ANDREW LEIGH MP SHADOW ASSISTANT TREASURER MEMBER FOR FRASER

MEDIA RELEASE
Government Backs Down on !os"n# Ta$ Loo%&o!es' B!ows () B"!!"on Ho!e "n B*+#et The Coalition has increased the budget deficit by $3 billion as a result of abandoning savings measures, Shadow Assistant Treasurer Andrew Leigh said today. Late on Saturday afternoon, the government announced that it would not roceed with !" ta# savings measures that had been announced but not yet enacted,$ said %r Leigh. Combined with similar decisions made on & 'ovember, this will cost the budget $3 billion.$ (n abandoning these savings measures and roceeding with a ta# cut for mining billionaires, the government is showing that it has the wrong riorities.$ The )overnment of *no sur rises and no e#cuses+ can,t ersist in blaming Labor for its budget woes, when it won+t follow through with res onsible savings measures. 'o wonder the )overnment needed to stri-e a deal with the )reens for unlimited debt.$ The .id/0ear 1conomic and 2iscal 3utloo- 4.01235 out on Tuesday had been e# ected to show a budget deficit of at least $!6 billion. The government+s latest decisions are li-ely to ma-e that larger still. SUNDA,' -. DE EMBER /0-)