Prior to the election Tony Abbott told struggling rural and regional communities that any problems they faced were Labor’s fault and he would make things better.
By doing so, he misled those communities and raised false hopes.
Of all Tony Abbott’s post-election acts, his pre-election spin on the Budget situation may be his greatest broken promise.
Joe Hockey’s mini-Budget makes it clear that the Australian economy has suffered since the Abbott Government’s damaging and unfair May Budget – unemployment is up, jobs growth has deteriorated and confidence has imploded.
But for rural and regional Australia it is worse. Because he has also:
• Failed to support farmers suffering from the drought;
• Failed to deliver his promised agriculture white paper;
• Failed to deliver his promised register for foreign investment in agricultural land;
• Failed on his promise to increase agriculture research and development funding;
• Increased fuel prices for rural and regional motorists;
• Cut biosecurity funding;
• Pursued higher education changes which will hurt regional university students most; and
• Pursued a GP Tax which will make it harder to secure and retain GPs in the rural and regional Australia.
Tony Abbott was elected on broken promises. He must realise that his unfair Budget is part of problem and not the solution for rural and regional Australians.
Yesterday’s mini-Budget makes clear that the Abbott Government has no agenda other than to cut off assistance to the most vulnerable in the community.
Labor believes in a strong economy that delivers for all Australians and doesn’t leave people in rural and regional areas behind.
TUESDAY, 16 DECEMBER 2014
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