Abbott congratulates Indian PM-elect

PM Tony Abbott has congratulated his newly elected Indian counterpart on his landslide victory. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Tony Abbott has invited his newly-elected Indian counterpart to November's G20 summit in Brisbane.

Mr Abbott called Indian prime minister-elect Narendra Modi on Friday night to congratulate him on a resounding victory.

After a marathon six-week election for the world's biggest democracy, hardline Hindu nationalist Mr Modi is on track for the first parliamentary majority by a single party in 30 years.

Mr Abbott told Mr Modi he was looking forward to working with him.

13.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Police probe Vic woman truck jump

ANYONE who saw a woman jump from a moving truck on a Melbourne freeway, causing her serious injuries, is being urged to contact police.

The 30-year-old woman jumped out of the moving white 2002 Mitsubishi single cab tray truck on the Eastern Freeway in Kew on April 12, police say.

They believe she was travelling with a 35-year-old man about noon toward the city, when she jumped from the vehicle about 500 metres before the Chandler Road exit.

She was taken to the Royal Melbourne hospital for serious injuries.

Anyone who saw the truck, with JT Fencing signage, driving in the area prior to the incident should contact Crime Stoppers.

13.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cyclist killed in Qld collision

A CYCLIST has been killed after he was in a collision with a truck near the Gold Coast.

The crash occurred at Norwell, between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, about 9.15 am (AEST) on Saturday.

The cyclist, a 58-year-old man, died at the scene.

The truck driver wasn't injured.

The forensic crash unit is investigating.

13.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

PM, Treasurer hold ground on state cuts

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he's open to ideas from the premiers about tax reform. Source: AAP

TREASURER Joe Hockey says reversing an $80 billion federal budget saving on state school and hospitals funding would be reckless.

The premiers are pushing ahead with a crisis meeting in Sydney on Sunday despite Prime Minister Tony Abbott's efforts to calm them over budget cuts.

The Abbott government's first budget signalled an end to school and hospital agreements entered into between the states and the previous Labor government, saving $80 billion over the decade.

Mr Hockey told a business lunch in Brisbane on Friday that federal Labor leader Bill Shorten's budget reply speech promise to oppose the savings, as well as other measures, was "recklessness writ large".

"Our political opponents would have you believe there is no problem - they are just dead wrong," he said of the government's budget task.

Mr Abbott held a joint media conference with NSW Premier Mike Baird in Sydney after private talks to address the state Liberal leader's concerns over the budget.

Mr Baird said earlier in the week the budget was a "kick in the guts" to the people of NSW.

He told reporters on Friday that nothing had changed in terms of his concerns.

"We have a long-term challenge with our state finances across the country."

"What we need to do is constructively put ideas to the prime minister and federal treasurer."

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman - who will chair Sunday's meeting - has flagged a push for all the states to receive a portion of the income tax that comes from their residents, which would go to schools and hospitals.

"If the states and territories don't hang together on Sunday they will be hung separately by this federal government," he said.

Mr Abbott said he was happy the premiers were thinking about proposals they could put to the federal government, particularly on tax reform and improving the federation.

"I'm not interested in picking fights - I'm interested in finding pathways forward," he said.

The prime minister said federal funding of schools and hospitals would continue to grow but at a "sustainable rate", not at the same rate as Labor's "pie-in-the-sky" proposal.

ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher said she expected to lose about $1.3 billion in health funding.

"People will still arrive at the emergency department, they will still require operations, cancer treatment and renal dialysis - this decision simply shifts the burden to the states and territories," she said.

All state leaders are attending the meeting, except West Australian premier Colin Barnett who said "we're not panicking".

Mr Shorten has declared Labor will oppose deregulated university fees, the Medicare co-payment, the fuel tax rise, and hits to pensions and the dole.

Labor revealed figures from the National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling that shows a couple with a single income of $65,000 and two children in school will have more than $1700 cut from their annual budget.

Mr Abbott said "responsible" members of parliament would work with the government to pass the budget.

13.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rudd disgraced himself: installer's father

Former minister Greg Combet is set to front the inquiry into Labor's home insulation program. Source: AAP

THE father of a man killed under Labor's disastrous home insulation program says former prime minister Kevin Rudd's behaviour was disgraceful when he went to Canberra seeking answers over his son's death.

Kevin Fuller said he was in a meeting with then climate change minister Greg Combet discussing how his son, Matthew, was killed when Mr Rudd burst into the room.

Mr Fuller has told a royal commission that while Mr Combet was "very human", Mr Rudd "disgraced himself" in the meeting.

"It was the first time we met the prime minister," he said.

"Mr Combet was very professional and very human ... we left him and went to see (then opposition leader) Tony Abbott."

Mr Fuller applauded Mr Abbott for keeping his word and getting the royal commission off the ground.

