MEDIA RELEASE: IN TONY ABBOTT’S OWN WORDS

Shadow Finance Minister Tony Burke today called on the Prime Minister to walk the walk in relation his 2010 comment about the Henry Tax review, when he said:

 “Issues of great moment for Australia’s economic future and for the welfare of Australia’s families should not be hidden by this Government and I call on the Government to release the Henry Review immediately.”

Tony Abbott – Doorstop – 23 April 2010

Mr Burke said it was time the Prime Minister backed up his words with actions and released his Government’s Commission of Audit report well in advance of the Western Australian senate election.

“Mr Abbott should back up his words with actions, stop the secrecy and release his Government’s Commission of Audit report,” Mr Burke said.

“His comment about the importance of releasing issues ‘of great moment for Australia’s economic future’ is even more relevant today in the lead up to the Western Australian senate by-election.

Mr Burke’s comments come on the back of calls from Commission of Audit Chief Tony Shepherd who told Sky News that publishing the report is: “a good idea.”

Mr Burke said Western Australians deserve to know what’s in Tony Abbott’s 900-pages of hidden cuts before they cast their vote on April 5, and that the document had been on Mr Abbott’s desk for well over a month.

“The fact that Tony Abbott is yet to release his 900-pages of hidden cuts is further evidence of the Government saying one thing and now planning the exact opposite.

“There can only be one reason that Mr Abbott wants to keep his plans secret. The cuts he has planned will hurt. He knows it and he doesn’t want the people of Western Australia to know it until after they've voted.”