“In Canberra, such a cynical Budget can only be countered by taking action in the Senate. It is time to get rid of our Liberal Senator and support a non-major party candidate such as Kim Rubenstein, David Pocock or the Greens,” writes political columnist MICHAEL MOORE.  

VOTERS should be irritated, angry even, over the Morrison federal Budget. It is not just the cynical timing of the Budget but the contemptuous attempt to use our taxpayers’ money to curry favour with certain elements of the population – particularly those in marginal seats.

Budgets are traditionally set in May. However, always with an ear to the marketing opportunity, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has extended this term as long as possible while, at the same time, setting up the opportunity to effectively purchase support for a return to government.

The disappointment from health groups has been a clear indicator that the Budget simply missed the mark. The government would like us to believe that the pandemic is over, health is under control and all is well in the world. And, moreover, would like us to believe that it was all due to the effective management of the Morrison government!

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) was sorely disappointed at the short-term approach and lack of vision of the government. 

AMA president Dr Omar Khorshid pointed to the nearly 200,000 Australians languishing on hospital waiting lists. He stated: “If you scratch the surface of this Budget, there is a lack of intent to address any of the issues that are affecting our healthcare system right now and which will be increasing problems in the future”.

The CEO of the Public Health Association of Australia, Adjunct Prof  Terry Slevin, slammed the Budget by saying it “deserves an F-minus”. He described it as “another missed opportunity to invest in public health and prevention”. 

The irony is that this criticism comes following two years of financial stress caused by decades of cuts to public health budgets and government failure to be appropriately prepared for a pandemic.

The government launched a “National Preventive Health Strategy 2021-2030” as recently as last December with a commitment to raise preventions spending to five per cent of the health budget. According to Slevin: “This Budget’s continued focus on treatment, expensive drugs, and tertiary health care must mean that the current rating of 1.7 per cent will actually be even less”.

Rather than the government understanding the impact of the pandemic and increasing spending on public health and prevention, according to the PHAA, “every year, we are promised ‘next year, it’ll come next year’. It still hasn’t come”.

The rorts and inappropriate expenditure that have plagued the Coalition since it came to power warrant serious investigation. It should not be surprising that fingers are already pointing towards government largesse designed to assist the government back into power.

The huge gap in this Budget is funding and serious commitment to establish a national integrity and anti-corruption commission. Such a commission frightens this government. They have had ample opportunity to fulfil the promise and establish an appropriate body to improve transparency, to root out corruption, to make integrity a key part of how politics is conducted in this country. But they have failed.

Instead of integrity – Australians have foisted on them a most cynical, vote-buying exercise in this Budget. Instead of looking to the future, offering a clear vision of what Australia could become, the Budget offers a few handouts to those people who live in electorates that have the power to swing governments.

As part of an election campaign Australians expect contesting parties to make promises and to let us know how they will be funded. However, using the Budget process as a tool for identifying short-term action that will appeal to the next election is hardly appropriate. 

There is no better example than the halving of the fuel excise for just six months – until after the election. Hardly a single economist thought this was a good idea. No doubt political polling suggested otherwise.

In Canberra, such a cynical effort can only be countered by taking action in the Senate. It is time to get rid of our Liberal Senator and support a non-major party candidate such as Kim Rubenstein, David Pocock or the Greens. 

Michael Moore is a former member of the ACT Legislative Assembly and an independent minister for health. He has been a political columnist with “CityNews” since 2006.