Media Release.
The Abbott Government will today vote to repeal Labor’s Schoolkids Bonus, leaving more than 1.3 million Australian families worse off.
When
asked to explain this savage cut in the Parliament today, Prime
Minister Tony Abbott referred to this vital support for struggling
families as “beer and skittles”.
Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews labelled questions in the Parliament about the Government’s savage cuts as “stupid”.
Shadow Minister for Families and Payments Jenny Macklin
said Coalition members were happy to take money off struggling families,
and insult them in the process.
“Families love Labor’s Schoolkids Bonus. They know how much
it has helped them buy all the things their kids need for school, like
uniforms, shoes, school books and stationery,” Ms Macklin said.
“They want to know why the Prime Minister thinks they don’t
need this support, and the best the Prime Minister can respond with is
that life’s not all ‘beer and skittles’.
“This is an unacceptable response, and insulting to the 1.3
million families who rely on this support to make ends meet. If the
Prime Minister can’t explain why he is cutting the Schoolkids Bonus,
then why is he cutting it?”
Axing
the Schoolkids Bonus means a typical Australian family with two kids in
school would be $15,000 worse off over the course of their children’s
schooling.
Shadow Minister for Education Kate Ellis said Labor would oppose the Coalition’s attempts to axe the Schoolkids Bonus.
“Labor
will never support any attempt by the Abbott Government to make it
harder for families to make ends meet, and harder for our kids to
succeed at school."
“This
is a typical move from a typical conservative Government. Whenever they
want to make a cash grab, the first place they look is in the pockets
of families."
“This is bad for families and bad for our kids’ education, and we will not support it.”
Ms Macklin said Australian families have been let down by the Abbott Government.
“The
Coalition promised Australian families they would ease cost of living
pressures, but one of their first acts is to rip money off them.”
“This is not the government they told Australian families they would be.”
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