THIS week’s federal budget and the months that follow provide Prime Minister Tony Abbott with the best opportunity to prove whether he is in the running for next year’s election.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
One thing is for certain, the government will not deliver a budget as harsh as that presented in 2014.
This can be attributed to the fact that few of the more controversial policies put forth by this government have managed to make their way through the Senate.
Any federal budget must be weighed in two ways.
Firstly, the long-term vision of the country needs to be considered. Secondly, that must be balanced against what impact it will have on the individual.
The ultimate goal is to have the best result long term for Australia.
The problem with last year’s budget was that the balance was all wrong and therefore it was poorly received.
It is fair to say the Abbott government has copped its share of flack since being elected and it hasn’t been able to change public sentiment much since then.
Each budget presents a new chance for the embattled government – this one more than ever.
We are now halfway into the Coalition government’s term and before we know it, we will be facing an election race yet again.
That race should be based on the Prime Minister’s legacy – right now that is almost nothing.
With very few of the government’s harsh measures passing the Senate, this government must switch quickly to a more measured approach and be open to negotiations with the myriad of minor parties and even the Labor Party if it is to stand a chance of being re-elected. Public sentiment is begging for a government that gets the job done rather than the continual arguing Australians are subjected to.
The time is now for Tony Abbott to make changes, otherwise the end of 2016 will roll around and the Coalition may have nothing to show for three years in government.
And it will be pretty obvious how that will be received by the electorate.
