(generated from captions) for the knock out stages of the Asian Champions League.A levy to fund the national disability insurance scheme is looking increasingly likely. Full details of the scheme's costings are expected to be announced today.An increase in the Medicare levy from 1.5% to 2% appears to be the Government's favoured option. It's looking for new ways to pay for spending commitments in light of a $12 billion budget deficit forecast.Joinsing us from Parliament House is Craig emson.Good morning.Why is this levy the best way of funding the National Disability Insurance Scheme?The Prime Minister will make a statement about this shortly but obviously this is a great reform, a great Labor reform and it needs to be funded and that's what we will do. We fully discharge our responsibility to make sure the budget is in good repair and to make savings in order to enable such big reforms as the National Disability Insurance Scheme and the school improvement program to proceed. Both of these are signature reforms not only of this Government but for generations the widespread
to come.Do you believe that the widespread public the widespread public support
for such an increase in the Medicare have to do the right thing Medicare levy?Well look, we have to do Australia and we have to do the have to do the right thing by
right thing by people who suffer from disabilities and also effectively it's an insurance scheme, Michael, for people who may not, at this point, suffer from disabilities but may fall into that situation in the future. It is, I think, has real Medicare which means that under Medicare everyone is insured
for their hospital health cover, basic cover, well people with disabilities too should be
insured, including those who may not have disabilities at the moment but could end time in their lives.The
problem I suppose, is that as you well know on a
number of Minister has point blank ruled out raising the disability insurance
scheme?We'll take this to an election, people can choose whether there is to be there's to be a the Coalition doesn't have the political courage to say what it really intends and that is
that it doesn't believe a national disability insurance scheme is affordable. it would have one some That's just saying they would not have a national disability scheme under a re-elected Labor Government there would be one. looking towards the election is it your aim therefore to legislate this increase in this forthcoming parliamentary
session?Well, of those plans today budget in terms of what's legislated, what's not legislated and so on. But on the it to the election and let people decide. So that deals with this issue of whether we foreshadowed this before the last election or not. We will take it to the election and the people will have a choice they will on school funding where, of course, we've now heard from Joe Hockey that unless every State, every State has signed up to the proper resourcing of our classrooms, teachers scrap the lot. That's what Joe Hockey has said. They're the year.
people will have later in the year. But in the meantime we're reforms.At the same time you
have reforms.At the same time have somebody of the stature of Michael Chaney, one of the nation's most prominent business leader, he's the chairman of both NAB and Woodside Petroleum, telling 'Lateline' last night that essentially because of the parlous state of the budget what you're proprose ing with the NDIS is economically irresponsible, what do you say to claims like that?I disa I gree with that. If it's funded and lit be funded and this is a commitment that Prime Minister Gillard made that we will fund our major reforms, that we will ensure the budget is in good shape, that we reprioritise so that we are making room for these major investments in the future. This is not some sort of want in consumption spending, some kind of splurge, these are investments in our future. They're not just a throwaway. These are fundamental to the future of this country and I believe everyone who has a disability or everyone who realises that they could have a disability at some time in their lives will not regard this as some sort of throwaway spending. It is a fundamental investment in this nation's future just as the school funding is and that's the the difference between us and saying these are all the Coalition. The Coalition is saying these are bone because they are obsessed with bone because they with cutting, cutting, cutting, it's always the Liberal Party that cuts to it's that cuts to the bone. We'll protect jobs, we'll that cuts to the bone. protect jobs, we'll protect
growth protect jobs, growth and at the same time accommodate once in a generation school
funding reforms.Looking in detail at the funding, if the Medicare levy were to be raised by 0.5%, that little over $3 billion. As know the NDIS in its first instance is going to cost at least going to fill in the short
fall?Again, the budget and it's perfectly legitimate for you to ask in a couple of weeks.It's been brought down in weeks ahead. We've had today's announcement, we had the super tax changes, obviously know how that funding is going to us now.If you don't want to turn up on Budget night that's up be there, that's because we will set out our plan on the future again based on our engagement with Asia and what we're doing in terms of the economic and social reforms that are needed to lock in high quality jobs for the future. That's the Australian Government's plan, a plan for Mr Abbott who will just cut to the bone, he has no plan for his intentions just like Campbell Newman did in a post election audit commission. The game is up, Mr Abbott. will
Budget's coming down and you will have run out of excuses as to why you won't the Australian people as to where those savage cuts will be made.We'll finish up portfolio. As you know, academics have taken to the pages of the national newspapers today protesting against those cuts to university rallies on the lawns of Parliament House. They're not
ruling out strike action. Are you worried about the backlash to this?Well look, I understand why would prefer to be measures, I understand that. That also applies every other segment of the Australian community. They would prefer not to be contributing to the reforms that we are implementing. They would prefer not to be consolidation of the budget sustainability. They make the very valid point nah universities themselves are a great investment in our future. But if there is a reduction in revenue coming in compared with the forecasts then make changes and we had to make
changes.Craig Emerson, I I'll be seeing you on budget changes.Craig Emerson, I guess I'll be night. Thanks for your time.I look forward to it, night. Thanks for your look forward to it, Michael,
thanks.And look forward to it, Let's go to the thanks.And gee, I Let's go to the other mornings news.A truck load of plastics has gone up in flames on the Hume highway in NSW. The semitrailer's driver noticed the flames and pulled over north of Goulbyn. The highway as closed for several hours as fire crews battled the blaze.