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BILL SHORTEN’S BUDGET BLOWOUT BOO-BOO
THE HON MICHAEL SUKKAR MP
Shadow Minister for Social Services
Shadow Minister for NDIS
Shadow Minister for Housing
Shadow Minister for Homelessness
THE HON ANGUS TAYLOR MP
Shadow Treasurer
JOINT MEDIA RELEASE
29 June 2023
BILL SHORTEN’S BUDGET BLOWOUT BOO-BOO
The Albanese Labor Government’s budget projections are in tatters after NDIS Minister Bill Shorten said “it’s not the end of the world” if it doesn’t reach its spending growth goals.
The government has based its entire budget on a hope that it could reduce annual growth in the NDIS from its current trajectory of 14 per cent down to eight per cent representing $74 billion of promised savings.
However, when speaking to Sky News on Wednesday, Bill Shorten blew Labor’s budget projections apart admitting, “if we don’t get the target of the growth we want, it’s not the end of the world.”
In response to these comments on Thursday Jim Chalmers was caught trying to clean up the mess saying, “we intend to meet it… the government’s intention is to meet that target. Still considerable growth in spending on the NDIS for people who need it.”
Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor said it’s becoming clearer by the day that Labor has no plan to achieve the savings it has committed to.
“If hitting its goal of reining in NDIS spending is “not the end of the world” for the government then the Treasurer must be upfront about that,” Mr Taylor said.
“The Coalition has been clear – we want to work with the government on how the NDIS can be more sustainable. A scheme that is unaffordable does not help anyone and it means young people will wear the cost.
“When it comes to running the economy, Labor is asleep at the wheel.”
Shadow Minister for the NDIS Michael Sukkar said no NDIS participant is safe on this government’s watch.
“Before the election Bill Shorten promised no plan would go backwards and that it was improper for the Coalition to discuss the sustainability of the scheme. Now sustainability of the scheme is all Bill Shorten can talk about, creating uncertainty for 600,000 participants and their families.
“The government is getting increasingly desperate to now deliver the savings they promised. They’ve already threatened the removal of children with an autism diagnosis from the NDIS, and now we see Bill Shorten threaten participant plans through stricter evaluation processes.”
Ends