[Greens-Media] Spam: Greens Leader on debt ceiling

[Stahel, Peter (Sen C. Milne)]

Greens Leader on debt ceiling 

 "It is absolutely ridiculous that Joe Hockey is now attempting to blame Labor and the Greens for the huge budget cuts Tony Abbott has been promising for months," Greens Leader Christine Milne said.

"Joe Hockey's budget will belong to him. He and his government will be responsible for the 12,000+ cuts to jobs and the resulting decrease in services for the Australian people. 

"The Greens will not support an increase in the nation's credit card to $500 billion without more information on the state of the nation's finances and a clear rationale from the Coalition as to why the increase is needed.

"If a strong case can be made for the $500 billion limit, we are open to it, but at the moment Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey are hiding the figures.

"The Prime Minister paid political games with the debt ceiling when in opposition, now he is expecting us to just swallow whatever he dishes up without knowing what's what.

"We will join Labor to support a more reasonable increase to $400 billion if the government refuses to come clean on the details to justify their massive increase in the debt limit.

"In the same week they announced their increase to the debt ceiling, Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey abandoned one of our best opportunities to raise revenue to fund hospitals, schools and vital services, the MRRT."