The announcement by the Gillard Government that it intends to scrap its planned, new family tax benefits to thousands of local families was another broken promise to the people of La Trobe said Jason Wood, Candidate for La Trobe.

1. LOSS OF FAMILY TAX BENEFIT: ANOTHER BROKEN PROMISE SAYS JASON
WOOD
The announcement by the Gillard Government that it intends to scrap its planned, new family
tax benefits to thousands of local families was another broken promise to the people of La
Trobe said Jason Wood, Candidate for La Trobe.
“Labor trumpeted its claim they were ‘spreading the benefits of the boom’ – and now we find
it’s another broken promise.
“This family benefit would have provided $300 to eligible families with one child, and $600
to families with two children or more.
“After the May budget last year Prime Minister Julia Gillard came to La Trobe at a
community cabinet and told our community that those under Family Tax Benefit A would
receive an additional $110.”
“Laura Smyth also stated in a release at the same time that they were increasing family
payments by up to $600 for more than 12,000 local families. Another broken promise by
Laura Smyth and Julia Gillard made directly to the people of La Trobe.”
“Local families are experiencing the impact of Labor’s Budget chaos. With days until the
Budget, we know that gross debt is approaching $300 billion and that Labor has lost control
of the Budget.
“This broken promise is in fact a ‘two-for one’ broken promise – at the last election, Labor
promised company tax cuts for businesses and then took them away last year saying the
money would go to provide family payments instead. Now those family payments have been
taken away before they were meant to start.
Jason Wood said the real message that La Trobe families would take away from the
Government’s decision is that Labor can’t be trusted to keep its promises or honour its word.
“Labor promised no carbon tax, a Budget surplus, 500,000 new jobs and increased family
payments – and every one of these promises has been broken.
“At the same time Labor has run up almost $300 billion in gross debt and Australians are
now paying about $7 billion in interest on Labor’s debt. At the same time, Labor has
increased or created 30 taxes, including the carbon tax, mining tax and new super taxes.
Jason Wood said only the Coalition had the plan, experience and discipline to return the
Budget to sustainable surpluses, reduce debt and provide real support to local families to help
them get ahead again.