A plan to help families and bring about a stronger, safer, and better Australia.
That is what the Coalition is promising if it is elected to lead the nation at the May 3 Federal Election.
In his budget reply address last week, Opposition leader Peter Dutton revealed five key priority areas for his government.
He said they plan to deliver a stronger economy with lower inflation; cheaper energy; affordable homes; quality healthcare; and safer communities.
In working toward this, he said the Coalition would introduce four policies on the first sitting day of the next Parliament:
• The Energy Price Reduction Bill;
• The Lower Immigration and More Homes for Australians Bill;
• The Keeping Australians Safe Bill; and
• The Guaranteed Funding for Health, Education and Essential Services Bill.
“In his fourth budget – like the previous three – the treasurer again painted a rosy picture of the economy,” Mr Dutton said in his address.
“But Australians aren’t silly. Your bills tell the true story of Labor’s cost-of-living crisis.
“And here’s the facts of the Albanese Government’s economic record: Rents are up 18 per cent. Housing is up 14 per cent. Groceries up by a staggering 30 per cent. Electricity is up 32 per cent. Insurance is up for many households and businesses by 35 per cent.
“Australians have experienced the longest household recession – and the worst collapse in living standards – in our country’s history.
“Under Labor, interest rates have gone up 12 times – with only one cut – and stayed higher for longer compared to other comparable nations.
“This budget makes clear that Labor was only able to deliver two surpluses by piggybacking off the former Coalition Government’s strong economic management – as well as record commodity price windfalls.
“And now, the outlook is one of deficits as far as the eye can see.”
Mr Dutton described the Labor Government’s budget as “one for the next five weeks – not one for the next five years”.
“Jim Chalmers’ so-called tax cut ‘top up’ is simply a tax cut cop-out. It’s a cruel hoax.
“Labor will spend $17 billion of taxpayers’ money to give you back 70 cents a day – in 15 months’ time.
“And yet, a family with a typical mortgage, under this government, is $50,000 worse off. I think it’s insulting, to be honest.
“We oppose these tax cuts and will repeal them – because we think there is a better way to provide assistance to Australians.”
Mr Dutton said the Coalition would provide “immediate” cost-of-living relief for Australians.
“A Coalition Government will halve the fuel excise for 12 months, and then we’ll review it, and we’ll make sure that that comes in on the first day that our Parliament sits,” he said.
“For a household with one car filling-up once a week, that’s a saving of $14 a week on average – or around $700 over 12 months.
“For a household with two cars filling-up once a week, that is a saving of $28 a week on average – or around $1,500 over 12 months. Compare that to 70 cents a day in 15 months’ time.
“Working with industry, we will ensure that heavy vehicle road users also benefit from this measure.
“The ACCC will ensure that the fuel excise cut will be passed on in full to consumers. The policy will cost $6 billion.”
Mr Dutton said the Coalition would also scale up assistance and provide immediate relief for charities supporting Australians, including $50 million for food charities to expand their services and to include school breakfast programs.
But Mr Dutton said to get out of “Labor’s economic mess”, and to tackle Labor’s cost-of-living crisis, there needs to be hard decisions and a “proper plan”.
“A Coalition Government will do three things.
“First, we will rein-in inflationary spending.
“Second, we will reduce the cost of energy.
“And third, we will strengthen the economy to work for you.”