If this doesn't happen before the election its all Gillard's fault. The independents and The Greens has voiced support for the levy so it can pass even without the liberals support in voting for it. She should put it up for a vote in parliament instead of playing wedge politics through the media.
rubbish!
Getting Abbott to commit before the election is the only way of maximising the chance that he will keep it after the election.
It is not about politics it is about a policy that we need to do.
Abbott and the liberals support the policy. This is about how they will fund it. They either fund part of it through Gillard's policy of raising the medicare levy or they find the full funding through general revenue which will mean more cuts in other spending area's.
Responsible financial management is not in Labor's DNA, never has been, never will be. The closest they have ever and will ever come to being responsible with OUR money is when Keating was Treasurer and he was as far removed from a typical Labor man as anyone I've seen. His economic reforms were valid, timely, managed and opened our country up to trade with the world, and he didn't go down the path of 'spend til you drop' that seem to be a blind affliction of Labor governments since time immemorial. it's just a shame that his ego had to get in the road and make him drive for the top job because he was a crap Prime Minister who led a subsequently crap government.
Abbott has no option than to ask for evidence of how the scheme is going to be funded. It's an election year, he is a very good chance of leading the next government and the economy is in a complete mess. It would be derelict of him NOT to ask for that evidence because it's most likely that he is going to inherit the commitment to fund it in the future and all the signs are there that he won't have a brass razoo to do that with. Raising the Medicare levy doesn't even pay for half the commitment so it's just another example of Gillard making ad hoc and knee jerk policy decisions based on nothing more than sentiment and public perception, and without thinking for one minute about how she is going to pay for it or the consequences to the economy as a whole.
A few of you are blaming Abbott and saying he has the agenda - Swan on 7.30 last night refused to commit to introducing the legislation despite having the support of the Independants and Greens which would see it passed. All he could do was blame the Liberals and say it was their fault the legislation wasn't being introduced. And Macklin was no different on Q&A - she also refused to commit to introducing the legislation despite having the numbers to get it passed, instead choosing to just blame Abbott. Yeah, that's who's fault it is that the legislation is not introduced, that's who's fault it is the country is in a diabolical financial mess, that's who's fault it is that we are now faced with the prospect of Medicare rises, GST rises and carbon taxes - none of which should never ever ever have needed to be on the table or considered if this rabble had discharged it's duty to the country with any element of responsibility. And the most embarrassing part of this whole saga is that many successive governments have badly neglected and let down the disadvantaged and disabled among us, and the blame cuts across all party lines. It's shameful that we even need to politically squabble about how to fund this critical component of what we should stand for in this country - a fair go for all and a compassion for those who cop a raw deal.
