Leyonhjelm turns on childcare bill
Liberal Democratic Senator David Leyonhjelm has also turned on the government’s omnibus savings bill, saying the redirection of savings to underwrite the National Disability Insurance Scheme mean he is unlikely to back the legislation.
by Rosie Lewis and Joe Kelly, The Australian.
“I’m was glad that the government was trying to set out to save money,” Senator Leyonhjelm told The Australian. “We’ve got a deficit and a huge debt and they have to be addressed.”
“I’m critical of the omnibus bill because it increased family tax benefit payments — through an increase to fortnightly payments — and also puts more money into childcare,” Senator Leyonhjelm said. “I don’t think either of those are necessary.”
“I was prepared to support the bill on the basis that there are several billions in savings that would go towards balancing the budget. Now we hear that all of that is going to fund the NDIS, which means it won’t help to balance the budget at all.”
“So therefore my support is by no means certain. I would seriously consider not voting for the bill because it would not in the end be any improvement in our fiscal situation.”
Senator Leyonhjelm said the package would increase family tax benefit payments by $2.4 billion and said there was flawed assumption that, unless billions were thrown at the NDIS, that the disabled would be left without any support.
“That, of course, is false,” he said. “There was already existing support, both state and federal … So I’m unconvinced on childcare and on family tax benefit increases and I’m unconvinced on the NDIS level of funding.”
Originally published at www.theaustralian.com.au.
