The federal pre-election sales pitch budget has failed to provide any plan to increase real wages or deliver secure jobs.
Scott Morrison and the Coalition Government has used $4 billion in unspent NDIS money to prop-up a budget surplus and at the same time have given tax cuts to people who earn over $200,000 a year.
There are no measures to address growing inequality and no assurances for the many vital community services that are already struggling to keep their doors open.
This budget simply confirms what we already knew – we need to change the government
Scott Morrison and the Coalition Government have proved once again that they are firmly on the side of big business, not working people, our families or communities.
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Here is our budget breakdown:
Nothing for workers
- The budget provides no concrete measures to lift wages in Australia. Wage growth is at an all-time low while the profits of big corporations, many of whom pay no tax, continue to rise at a staggering rate.
- Nothing to address the gender pay gap, even when the Government admits in its own Budget that the gap is at least 15%.
- Continued freeze to superannuation at 9.5% as well as doing nothing to address the 47% gender pay gap in retirement income – leaving many workers, mostly women, to retire in poverty.
- There is nothing to support secure permanent jobs. This Government has done nothing to stop big business’ attempt to introduce cut-rate casuals and labour hire attacking the permanent secure jobs and wages of hundreds of thousands of workers and promoting a continued culture of wage theft
Nothing to tackle growing inequality
- Tax cuts that focus on the top end and that gives more money to people who earn over $200,000. While pensioners get a one-off payment equivalent to $1 a week, and people on Newstart and Youth Allowance who are already living in poverty get nothing.
- There are no measures to tackle housing affordability – nothing to support more social or affordable housing.
No certainty for ASU member industries
- Not a cent of extra money to support better training or wages in the NDIS, despite the Government leaving $4 billion unspent to help deliver a fake surplus. ASU members have been calling for a Portable Training Scheme. The Government’s own NDIS Committee recommended our scheme, that would cost just one cent in every NDIS dollar and provide a quality, trained workforce.
- Nothing to address the pending community mental health funding cliff. This will be a huge impact on ASU members working in these programs and for the vulnerable members of the community they support.
- The budget specifies that there will be NO money to support equal pay increases beyond 2020.
- The only initiative to address domestic violence is to give millions to for-profit company Medibank Private to run 1800 RESPECT, after privatising the service in previous years. Allowing a corporation to increase their profit from victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
- Over 60% cut in funding for services to asylum seekers.
- No funding for renewable energy. Energy bills will continue to go up, and nothing is being done to address climate change.
This latest budget makes it clear that we need to change the rules and change the government.
A federal election is due to be called within the next week, with an election likely to be held in May.
The Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison Government have done nothing for ASU members over the last five and a half years and have no plans to do anything for working people anytime in the future. They’ve made it clear who they intend to look after and it’s not you. It’s time to kick this lot out.
In Solidarity
Matt Norrey
Branch Secretary
