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LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION THE HON. TONY ABBOTT MHR FEDERAL MEMBER FOR WARRINGAH
15 May 2013
TRANSCRIPT OF THE HON. TONY ABBOTT MHR INTERVIEW WITH DAVID KOCH, SUNRISE, SEVEN NETWORK
Subjects: Federal Budget.
E&OE……………………….…………………………………………………………………
DAVID KOCH:
Mr Abbott, good morning to you.
TONY ABBOTT:
`Morning Kochie.
DAVID KOCH:
The Government has promised to balance the budget in three years. What do you reckon? Could you do that?
TONY ABBOTT:
Well, they promised that last year. In fact, last year they said this year we would be in surplus. There is no surplus this year, no surplus next year, no surplus the year after that. There will never be an honest surplus under this government.
DAVID KOCH:
Ok. When would you get it back into surplus if you were in government?
TONY ABBOTT:
Well, we will get it back into surplus as quickly as possible should we win the election, but this government has given us deficits stretching out as far as the eye can see.
DAVID KOCH:
But how many years would it take you? You’ve seen the Budget papers. On those Treasury figures, how long would it take you?
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TONY ABBOTT:
Well, the Government has had 12 months to put a Budget together, we’ve had less than 12 hours to analyse it. So, we are not putting a time on it now but we are going to get the Budget back to surplus as quickly as possible. Wayne Swan was right last year when he said that a surplus is a badge of good economic management. The tragedy for our country is that we haven't had good economic management.
DAVID KOCH:
Ok, you can't put a timetable on it. It is a weird budget because, if the polls are right, it’s absolutely irrelevant, it will only be valid for three months until you get elected. Your Budget Reply tomorrow night is probably more important than the Budget. So, let’s take you through a few of the things. Wayne Swan axed the baby bonus, it is going to be replaced with a boost to the Family Tax Benefit, allowing $2,000 to the first child, $1,000 for each extra child. Will you bring the baby bonus back?
TONY ABBOTT:
Well, what we don't like is broken promises. The current government promised not to touch the baby bonus and it has been fiddling the baby bonus since it got in and now the thing is abolished. They abolished the Family Tax Benefit Part A increase that was in last years’ budget. They abolished tax cuts that were in last years’ budget. If you couldn't trust last year's budget why trust this year's budget?
DAVID KOCH:
Will you bring the baby bonus back?
TONY ABBOTT:
We are going to carefully study it, Kochie. We are not going to engage in the kind of knee-jerk reaction that this government engages in all the time. Last night's budget was a budget for politics, not a budget for economic management.
DAVID KOCH:
Ok. You’ve had time to think about this - the whole Gonski report, the recommendations, the education funding. New South Wales has already signed up. Will you keep the deal?
TONY ABBOTT:
Well, we don't know what the deal is.
DAVID KOCH:
Well, we do.
TONY ABBOTT:
No we don’t. We don't know, Kochie.
DAVID KOCH:
Barry O'Farrell knows what the deal is.
TONY ABBOTT:
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And it is thus far a deal that is entirely private between the Prime Minister and the Premier. Now, we are not going to sign up anything we don't know and we are certainly…
DAVID KOCH:
You haven't rung your mate, Barry O’Farrell and said, he is in the next electorate to you, and said, "Barry, what’s the details?"
TONY ABBOTT:
Kochie, we aren’t going to sign up to something that we aren’t convinced is a good deal and how can we be convinced until we have the details?
DAVID KOCH:
Alright. $24 billion for roads and transport upgrades, will you keep that?
TONY ABBOTT:
Well, again, smoke and mirrors. The money for WestConnex doesn't start for five years and in any event, it is conditional on there being no toll and the state government says there has to be a toll if the whole thing is going to work. So look, this was an essentially dishonest budget from an essentially dishonest government.
DAVID KOCH:
Right. I suppose what voters are saying and thinking at the moment is well, it’s not going to last long. What are you going to keep? What are you going to throw out?
TONY ABBOTT:
Well, we’ve said that we will provide $1.5 billion to make sure that WestConnex is underway within 12 months of a change of government; $1.5 billion to make sure the East West Link in Melbourne is underway within 18 months of a change of government; $1 billion in Brisbane for the Gateway Motorway upgrade. We will get the Pacific Highway fully duplicated by the end of the decade. We have made a series of affordable, achievable commitments and we will deliver on them.
DAVID KOCH:
Ok, but as far as the big things last night, the baby bonus and education, you are going to review it?
TONY ABBOTT:
Well, we are certainly committed to the National Disability Insurance Scheme, very much committed to that, but again the Government hasn't told us where the money is coming from and it hasn’t told us what the scheme is actually going to cover.
DAVID KOCH:
Going to look forward to the Budget Reply tomorrow night. Tony, good to see you.
TONY ABBOTT:
Thanks, Kochie.
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[ends]