“There were some terrible employment figures released over the weekend, particularly in Tasmania.
“This goes to the heart of Tony Abbott’s budget strategy. It’s a failed budget strategy. There’s no use trying to tinker around the edges with a bit of adjustment here and there.
“Tony Abbott is choosing to take money from the poor, the sick, the elderly, the unemployed and leave his friends at the big end of town accumulating more and more wealth.
He needs to go back and actually asked the question: Who can afford to contribute more in terms of revenue? That is what he has to ask, and not attack the sick, the poor, the young and the unemployed.
“On those unemployment figures in Tasmania, Tony Abbott needs to stop and think.
“His attack on the renewable energy target is a direct attack on jobs in Tasmania.
“Already, abandoning the carbon price will cost the Hydro something like $200 million in terms of projected profit.
“Not only that, 100 jobs are going in the Hydro, there are cuts to jobs in the Antarctic division and in the CSIRO in Tasmania.
“We need those science jobs, they are the future for Tasmania, not slashing all of that investment and support in climate science and in renewable energy.”
Australian Greens Leader Christine Milne
