Peter Dutton’s shadow treasurer, Angus Taylor, was asked repeatedly on ABC radio recently to name a single Coalition policy to combat cost of living pressures. Each time he failed to name one, eventually claiming that “good economic management” and “managing taxpayers’ money very, very carefully” were the Coalition’s solution.
So what was the Coalition’s record on “good” economic management and their “very, very” careful management of taxpayers’ money when they ran the show from 2013 to 2022?
Here are some reminders: $20 billion of JobKeeper funds went to firms whose revenue was actually rising during Covid; blatant rorting of the NDIS; car park rorts and sports rorts.
And billions of dollars blown away on Scott Morrison’s bungled French submarines; big delays and massive cost blow outs on the Snowy Hydro 2.0 project; $30 million handed over for a property valued at $3 million near the western Sydney airport and the failure to properly organise the vaccine roll out in the initial stages of the pandemic.
Also the disgraceful Robodebt scheme and cover-up; many billions of dollars spent outsourcing public service work to large private consultancies; the bungling of our relationship with China resulting in $20 billion trade bans on Australian exporters; and inflation at more than double the current rate under Labor.
Best of luck if you’re relying on Mr Joyce’s party to help you with cost of living.
For more information or to get involved, please visit laurahughesnewengland.com.au.
Got something on your mind? Go on then, engage. Submit your opinion piece, letter to the editor, or Quick Word now.