No record and no plan – just more relentless negativity

Kevin Rudd continues to wheel out a negative and false scare campaign because he has no record to stand on and no vision for the future. Mr Rudd spent most of his time in television interviews this morning repeating his dishonest attacks on the Coalition. Asked a total of nine questions on the Today Show and Sunrise this morning, Mr Rudd devoted six to negative attacks against the Coalition and mentioned Tony Abbott 15 times in less than 15 minutes. Mr Rudd’s scares are becoming increasingly hysterical. Labor’s claims cannot be believed. Instead of repeating these feeble lies, Mr Rudd should be telling Australians how he is going to generate jobs or grow the economy. Any remaining shred of credibility that the Labor Party had was destroyed last week when Labor’s attempt to argue – and keep arguing – a $10 billion ‘hole’ in the Coalition’s $31 billion of carefully analysed savings was destroyed. Only the Coalition has a positive plan to generate jobs and grow the economy, build a stronger Australia and a better future. The Coalition offers real change and will deliver a genuinely united government and a better future for all Australians. CLAIM: “Your viewers who are concerned about their jobs and their job security and whether there will be any changes to their penalty rates and overtime, if Mr Abbott’s elected.” FACT: The Coalition will keep and improve Labor’s Fair Work laws. Under our policy, no Australian worker will be worse off and businesses will be encouraged to grow. Tony Abbott has guaranteed that the Coalition won’t change penalty rates or overtime payments. Penalty rates and overtime payments will continue to be a matter for Fair Work Australia. CLAIM: “If you are worried about funding to your local hospital, because he [Tony Abbott] has cut a billion dollars worth of funding to hospitals before.” FACT: As Health Minister, Mr Abbott increased funding for public hospitals from $7.49 billion in 2003-04 to $9.76 billion in 2007-08. In contrast, Mr Rudd is cutting $1.6 billion from State hospitals through the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook. CLAIM: “The future of your schools given he [Tony Abbott] is going to take $8 billion out of the Better Schools Plan.” FACT: The Coalition will match Labor dollar for dollar on education spending over the forward estimates. CLAIM: “Our plans are out there. They are fully costed, building schools, building hospitals, building jobs.” FACT: Labor has yet to release all of its policy costings. This is consistent with their behaviours in 2007 and 2010 when they waited until the last 24 hours to deliver all of their costings. CLAIM: “I get quite concerned when I hear such simplistic analyses of what is going on in Syria.” FACT: Tony Abbott’s statements reflect the fact that the situation in Syria is nuanced and there are unsavoury elements on both sides of the conflict. Both President Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron have used the phrase ‘the bad guys’ in the past. CLAIM: “His [Tony Abbott’s] quite ridiculous policy not to turn back the boats, but to buy back the boats.” FACT: The Coalition has a comprehensive plan to stop the boats. This includes turning back boats where it is safe to do so. The buyback in only a small element of the Coalition’s plan which tackles people smuggling at every step along the chain. Since Kevin Rudd dismantled the Howard Government’s policy, arrivals have exceeded 50,000 people. CLAIM: “He [Tony Abbott] seems to have now found money for the future of the Indonesian boat building industry, but not for the Australian car industry.” FACT: The Coalition has already committed to ongoing support for the auto industry and the original quantum in the Automotive Transformation Scheme. Mr Abbott has said that he wants the industry not just to survive but to prosper. The Coalition will also not proceed with Labor’s $1.8 billion FBT hit on cars. CLAIM: “What I’m fighting for in the election is their jobs, their job security, their pay and conditions, their overtime, their penalty rates” FACT: Tony Abbott has guaranteed that the Coalition won’t change penalty rates or overtime payments which will continue to be a matter for Fair Work Australia. The Coalition will also keep and improve Labor’s Fair Work laws. Under our policy, no Australian worker will be worse off and businesses will be encouraged to grow. CLAIM: “Whether their funding is kept up for their schools or whether there is going to be slash and burn to their hospitals...” FACT: The Coalition will match Labor dollar for dollar on education spending over the forward estimates. Mr Abbott has made it clear that health funding will be maintained, not cut, under the Coalition. CLAIM: “whether they’re going to get broadband in their suburb” FACT: The Coalition will complete the construction of the NBN. The Coalition will deliver faster broadband sooner and at vastly less cost to taxpayers. Within three years the Coalition’s NBN will deliver broadband speeds, at least five times faster than the current average, for $60 billion less than Labor’s version. CLAIM: “I’m concerned about the families watching this program this morning and their pay packets for the future”. FACT: Tony Abbott has guaranteed that the Coalition won’t change penalty rates or overtime payments which will continue to be a matter for Fair Work Australia. The Coalition will also keep and improve Labor’s Fair Work laws. Under our policy, no Australian worker will be worse off and businesses will be encouraged to grow. CLAIM: “Their [the Opposition’s] $70 billion worth of cuts to jobs, health and education” FACT: Kevin Rudd is basing the $70 billion figure on a discredited document released by Chris Bowen and Penny Wong on 3 August 2013. Independent fact checking organisations have found that Labor’s claims are “not credible”, and “false”, yet Mr Rudd continues to peddle them. The Coalition will match Labor dollar for dollar on education spending over the forward estimates. Mr Abbott has made it clear that health funding will be maintained, not cut, under the Coalition. The Coalition has also committed to creating two million new jobs within the next decade. In contrast, Labor’s own figures show Australia is headed for 800,000 unemployed under its policies. CLAIM: “don’t vote for Mr Abbott because he’s not going to tell you the truth about them [cuts] before election day.” FACT: Tony Abbott has promised to release details of all Coalition spending and promises later this week, before the election. 2 September 2013