Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten officially launched Labor’s new Cost of Living Caucus Committee yesterday, said Catherine King, Federal Member for Ballarat.
“I urge families, pensioners, students, small business and charities in Ballarat to attend a forum or make a submission to the new Cost of Living Committee,” Ms King said.
“Labor wants to hear directly from you about cost of living pressures, and what can be done to address them.”
“The Abbott Government, through their Budget, will make it even harder for Australians to make ends meet.”
“They are putting more pressure on pensioners, more pressure on low and middle income families and more pressure on our young people.”
“The Government should be part of the solution, not part of the problem.”
“We want to see more support for the most vulnerable in our community, not more costs that will force them into a downward spiral.”
The Abbott Government is committed to delivering its unfair Budget measures including:
- A GP Tax and more expensive medicines that will cost sick Australians
- More expensive petrol that will cost families every time they fuel up the car
- Pension cuts that will cost older Australians
- $100,000 degrees that will cost young Australians
And it wants to go even further with tax increases and cuts to services.
“Labor wants to bring back a fair go and help ease the financial pressure on households, but we want to hear from you.”
Labor’s Cost of Living Caucus Committee will conduct listening events across the country to hear directly about the financial pressures Australians are facing and ideas on how they can be eased.
The Committee has been established as part of Labor’s policy development program and will inform future Labor policy.
Submissions can be lodged on the website www.alp.org.au/costofliving