Independents should ditch Gillard: Abbott


Opposition leader Tony Abbott is urging rural independent MPs to ditch their support for Prime Minister Julia Gillard, accusing her of using the floods to mask her government's spending addiction.

In a speech to the Young Liberals convention on the Gold Coast on Saturday, Mr Abbott ramped up his criticism of the federal government's flood levy to rebuild Queensland's infrastructure.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard, on Thursday, announced the government would impose a one-off, modest flood levy on taxpayers earning more than $50,000.


"A prime minister who's unconvincing when responding to a natural disaster is unlikely to solve the much more politically and administratively complex problems that she had previously set herself to fix," Mr Abbott told the audience.

"Like the global financial crisis under Kevin Rudd, the government could use the floods as a justification for its spending addiction and as a licensed distraction from actually delivering on its promises.

"At some point, the independent MPs who returned the government to office could start to reconsider their decision."

Mr Abbott said Ms Gillard will face a voter backlash.

"The Prime Minister is pitching it as a mateship tax even though mateship is about helping people, not taxing them," he said.

"Mates choose to help; they're not coerced.

"Mateship comes from people, not from government.

"People resent being ordered to pay what they'd gladly give of their own volition especially by a government so reckless with taxpayers' money.

"Invoking a disaster to justify a tax, compounds the allegedly wooden demeanour that Julia Gillard showed during the floods with a tin ear afterwards."

He conceded the federal government will have to cover the lion's share of the repair bill for damaged infrastructure but said money could be found elsewhere.

"Flood victims simply can't be without the roads and the railways which are necessary for modern life," he said.

"(The bill) will run into billions of dollars but that's no excuse for the flood tax ... there's about $2 billion uncommitted in various funds."

Mr Abbott urged Ms Gillard to drop the tax for the "spirit of national unity".

"She apparently can't grasp the rip-off involved in taxing people in order to be generous to them," he said.

"Two years ago, the government sent out $900 cheques to almost nine million people. Now, it's effectively taking the money back."

Young Liberals applauded when Mr Abbott said he would offer bipartisan support to find other savings, if Ms Gillard dropped the flood levy plan.

Meanwhile, Treasurer Wayne Swan said he felt sickened that Mr Abbott was putting his own political ambitions ahead of rebuilding the shattered lives of Queensland flood victims.

"As we work to rebuild infrastructure and homes, the only home Mr Abbott has his eye on is The Lodge, and I think frankly that's disgusting," he told reporters in the Ipswich suburb of Goodna.

"Communities have been shattered, there's been enormous loss of life.

"Mr Abbott is using this event for his own political gains.

"He's playing politics at a time when there's families here in distress."

Mr Swan continued the federal government's sales pitch of the flood levy.

"Six out of 10 Australians will pay less than a $1 a week for the flood levy," he said.

"If you are on $80,000 it's ... $2.80 less than the cost of a cup of coffee."

Mr Abbott is using this event for his own political gains.
==================

I really hope people wake up to him whether they like Gillard or not.  

Quote:




only just and I dont think they would win if we had one today...

she is shamelessly dividing the country.. I am sick of hearing its only $5 a week.. no it isnt.. the same people will pay more and more on their insurance policies..the same people will also be paying higher cost of living prices... didnt you read Keneallys wailing.. do they really believe interest rates will stay down..lol.. another fantasy.. oh and dont give any credit to all those that donated hours of free labor to help the govt out.. no dont lets mention them.. at least the soldiers and the helecopter pilots were getting paid... not that thats a problem

but its all very convenient ok lets hit the rich.. lets show the worshippers we really are a labor govt.and leave the so called poor to have smug smiles..after all they wont be taking out insurance will they? why would they they know they will be taken care of 100% and to boot they wont even have to pay the measly levy.. they are laughing.

sneaky behind the back stuff is costing jobs in the solar panel and so called climate change policies.. lol can we see a bit of head banging here do you think?..

LETTERS: Happy to help the recovery


OPEN YOUR HEARTS: Some readers are disgusted by the attitude of those who are opposed to paying a levy to help flood-affected Queenslanders.

Today's letters cover issues including the Federal Government's flood levy, Tony Abbott's opposition to the levy and the flood relief appeal.

I AM disgusted at the reaction to this small (in comparison to the tragedy) flood levy. People who were unaffected by the floods should be extremely thankful and enthusiastic about participating in the recovery. That means happily making private donations, paying the levy and helping with the clean-up.

The only ones having to pay the levy are those who can afford it and it is needed to fix an economy that helps keep our future taxes low. It also means our economy can return to normal quickly (and so can our earnings).

It's time for Australians to open up their hearts and wallets, get behind the wheel, burn some elbow grease and offer unconditional support.

David Bycroft, Scarborough



----------

WHEN I retired eight years ago as a slightly above-average wage earner, my marginal tax rate was around 50 per cent. After tax cuts from both sides of politics, the rate for a similar worker is now nearer to 30 per cent - a saving of thousands of dollars.

