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Government secures House vote for flood levy

Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie is expected to announce his position on the government's proposed flood levy.

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Source: AAP


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Independent MP Andrew Wilkie will support the federal government's proposed flood levy, ensuring the bill's passage through the House of Representatives.

Mr Wilkie said the government had agreed to his proposals on the solar flagships program and an education program that were flagged for budget cuts.

He said the levy was not his preferred way to fund the reconstruction effort in Queensland.

"My concern (was) that the whole flood levy was being driven more by politics than good financial management," he told reporters in Hobart on Friday.

"It would've been better to run the deficit out another 12 months than to need to have this levy.

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"However, I have been persuaded that if the levy doesn't go through, it's the government's intention to make $1.8 billion of additional cuts to the budget, which I wouldn't want to be responsible for.

"So somewhat begrudgingly I'm putting my support behind the levy."

Mr Wilkie urged independent Senator Nick Xenophon, who holds the remaining vote the government needs to pass the levy in Parliament, to get on board.

"We need to get on now and do the rebuilding," he said.

Mr Wilkie said he had successfully negotiated with the government to restore $50 million, out of a proposed $88 million cut, of grants through the Australian Learning and Teaching Council.

He said some of the proposed budget cuts had been "reckless".

"What we are seeing here are the benefits of a minority government ... making sure the ideas are good ideas and amend areas that are in need of improvement," he said.

Mr Wilkie denied that his vote had been bought. "What I've ensured is that this is a good policy by the government, or at least a better policy," he said.

"At the end of the day, this for me was all about improving the initiative of the government."


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