The Greens are calling on Labor and the crossbench to block key elements of a terrible trickle-down Budget that spends big but spends badly, said Greens Leader, Adam Bandt MP, and Treasury spokesperson, Nick McKim.
The Greens said the Budget fails to invest in a green recovery to tackle the climate crisis, grow new industries and create jobs. The budget gives young people the finger and actively engineers a worse world for our children.
The Greens will also move immediately to overturn the Job Keeper cuts in the Senate on Wednesday. It would cost less to keep JobKeeper going until March 2021 than to bring forward the tax cuts by one year.
As stated by Greens Leader, Adam Bandt MP
“This is a Budget for the millionaires, not the million unemployed. Budgets are about choices and this budget chooses to prolong the recession, fuel the climate crisis and leave young people behind,” said Mr Bandt.
“Instead of a green recovery, this Budget is all brown and trickle-down. It spends big, but spends badly.
“Tax cuts mean nothing if you don’t have a job. They don’t stimulate the economy, but they’re two thirds of the government’s entire stimulus plan. We’re going into debt to pay for tax cuts for the super-wealthy.
“Millionaires get $2,500, the working poor get $250 and the unemployed get a kick in the teeth.
“Low-income earners’ tax cuts disappear after a year while the wealthy keep theirs’ forever.
“Instead of a genuine Jobs Guarantee that will deliver full employment and meaningful work in clean industries, the government has chosen high unemployment, low government investment and JobSeeker cuts. It will throw young people into cheap and insecure work, while locking in at least 6% unemployment for three years.
“Scott Morrison envisions a gas-powered future where 99% of companies get tax breaks but 2 million people don’t have enough work.
“We’re in a critical decade for climate action, but this Budget gives money to Liberal donors in the coal and gas industry, fast-tracks climate collapse and turbocharges inequality.
“The Greens are calling on Labor and crossbenchers to block the ‘tax cuts for millionaires’ package.
“We will be fighting these handouts to the super-wealthy with everything we’ve got, and we hope Labor joins us in the trenches instead of voting with the Coalition again.
“The Greens will immediately use our numbers in the Senate to overturn the JobKeeper cuts. We call on Labor and the others make the right choice and join us in taking on this terrible government.
“We may only get one chance to fix this recession. If we took this Budget’s approach during the Great Depression, we’d still be in it.”
As stated by Greens Treasury and Economic Justice spokesperson, Senator Nick McKim
“Josh Frydenberg has just given young people the middle finger,” Senator McKim said.
“With its investment in climate wrecking new coal and gas, its choice of high unemployment and the shovelling of billions of dollars into corporate welfare, this budget breaks the intergenerational compact.
“Scott Morrison has delivered $99 billion a year in handouts to big corporations while leaving millions in poverty and young people facing a climate crisis and a rigged housing market.
This money should be invested in public housing, renewable energy and high speed rail while delivering free childcare and health.
“This is a Budget for billionaires and big corporations. The government has failed to make big corporations pay their fair share of tax to help fund the recovery.
“They’re propping up zombie corporations, while dropping people on JobSeeker back into poverty. Failing businesses get endless compassion, but people out of work are on their own.
“We need a Green New Deal to get to full employment, tackle the climate crisis and reduce inequality.”
