Weatherill backflip exposes fraudulent campaign

The State Labor Government has performed a clear backflip today and is treating South Australians like mugs by pretending to provide a “new” pensioner concession in an embarrassing face saving exercise.

The truth is this is the pensioner concession for council rates by another name, and this move has exposed their multimillion dollar scare campaign as a fraud.

This backflip comes after a twelve month long scare campaign, disgracefully targeting South Australian pensioners.

It comes after millions of South Australian taxpayer dollars have been wasted attacking the Commonwealth over what was Labor’s own $100 million State Budget cut.

It comes after every other state and territory government have already announced they would be continuing this funding for pensioners without the hysterics.

And this decision comes directly after the Federal Budget provided a 30% increase in funding for South Australia, or $2.8 billion more over four years, including a 36% GST increase or $1.8 billion more.

If Mr Weatherill’s Government wants to use this Federal Budget windfall for pensioner concessions then that is a welcome development.

However, there is a suggestion significant numbers of pensioners currently receiving the concession may receive less or none at all. This would be a bitter blow after all of State Labor’s scaremongering.

With millions of taxpayer dollars wasted on attack ads, perhaps this funding could have provided the necessary funds to benefit all those currently entitled to the concession.

It’s about time Premier Weatherill stopped playing political games and started working with the Australian Government to build a stronger and more prosperous South Australia.