Andrew Leigh

MORETON COMMUNITY ON GUARD AGAINST RISING INEQUALITY

Joint Media Release with Graham Perrett MP

Representatives from local community centres, multicultural groups and the disability sector today joined Shadow Assistant Treasurer Andrew Leigh and Member for Moreton Graham Perrett at a roundtable discussion on inequality at Brisbane’s Sunnybank.

Community groups in Moreton are concerned about tackling the issue of inequality and the lack of direct services for the most vulnerable in our community.

“People in the Moreton community are really feeling Tony Abbott’s cuts to childcare, aged care and education. Along with cuts to welfare and training programs, all of these decisions will increase inequality in the Moreton community,” said Mr Perrett.

Shadow Assistant Treasurer Andrew Leigh said that the Abbott Government’s first two budgets were full of policies that would lead to Australia becoming a more unequal country.  

“The government’s planned changes to family tax benefits and paid parental leave will shrink the disposable income of the poorest fifth of Australians by 7 per cent a year. At the same time, families in the top income band will actually end up slightly better off,” he said.

“Cutting the Low Income Super Contribution scheme and freezing planned increases to the Super Guarantee has also adversely affected the future savings of millions of low- and middle-income Australians.”

The Moreton community groups expressed concern about how they will meet new demand for services and support if local families are left worse off by the Government’s policies.

This is a timely reminder that while members of the Liberal Party room jet about in helicopters at the public’s expense, local communities are struggling with the impact of its budget cuts.

THURSDAY, 16 JULY 2015

MEDIA CONTACTS: JENNIFER RAYNER 0428 214 856