The Treasurer’s pre-budget address today has offered no solutions for the cost of living crisis and rising tax burden he has made worse over the past three years.

Just a day after getting caught not knowing the tax figures from his own budget, the Treasurer offered nothing but excuses for why Australia’s economy will only flounder under three more years of Labor.

During his 30-minute address, the Treasurer spent more time debating commentators and fighting the Opposition than talking about fighting for Australian families.

This is a Treasurer who spins statistics but his priorities are defending his own record, instead of delivering for Australian families, small businesses and aspiring first home owners.

The Treasurer failed to outline a plan to restore prosperity and hope for these forgotten Australians, and is instead preoccupied with telling Australians they have never had it so good.

Under Labor, our economy is weak, inflation and interest rates have stayed too high for too long, housing is unaffordable, and our country is less safe because this government has failed to prioritise managing the issues that matter.

Three things we learnt from the Treasurer’s address today:

• Another five point plan, no new policy: confirming Labor never planned to do a budget.
• More government spending, no private sector recovery: not a single policy priority to support the recovery of the private sector which has been crowded out by Labor’s big spending programs.  
• Secret slush funds for campaign policies: confirming Labor’s budget is a plan for re-election over the next five weeks, not an economic plan to rebuild Australians’ living standards over the next five years.

Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor said that the address showed that this is a Treasurer who refuses to admit that Australians are worse off after three years and three bad Labor budgets.

“There is nothing soft about this landing and Australian families feel it every day,” Mr Taylor said.

“Labor has been focused on the wrong priorities and has put Australia at the back of the pack compared to other advanced economies.

“Jim Chalmers has overseen the largest collapse in living standards in our history. No other developed nation has suffered a decline in living standards anywhere near the magnitude of Australia.

“This election will be about who can better manage our economy to help Australians get ahead.

“The Coalition’s plan will deliver a stronger economy with low inflation, and affordable homes in safer communities.”

ENDS.