Billions spent with zero scrutiny new norm as Labor capitulates to scotty from marketing

The Australian Greens MPs

The Greens have called on Labor to change their position (from lying down to standing up to the government) on tax cuts as independent analysis shows 96% of the benefit flowing to the top 30% of income earners.

The second round of tax cuts will also hand men $2.28 for every dollar received by women, meaning men will get 69% of the benefit come 2021-22.

“Josh Frydenberg is playing a game of political chicken with Labor, and has won before he even started his engine,” Greens Leader, Adam Bandt said.

“Labor caving to these trickle-down tax cuts without even going through the Budget Estimates process is a remarkable and dangerous precedent with no justification.

“The Greens will amend the package in the Senate to stop millionaires receiving tax cuts, so Labor should wait until the Parliament has scrutinised this multi-billion dollar package and tried to make it fairer.

“The government and Labor are simultaneously claiming that tens of billions of dollars should be put to zero scrutiny because people with jobs urgently need a one-year payment of $20 a week, while the Budget has just cut $150 a week from those who have lost their job in this recession.”

“If the government really wanted immediate stimulus, they wouldn’t have cut JobKeeper and JobSeeker. Claims that this trickle-down legislation needs to be rushed through without scrutiny are nothing more than political games,” Bandt said.

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