The Henny Pennies will now start saying that the sky will fall in because they have to pay a levy of 0.5 per cent or 1.0 per cent to rebuild vital infrastructure after the floods. Grow up.

Jim Lazzarini, Morayfield

----------

DURING and after the Queensland floods it was inspiring to see volunteers helping in the recovery efforts. On Australia Day we celebrated what it means to be Australian, including the mateship aspect.

Now we have the mean-spirited among us complaining about having to pay the flood levy. For most, it amounts to less than the cost of a cup of coffee a week. I am a self-funded retiree and will be proud to make my contribution to aid the flood recovery effort here in Queensland and in Victoria.

----------




Ailsa Boyden,   Farleigh

----------

NEGATIVE REACTION TO SPEECH

I LISTENED to the speech by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott  about the levy to help the reconstruction of  Queensland and Victoria and found his negativity overwhelming.

It's awful to think that a leader in this country could take the stance that he did by saying "it's all going to fail anyway". This is a time to be positive -  a time for  people to put their heads together and devise a way to bring our country back to life.

What use to this country is anyone who doesn't want to pay less than $1 or even $5  a week to help in the reconstruction of our country?

Independent lashes Abbott on flood levy    


RURAL independent Tony Windsor has lashed out at Tony Abbott, accusing him of playing a ''petty … game'' with the tragic circumstances of flood victims and trying to use them as a ''skateboard to government''.  

Mr Windsor expressed his anger in an interview after the Opposition Leader yesterday stepped up his personal attacks on Prime Minister Julia Gillard over the flood levy and suggested the independents ''start to reconsider their decision'' to support Labor.

''A prime minister who's unconvincing when responding to a natural disaster is unlikely to solve the much more politically and administratively complex problems,'' Mr Abbott argued.


But Mr Windsor told Mr Abbott to ''mind his own business''.

The votes of the four lower house independents and Greens MP Adam Bandt, as well as the independents and Greens in the Senate, will be crucial to Labor's attempt to introduce a $1.8 billion levy to help rebuild after the Queensland floods.

None of the independents have yet announced whether they will support it, though Queensland independent Bob Katter has said he would under strict conditions on spending.

Mr Windsor favours a permanent disaster fund.

A number of cross-benchers, including Mr Bandt and independent senator Nick Xenophon, will be briefed by the government this week.

Mr Windsor said Mr Abbott ''might be able to order his underlings in the Liberal Party around, but he's not my master. I'll make up my own mind about what happens.  

''This is an issue of tragedy that we're talking about, tragic circumstances, and to try to use that as a skateboard to government of itself vindicates the choice we made [to support Labor],'' Mr Windsor said.

''I find it quite extraordinary that he'd be running that sort of line; it's a gross misjudgment.  

''People need help. And to play a petty individual game on this vindicates our choice. We'll deal with the government with any issue that we have in terms of the details of the proposals. Tony Abbott is not one of my consultants in better government.''

Mr Bandt said the government should consider deferring for 12 months a planned tax cut for big business. This would raise money to save some of the environmental programs, particularly for solar energy, that Ms Gillard has slated for cuts. He said he would propose this to the government during his briefing.

Mr Abbott said Ms Gillard had been ''wooden'' in her response to the floods and had shown a ''tin ear since''.

But, ''in a spirit of national unity'', he said he would sit down and help the government find $1.8 billion in extra savings.

He identified $2 billion in the Building Australia Fund, $500 million for the National Broadband Network and at least $1 billion of Building the Education Revolution money, as well as funds allocated for the water buyback as potential sources for funding.

Two tax experts said yesterday the proposed flood levy was better structured than previous levies introduced by the Howard government.

TaxWatch convenor Julian Disney said it would be fairer to use the budget to pay for infrastructure repairs, but the proposed levy was modest and structured fairly.  

He rejected Mr Abbott's claim that a new tax was ''the opposite of mateship''. ''That is a remarkably inappropriate statement … a dreadful political philosophy,'' Professor Disney said.  

Grattan Institute economist Saul Eslake said the ''progressive'' scale meant the cost of the recovery would be spread fairly across income brackets.

Claims that the levy would hurt economic growth by discouraging retail spending were ''laughable'', he said.

''The $1.8 billion, it sounds like a lot of money to take out of the economy. But in an economy of $1.5 trillion, it represents a bit over 0.1 per cent of GDP.''

■ Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten has said he will legislate to stop insurance companies bamboozling policyholders with complicated flood clauses if crisis talks with heads of industry this week fail to reach agreement.

Mr Shorten is meeting insurance chiefs in Sydney this week.

neither party runs this place.
i really wish you ppl would wake up.
get it.
the lib and labs and greenies are mere puppets in a much more sinister play.
j.