In the dead of the night
Chris Bowen posted Saturday, 31 July 2010
Late on Friday, when most Australians had gone home for the weekend, Tony Abbott submitted his first list of items to the Departments of Treasury and Finance for official costing.
Of the 17 policies the Coalition submitted in the dead of the night, 16 were cuts to services.
This means 94 per cent of Mr Abbott’s policies are direct cuts to the health, education, and National Broadband Network services Australians need and deserve.
Nowhere is the question Australians face on 21 August better framed than the divide between Mr Abbott’s cuts and Federal Labor’s investment.
Australians know the services they rely on need more investment, not savage cuts.
Think of the doctors and nurses who do a wonderful job in our public hospitals. How would Mr Abbott’s cuts to GP Super Clinics help them provide world class health care?
Think of the young Australians eager to learn the skills they’ll need to be successful in a trade. Mr Abbott will leave them high and dry by cutting Trades Training Centres.
Think of the jobs which will be created by our transition to the digital economy, the sort of jobs to drive economic growth in the 21st century. Mr Abbott’s plan to cut the National Broadband Network will see these jobs go to Singapore, Korea or Japan.
This isn’t just a plan to cut essential services Australians need, but shows a reckless disregard for Australia’s future.
That’s why the choice Australians face on 21 August really is about moving forward with Julia Gillard and Federal Labor, or taking a great leap backwards with Tony Abbott.
Tags: Abbott,
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