Reading the above gives the strong impression that this Budget will be more of a display of class warfare rather than a genuine attempt to place the Budget on a more sustainable footing. Indeed, it is interesting to also read from Martin that Tony Abbott’s paid parental leave (PPL) scheme, if implemented as planned, will also become one of the fastest growing areas of federal government expenditure. So in effect, the Government is seeking to cut back support to the unemployed and the disabled, while on the other hand it intends to lavish up to $50,000 for high income earners to have a child at a whopping cost of $5 billion a year. Surely, if there is a Budget emergency, then cutting back this inequitable monstrosity of a scheme is a good start, along with other lurks like superannuation concessions to high income earners and negative gearing.
