SENATOR PENNY WONG, LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION IN THE SENATE: Thanks very much. Well, we saw Joe Hockeys second budget last night, Tony Abbotts second Budget and what we now know is taxes are up, spending is up, debt is up, unemployment is up. But what this Budget does do is lock in the unfairness from last years Budget.
So, despite all of the big headlines, all of Joe Hockeys new found affection for fairness, the reality is this Budget locks in the unfairness from last years Budget. Youve still got the $80 billion cut to schools and hospitals, youve still got $100,000 university degrees and youve still got unfair cuts to families.
But ultimately Australians have to ask, which promise is Tony Abbott not going to break? Because he told everybody that he would get debt down, hed get tax down, hed get spending down. Well, taxes are up, spending is up and debt is up.
JOURNALIST: Is this an election Budget, do you think?
WONG: Its certainly a budget thats all about one mans job. Its certainly a budget about one mans job and thats Tony Abbots job. Its not about the future of the country, its not about a long term plan and it is not a budget that is consistently addressing the challenges of the future.
JOURNALIST: Is Labor any closer to a decision on whether to support the changes to pensions?
WONG: Look, we've said in relation to the pension a number of things, the first thing is everybody in this country knows what Tony Abbott really wants to do on pensions and they know it because of what he did in his first Budget. After he said no changes to the pension, he came out with a budget which ripped money off Australias needy pensioners. Thats what the man really believes and no amount of back flipping and no amount of mouthing the word fairness gets away from that. We've said we will look at the detail and we will consider it in coming days and there are a number of other measures were also considering, but fundamentally I think all Australians understand what Tony Abbott really wants to do.
JOURNALIST: Is now the time for stimulus in the Australian economy? Theres $10 billion there for families and for small business.
WONG: Well, we've said we welcome the small business package. We particularly welcome the fact that Joe Hockeys picked up a Labor measure, the instant write off is obviously something Labor had in government. So, we welcome the Governments new found support and new found enthusiasm for something that Labor had in government. But what we would say in relation to, for example, the families package is that we are not going to be held to ransom by Tony Abbott. Were not going to be held to ransom to support a range of cuts to families which are unfair.
JOURNALIST: Senator Wong, what did you make of the decision to cut Indonesias aid budget by 40 per cent?
WONG: We know that under this Government there has been cut after cut to foreign aid and we know why this country should be investing in foreign aid and thats because it is about creating a more secure Australia, a more secure global environment and of course we are a compassionate country.
JOURNALIST: But in the context of the executions of the two Australians do you (inaudible)
WONG: Look, I might leave that for Tanya Plibersek to comment on.
JOURNALIST: Just on your portfolio for a minute, in the United States there has been a filibuster measure thats meant that the Trans-Pacific Partnership is not going to see a quick transition through, passage through, is that a blow to Australia?
WONG: Look I saw that this morning very briefly, reporting online that the fast track had not passed the Congress. I havent seen much detail of it.
Obviously thats something the Democrats were pushing and President Obama were pressing and certainly it may have implications for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, but I might wait until I see the detail of that before I comment.
Thanks very much.