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Rudd's $42billion NationBuilding and Jobs plan
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02-04-2009, 03:17 PM
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TornadoPD
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Oct 2005
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Seems very much that the opposition is not exactly in favor of it.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/newshom...lock-stimulus/
Rudd savages decision to block stimulus
ABC - February 4, 2009, 3:14 pm
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The Prime Minister has blasted the Opposition's decision to block his $42 billion economic stimulus plan, accusing the Coalition of being "out of touch" with Australian families.
Earlier today Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull vowed the Coalition would block the package in the Senate, saying it was too large and that the proposed $12 billion worth of cash payments to families and workers would not be as effective as tax cuts in stimulating the economy.
Mr Turnbull also opposes the $14.7 billion allocated to upgrading school infrastructure, instead advocating just $3 billion to be spent over three years.
During Question Time, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd branded Mr Turnbull's decision to block the package as "rank political expediency".
"What you have embarked upon today is to vote against the biggest building program in every primary school in the nation," he said.
"Either you act and government intervenes to help stabilise financial markets, to help increase growth, to help support jobs and to help families deal with the consequences or you vacate the field as recommended by the Liberal Party.
"This Liberal Party is out of touch with mums' and dads' basic needs right across the country."
Families, Housing and Community Services Minister Jenny Macklin has also accused Mr Turnbull of threatening jobs by blocking the payments to families of up to $950.
"He doesn't care about the millions of jobs under threat if families don't get these tax bonuses and payments," she said.
"Every time an Australian parent loses their job the Opposition Leader will need to answer to those parents about why it is that he's opposing this nation building and jobs plan."
Ms Macklin also says that today's retail figures which show that sales for December were 3.8 per cent higher than November proves the Government's first stimulus package worked.
"The figures don't lie - the economic strategy payments in December did their job and [Mr Turnbull] should make sure he supports the Government's actions," she said.
But Mr Turnbull has accused the Government of panicking in rushing to have the six bills needed to implement the package passed by tomorrow.
"The Government is looking increasingly like a frightened soldier who fires off all his ammunition in a panic in the first minutes of an engagement," he said.
Mr Turnbull says Mr Rudd is "vain" and "arrogant" for not negotiating with the Opposition over the package.
"He is not prepared to do any more to his political opponents than hold a gun to their head and say, 'stand and deliver and you've got two days to do it'," he said.
Mr Turnbull did not rule out supporting further stimulus measures if required but wants the 2010 scheduled tax cuts brought forward instead of cash handouts to low and middle-income earners.
The Government wants to pass the legislation by the end of the week in order to deliver the payments by March but will now have to rely on the Greens, Independent Senator Nick Xenophon and Family First Senator Steve Fielding.
However the Greens have signalled they will push for the laws to be debated into next week and Senators Xenophon and Fielding are both arguing a Senate inquiry is needed to scrutinise the legislation.
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