ACOSS MEDIA ADVISORY Responding to the Prime Minister, Scott Morrison’s Press Club speech today ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie said: “The Prime Minister says he can’t be blamed for making mistakes during this pandemic, because he made them in real time – as we emerge from this pandemic, Australia faces a range of persistent and ‘real time’ issues such poverty and inequality, an ageing population, mental health and domestic violence, and the catastrophic threat of climate change. “We call on the Prime Minister and our political leaders to guarantee that if they win government, they will raise the resources needed to meet these big challenges and properly fund essential services and income supports rather than cutting them back. “Today the Prime Minister says he is proud of his government’s performance in aged care but it is the reality is that the situation for people in aged care today is the worst we have seen, with terrible outcomes for many, and so much of which should have been avoided. The Prime Minister boasts that people are 47 months ahead in their mortgages, well not everyone is. He ignores that properties are increasingly unaffordable and rents in regions have gone through the roof. He made no mention of the growing inequality across Australia, now much worse as we emerge from the pandemic, nor did he announce what his Government would do to create a fairer Australia where people are properly supported, and no one is left behind. “Now is not the time Government to turn away. Around the country people are still in the grip of this pandemic, and in some areas, are also suffering the effects of extreme weather events – struggling to buy food, house themselves and protect themselves from further risks. We call on our political leaders to guarantee that if they win government, they will raise the resources needed to meet the big challenges and properly fund essential services and income supports rather than cutting them back. Once again, the PM is trying to hiding behind empty messaging and his need to justify his own and his government’s response to this pandemic – but his response has been lacking and if he refuses to look to the future and learn from mistakes we will not move forward. “Now is not the time for austerity Prime Minister – people want a fairer Australia, and our political leaders need to recognise the broad support for a decent safety net, especially among women and young people. “It beggars belief that the Government (in Minister Hume’s statement today) claims it can’t afford a $5 an hour pay-rise for aged care sector workers. How can they argue a move towards decent pay in aged care is “unaffordable” when they plan to give away $16B a year in high end tax cuts? The two bonus payments offered today are a drop in the ocean– it’s time to drop the $16B in high-end tax cuts and properly fund decent services
ACOSS CEO Dr Cassandra Goldie is
