Opposition finance spokesperson Jane Hume has defended the decision to match Labor’s key spending proposals on health and energy, arguing the cash splashes are needed to solve problems the government created.
Speaking to ABC’s Afternoon Briefing, Hume was asked how the Coalition can criticise government spending while committing to many of Labor’s most expensive policies, including the $8.5 billion expansion of bulk billing expensive, and $150 energy rebates for every household.
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“We backed health reforms because there is a bulk billing crisis. We backed energy relief because of problems in the energy system that they have made,” Hume said.
“Ordinary Australians are paying the price in their pockets because of Labor’s failed policies.”
Hume continued that the Coalition had opposed around $100 billion of proposed government spending.
“We haven’t backed in the government on all of the spending measures, far from it,” she said.
“We want fiscal restraint. We have been saying that for three years.”
