Greens bemoan what's not in 'lacklustre' budget
Greens Leader Bob Brown has lashed out at the Government for delivering a budget he says featherbeds the profits of large mining companies at the expense of the least fortunate in society.
"This is a budget lacking vision," Senator Brown said.
"It has some clever components to it, but it's a great missed opportunity. I'd give it a six out of 10."
Senator Brown criticised Treasurer Wayne Swan for cuts in the Department of Heritage and also for not mentioning the environment nor Indigenous Australians in his budget speech.
But he saved his harshest criticism for the Government's deal with companies over the minerals resource rent tax.
"The Greens would have made this budget sing," he said.
"We would have ensured that the mining boom was brought into the nation's services and wasn't just lining the pockets of the big mining corporations, who export tens of billions of that money each year out of this country.
"We believe this resources boom ... money from it should be put in a sovereign wealth fund for the future.
"The Treasurer is right, we are wealthy and have the budget potential like almost no other country on the planet.
"We are the wealthiest country in terms of resources per capita, but you wouldn't know that in this budget."
The Government has flagged new spending of more than $19 billion and savings of $22 billion.
The deficit this year is $49.4 billion - up nearly $10 billion on the previous estimate - and will fall to $22.6 billion next year, up from the estimated $12 billion.
Among its measures to address employment participation and get the unemployed back into work, the long-term unemployed will be required to undertake two days a week work experience for 11 months of the year, not six months as at present.
Other welfare measures include a trial in which teenage parents who refuse to attend school or training would see their parenting payment suspended.
The Government will also make it harder to get onto the disability support pension.
"We are in the middle of a resources boom, this nation is extraordinarily wealthy, but instead of the Treasury-recommended super profits tax, we're seeing a $22 billion squeeze in this budget - billions of which are unnecessarily targeted at people who deserve a better go," Senator Brown said.
'Petty' cuts
He says he will work with the Government to reverse some of the "petty" cuts in the budget.
"For goodness sake, why is the National Gallery and the National Library [funds] being cut?" he said.
The Government must rely on the Greens to see its budget measures pass, and Senator Brown says he is ready to use his position to see some changes are made.
He says he was disappointed, but not surprised, that the Government did not address changes to so-called middle-class welfare such as negative gearing and capital gains.
"We guarantee supply, but we guarantee that we can improve this budget," he said.
"There's so much in this budget that could have been done.
"We'll look at the detail of the reforms - some of them are harsh and punitive on young mothers and some disabled people - to see whether that's essential at a time when there is take-home pay in the tens of billions of dollars for people exploiting Australia's resources."
Senator Brown did congratulate the Government for its mental health package, saying it was "long overdue".
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/05/10/3213221.htm?section=justin
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