http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/greens-push-for-cut-to-car-tax-breaks-but-will-back-budget-no-matter-what/story-fn59niix-1226035456256

THE Greens have promised to back Julia Gillard's first budget as prime minister - despite declaring they wouldn't like it - under their deal to support her minority government.

Greens leader Bob Brown today called for Labor to slash tax concessions for company cars and protect health and research funding in a plan to restore $1 billion to the budget bottom line.

But following a meeting with the Prime Minister today, Senator Brown promised to back the May budget, no matter what.

“We won't like the budget that is handed down on May 10th, but yes we will support it because that's the nature of the sectional mandate that we talk about,” he said.

“But if you are asking me if I'd swap the Gillard government and Treasury, in its presentation of budgets, with the view of the world that Tony Abbott has, the answer is N-O, no.”

Senator Brown said the Greens supported the need for balanced budgets over the course of the budget cycle.

“But we don't support a return to surplus this time next year for the heck of it,” he said.

Senator Brown also expressed his disappointment with Health Minister Nicola Roxon for ruling out a dental subsidy scheme - a key commitment of the deal struck between the Greens and Labor.

And he criticised both major parties for ignoring Treasury advice to establish a sovereign wealth fund with the proceeds of the resources super profits tax.

Under the Greens' proposal announced today, the current formula for calculating fringe benefits tax concessions for company cars would be replaced by a single rate of 20 per cent, regardless of the distance travelled.

Senator Brown said he discussed with the Prime Minister her recent description of the Greens as extreme, adding that he had been satisfied with her response.

And he presented her with the Greens case for cuts to fringe benefits tax concessions.

“I did have a word to her about the funding of the medical research institutions in Australia, I think that's so critical and I hope that may have some influence,” he said.

“Look at the $11 billion for the fossil fuel industry, for example, and we could avoid some of the cuts we are facing.”

Responding to suggestions that his party was anti-Israel, Senator Brown declared his party was a friend of both Israel and Palestine.

If the Greens support a budget that hurts pensioners and the unemployed, they can say goodbye to power right
now, as many who got the Greens across the line WERE pensioners and unemployed.


But then, like the major parties we always knew that the only thing the greens REALLY stand for is ....the Greens.

Just like JuLIAR, they got into power by false pretences, and now, like GilLIARd, need to be shown the door.

At gunpoint, if necessary.

Kat wrote on Apr 8^th, 2011 at 5:28am:




didnt he sign some bit of paper.. I seem to remember?????.. maybe I dreamt it..lol for a guy that LOVES BIG TAX.. if it moves tax it party..

we can expect some of this double speak...

she has had to tell  him they are already spending a mint on subsidising the car industry to keep it going..and then he wants to TAX company cars off the radar..lol..its basically one of our last industries isnt it??..

as the cash for clunkers has gone the way of most of their policies.. the car industry and all its little industries... must be on its knees.. or soon will be.

I am just imagining how many garages we will need when the price of petrol goes through the roof. and stays there curse of the CARBON TAX