[Greens-Media] Government should cut the budget spin

[Redman, Chris (Sen R. Siewert)]

9th October 2014

Media Release

Government should cut the budget spin 

The Australian Greens said today that the Government should stop trying to spin it's flawed budget measures and abandon them. 

"Today we've seen Joe Hockey try to use military action in Iraq as justification for continuing with cruel budget cost cutting measures, including the denial of income support to job seekers, the reassessment of disability payments and cuts to pension indexation, while Senator Eric Abetz tries to claim the Government's new regime for jobseekers will help address youth unemployment. These examples show just how disconnected from reality the Government has become," Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on family and community services said today.

"Youth unemployment is a significant issue facing young Australians, but contrary to what Senator Abetz is suggesting, denying them access to income support for six months or more is not going to make things any easier. Keeping people stuck in poverty and unable to afford the basics like food or accommodation is no way to support them into work.

"The Government knows that this move will create hundreds of thousands of applications for emergency relief and there is substantial evidence from the community and business sector about the flaws in this plan. The Government needs to admit its approach is flawed and unpopular and step back from it, as they have done with moves to force job seekers to apply for a totally unrealistic 40 jobs per month.

"Senator Abetz and the Government do not understand the realities facing young jobseekers and they're willing to go to any lengths to try and spin their budget as anything other than intentionally cruel," Senator Siewert concluded.