiration (especially those privately educating their children), at the same time make life difficult for those with mental illness or physical incapacity if they happen to be parked on the disability pension.Tough love for the young who take the dole is also favoured.
Abbott ended this strange but predictable ramble with: People should be in public life for the right reasons. Mine are to serve our country, to stand up for the things I believe in, to do the right thing by my fellow Australians as best I can, to build a nation that will inspire us more and to lead a government that will disappoint us less.
His own speech and, the question and answer period which followed, indicates that he is already failing these lofty personal aims.
** Tony Abbott did not dispute these figures offered to him in the question and answer period.
Photograph from The Sydney Morning Herald.
** Tony Abbott did not dispute these figures offered to him in the question and answer period.
Photograph from The Sydney Morning Herald.
1 comment:
Thanks, CG, for a sound critique. So, essentially Tony Abbott promises nothing except that paid parental leave scheme and levy, pus repeal of recent legislation which brings reform in three major areas so important for the country's future, mining, climate change and the NBN. Any mention of the MDB there? And no mention at all of how he will get any of his promised legislation through the Senate.
PS I love the clarity of your posts which seem to so easily incorporate the all important links.
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