Federal Budget Reply: Government’s ‘Missed Opportunity’ Under Fire

The opposition leader, Peter Dutton, has put cost of living concerns at the centre of his budget in reply speech, accusing Labor’s budget of being a “missed opportunity” to help Australians in need.

Key Points

• "Missed opportunity” to ease cost of living pressures for Australian families at a time of significant uncertainty. Rather, the Government’s plan “weakens Australia’s financial position.”
• The Opposition Leader reintroduced himself to the Australian public and doubled down on the Government’s “historical pattern” of economic mismanagement, labelling its housing promise an incredible “Kevin Rudd design.”
• Bipartisan support for the extension of the childcare subsidy, the cheaper medicines policy, support for veterans, measures for the prevention of domestic violence and flood relief.
• The Opposition Leader continued the Opposition’s stance that, while investing in renewable energy and reducing emissions are “crucial,” the Government’s haste towards renewables comes without a plan and will increase energy costs.

Missed opportunity

The Opposition Leader used his Budget-In-Reply address to say the Government was shirking its responsibility and labelled the Government’s first budget as a “missed opportunity” to help Australian families in a time of need.  

Rising energy costs just the beginning

Higher energy prices under the Government’s leadership was a key message in the Opposition Leader’s speech highlighting broken election promises and a grim future for Australian families.

The Opposition Leader reminded voters that the Budget Papers showed that the cost of energy would surge over the next two years, with electricity prices forecast to increase 56per cent over this year and next, while gas prices would jump 44per cent.

The Opposition Leader cautioned against the Government’s haste towards renewables and reiterated that rushing into renewables before they were fully developed was reckless and stated the forecast increase in energy prices was “just the beginning.” The Opposition Leader proposed the addition of new-age nuclear technologies into the mix, citing the experience of countries such as Canada, France, Japan, South Korea, the UK and the US.

While the Opposition Leader acknowledged the war in Ukraine played a part in rising costs, the Opposition Leader also considered the transition to renewables was partly to blame for price pressures and the need to ration power in Europe. A mistake, the Opposition Leader says, the Federal Government is following without ensuring reliable traditional sources of power are still available. This sets up a divide on climate change that is likely to continue to the next election.

Support for cheaper childcare and medicine

In a welcome change of pace, it was good to see some bipartisan support from the Opposition Leader for some of the Federal Government’s initiatives including the extension of the childcare subsidy, the cheaper medicines policy, support for veterans, measures for the prevention of domestic violence and flood relief.

This bipartisan support will be a welcome relief for some but short lived as the Opposition Leader added that a typical family will be $2,000 worse off by Christmas under the Government.

Industrial Relations

The Opposition Leader also took aim at the Federal Government’s new Industrial Relations legislation allowing multi-employer bargaining by unions which the Opposition Leader says will result in "crippling economy-wide strikes", labelling the Budget a “throwback to the 1980s”.

Setting the Platform

Setting the platform for the future campaign, the Opposition Leader reintroduced himself as the Opposition begins the process of establishing the policies it will take to the next election.

The Opposition Leader used his speech to recommit to the Opposition’s pre-election policy of allowing Australians to tap into their superannuation to buy a home, dismissing the Government’s housing promise as a “Kevin Rudd design” lacking in both detail and credibility. The Opposition Leader also pledged to restore $50 million in community safety grants scrapped in the Federal Budget.

Additionally, the Opposition Leader backed the Opposition’s record of economic management by reducing Budget deficits created by Labor governments.

In pointing out the cuts in the Federal Budget to infrastructure spending, the Opposition Leader highlighted that cutbacks were a huge downside for regional communities that have missed out on support under the Budget.

The Opposition Leader also declared support for new spending on childcare and stronger measures against family violence in a pitch to Australian women.

Will this win back votes for the Opposition?

The Opposition Leader’s appeal to women may see renewed support for the Opposition but the contentious decision to consider nuclear power could scare voters away.

In any case, rising energy prices and the divide on climate change policy are still likely to be points of contention at the next election.

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