Abbott promises cheaper living

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has used his budget reply speech to promise Australians he will ease cost of living pressures.

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Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has used his budget reply speech to promise Australians he will ease cost of living pressures.

Mr Abbott said he wanted to use his speech to reach out to Australian families.

"I do not think you are rich," he told parliament.

"I know you are struggling under a rising cost of living. And I know you are sick of a government that doesn't get value from your taxes.

"My commitment to the forgotten families of Australia is to ease your cost of living pressures."

Stopping wasteful and unnecessary spending would keep interest rates down and stopping new taxes would make it easier for them to pay their bills, he said.

Mr Abbott said his speech was not an attempt to set out an alternative budget, but to set out an alternative vision.

Mr Abbott also used the speech to take fresh aim at the government's carbon and mining taxes.

"So let me make this crystal clear: the coalition will oppose the carbon tax in opposition and repeal it in government," he said.

"The Coalition will oppose the mining tax in opposition and repeal it in government.

"My colleagues and I will never make things harder for the forgotten families of Australia and people can have confidence in the coalition because they can judge us on our record, not just on our promises."

Mr Abbott said his frontbench was proven, with sixteen of them having been ministers in the Howard government.

"The challenge of producing lower taxes, fairer welfare, better services and stronger borders would not be beyond us because we've risen to it before," he said.

Mr Abbott reiterated his already announced policies on the environment, indigenous affairs, mental health, education and health.

Mr Abbott said leaving young people on the dole and old people on welfare while businesses were short of staff was a terrible waste.

"I'm all in favour of training but first things first: the best training is on-the-job," he said.

"The coalition would pay a $6000 relocation allowance to young unemployed people who move to a regional area for a job and who agree not to return to welfare within six months.

"This would be a programme not a trial.

"We'll pay a $2500 commitment bonus to long-term unemployed young people who take a job and keep it for a year and a further $4000 if they stay off welfare for a second year.


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3 min read

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Source: AAP



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