Greens: budget ‘keeps people in poverty’

The chief of the Greens has slammed Labor’s finances as a “betrayal of renters, students, jobseekers, young people and everyone doing it tough.”

Adam Bandt, delivering his finances reply speech on Wednesday evening, says Tuesday’s finances provides billionaires tax cuts, whereas individuals in poverty get left behind – one thing Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised wouldn’t occur.

“Tonight, as the cold starts to bite, people are going to sleep, freezing, in their cars,” stated Mr Bandt.

“But Labor’s budget spends a quarter of a trillion dollars on tax cuts for the wealthy … it has $16.7bn handouts for wealthy property moguls, and $368bn for nuclear submarines.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers introduced a $2.85 per day rise to the JobSeeker price as a part of his finances measures, regardless of calls from organisations such because the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) to lift the speed to a minimum of $76 per day.

“It’s hardly enough to buy a loaf of bread,” stated Mr Bandt in his reply.

“If you receive rent assistance, you will get an extra $1.12 per day.

“That’s not going to cover rent increases which are rising ten times that amount in capital cities.”

When the finances laws is put earlier than parliament, Mr Bandt stated the Greens will combat to make huge companies and billionaires pay extra tax, combat for renters and combat for the local weather and setting.

“If Labor worked together with the Greens we could immediately stop all new coal and gas, lift people out of poverty, freeze rent increases, and wipe student debt.”