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160007
Thu, 02/10/2011 - 12:45
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http://m.oananews.org//node/160007
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Floods debate gets personal İn Australia
(AAP) The debate over the government's flood levy has turned personal, as the opposition accused Labor of unfairly taxing retirement savings to pay for the recovery.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard - who earlier in the week teared up as she recalled the stories of the 38 killed in the floods - went on the attack in parliament, accusing Opposition Leader Tony Abbott of having a "tin heart".
A Liberal Party letter in Mr Abbott's name about the tragedy of the floods included an appeal to donate to the party to fight the government's proposed recovery levy.
"I've never seen such a tin heart," Ms Gillard said.
She said the coalition's proposed budget cuts to replace the $1.8 billion raised by the levy - including axing spending on Indonesian schools and the Building the Education Revolution program - represented a "list of shabby opportunism".
"Now is the time to put down the polling, to cut out the scare campaign .. to toss away the lines and do something in the national interest," Ms Gillard said.
Mr Abbott earlier in the week praised the prime minister over her speech during the motion of condolence for the 35 flood victims, but returned fire on Thursday.
"I said this week that the prime minister has a decent heart, but I tell you what - she's got a tin ear," he said.
The coalition accused the government of unfairly taxing superannuation payouts.
NSW Liberal Russell Matheson said he had been contacted by a police officer who was due to retire next financial year with a lump sum superannuation payout.
Mr Matheson said the man now faced a $6,500 flood levy bill.
The prime minister said the flood levy had been structured through the tax system, so that people who can pay more, do so.
Mr Abbott later accused the Labor leader - who has compared the cost of the levy to a "cup of coffee a week" - of misleading taxpayers.
"What we've seen is the cup of coffee becomes a coffee machine a week in the case of some taxpayers," Mr Abbott said.
Labor MPs taunted coalition members over reports deputy leader Julie Bishop had vehemently objected to proposed cuts to foreign aid in the opposition's alternative flood recovery package.
But Ms Bishop tried to turn the attack back on the government, saying the levy was lazy policy.
"It's a shame the Labor party doesn't have robust policy debates within its cabinet," she said.
"The self-described zombies accept the lazy public policy efforts of the prime minister."
She said Ms Gillard had been "unable to reach the high standards that are expected of the prime minister", adding that paying for disaster recovery was a core responsibility of government which shouldn't require extra taxes.
The levy legislation, introduced on Thursday, faces a slow march through parliament, after it was referred to the economics committee and independent MP Tony Windsor gave his strongest indication yet he may oppose it.
Labor is banking on WA Nationals Tony Crook, Greens MP Adam Bandt and independents Andrew Wilkie and Rob Oakeshott to get the levy through the lower house.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard - who earlier in the week teared up as she recalled the stories of the 38 killed in the floods - went on the attack in parliament, accusing Opposition Leader Tony Abbott of having a "tin heart".
A Liberal Party letter in Mr Abbott's name about the tragedy of the floods included an appeal to donate to the party to fight the government's proposed recovery levy.
"I've never seen such a tin heart," Ms Gillard said.
She said the coalition's proposed budget cuts to replace the $1.8 billion raised by the levy - including axing spending on Indonesian schools and the Building the Education Revolution program - represented a "list of shabby opportunism".
"Now is the time to put down the polling, to cut out the scare campaign .. to toss away the lines and do something in the national interest," Ms Gillard said.
Mr Abbott earlier in the week praised the prime minister over her speech during the motion of condolence for the 35 flood victims, but returned fire on Thursday.
"I said this week that the prime minister has a decent heart, but I tell you what - she's got a tin ear," he said.
The coalition accused the government of unfairly taxing superannuation payouts.
NSW Liberal Russell Matheson said he had been contacted by a police officer who was due to retire next financial year with a lump sum superannuation payout.
Mr Matheson said the man now faced a $6,500 flood levy bill.
The prime minister said the flood levy had been structured through the tax system, so that people who can pay more, do so.
Mr Abbott later accused the Labor leader - who has compared the cost of the levy to a "cup of coffee a week" - of misleading taxpayers.
"What we've seen is the cup of coffee becomes a coffee machine a week in the case of some taxpayers," Mr Abbott said.
Labor MPs taunted coalition members over reports deputy leader Julie Bishop had vehemently objected to proposed cuts to foreign aid in the opposition's alternative flood recovery package.
But Ms Bishop tried to turn the attack back on the government, saying the levy was lazy policy.
"It's a shame the Labor party doesn't have robust policy debates within its cabinet," she said.
"The self-described zombies accept the lazy public policy efforts of the prime minister."
She said Ms Gillard had been "unable to reach the high standards that are expected of the prime minister", adding that paying for disaster recovery was a core responsibility of government which shouldn't require extra taxes.
The levy legislation, introduced on Thursday, faces a slow march through parliament, after it was referred to the economics committee and independent MP Tony Windsor gave his strongest indication yet he may oppose it.
Labor is banking on WA Nationals Tony Crook, Greens MP Adam Bandt and independents Andrew Wilkie and Rob Oakeshott to get the levy through the lower house.