In July last year, after a coroner found the rushed rollout of the scheme was a significant factor in three of the four installer deaths, Matthew's mother Christine Fuller went on national television to say she wanted Mr Rudd to "disappear".

Her comments came after Mr Rudd made a public apology to the dead men's families while he was overseas, in Jakarta.

The Fuller family went on to demand a face-to-face apology from the then prime minister, which ultimately occurred.

On Friday, Mr Fuller told the commission that losing their son had almost ripped them apart, while bringing them together at the same time.

"This has consumed my life," Mr Fuller told the inquiry.

"Getting to here today has eaten me up."

Mr Fuller revealed their disappointment at a senate inquiry that went nowhere and how they had to fight for a coronial inquest into their only son's death.

"It really shouldn't be that hard for some individual to get justice," he said, breaking down.

Mr Fuller described a long list of let-downs and disappointments in the regulatory system and at the hands of public officials he had encountered in his battle for justice.

"As just a father or just an Australian I expected the system would get off its arse, go and sort, go and find out, go and change things and make stuff happen," he said.

"Nobody did, nobody."

The death of the second installer, Rueben Barnes, 16, shattered the Fullers.

"What that did to us was kill us because we'd talked to them all between (the deaths of) Matt and Rueben and said 'do something, it's got to stop'," Mr Fuller said.

"They didn't do anything."

Meanwhile, the sister of Mr Barnes has fought back tears while describing the devastating effect his death had on her family.

"Being that we were such a close-knit family and all lived at home, it had such a devastating effect on our whole family," she said.

In her statement to the commission, Sunny Barnes said the company Rueben worked for, Arrow, was responsible at one level because "they chose to run their business badly in order to make a quick buck."

"However the option to run it this way was there thanks to the commonwealth government," she said.

13.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Man dies after NSW ultralight crash

A PILOT seriously injured in a western NSW crash that "completely destroyed" his ultralight aircraft has died in hospital.

It's believed the 35-year-old was preparing to land on a farm about 50km south of Ivanhoe, almost 400km east of Broken Hill, when he crashed on Friday morning.

"The plane was completely destroyed ... and will be examined by investigators," police said in a statement.

It's believed the man was using the ultralight to muster stock.

He was initially treated at the scene by paramedics for serious head, leg and ankle injuries before being taken to Ivanhoe Health Service but later died.

Police will prepare a report on the crash for the coroner.

13.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Historic Vic church cleaned out by thieves

THIEVES have cleaned out a historic Victorian church, stealing a 17th century antique and so many other valuable religious items that it is likely they needed a truck.

The 150-year-old church at Daylesford was robbed some time from noon on Tuesday and 9am on Wednesday when the theft was discovered.

"They've really taken an awful lot of stuff, really cleaned the place out," Vicar Jeff O'Hare, from Christ Church Anglican Church, told AAP on Thursday.

"Everything from the altar cross to our chairs, lecterns and candlesticks ... they've just been very systematic and thorough."

The stolen goods include a 17th century carved wooden screen with a centre print of the Virgin Mary, a 140-year-old antique mirror, a carved wooden eagle and a gem-encrusted cross made of silver and brass. Antique chairs, carved wooden lecterns and candelabra were also taken.

Fr O'Hare said the church door was occasionally left unlocked as he had an open-door policy, and while it was not locked on the night the thieves would have likely "jemmied the door anyway".

"This is not a 'passing by' thing, it is 'pull up a truck and let's load it up'," he said.

The robbery has hit the town hard, Fr O'Hare said, and he suspects the church was targeted by someone from outside the community and with links to the black market for antiques.

Detective Sergeant Tony Coxall said the items taken were worth more than $100,000, and a theft of such scale from a church was rare.

"A lot of the items stolen have been donations to the church in memoriam of family members that have passed on ... so they are sentimental, and irreplaceable," Sgt Coxall said.

"The items also have a very limited market so where they would go from here is anyone's guess."

Several thieves were likely involved, Sgt Coxall said, and it may have taken 30 minutes to load a large vehicle.

The church theft comes a month after thieves targeted a historic Victorian homestead, in Mount Martha, stealing an antique snuff box and other artefacts linked to Napoleon Bonaparte.

"I will have a look at it, but there is no link at this stage," Sgt Coxall said.

13.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Samsung apologises for chemical exposure

SOUTH Korean technology giant Samsung has apologised to employees who say they suffered cancer as a result of chemical exposure in its chip factories.

The world's largest producer of memory chips and mobile phones promised to pay compensation to survivors and relatives, marking an abrupt shift in Samsung's stance on the years-long movement to hold the company to account.

However, a Samsung spokesman said the apology was not an admission of a link between the chemicals used in its chip factories and cancer and other diseases that in many cases led to employee deaths.

"We could have been more diligent in addressing the hardship and sorrow of former employees and the families of the deceased," the company said in a statement on Wednesday.

According to the workers support group, Supporters for the Health And Rights of People in the Semiconductor industry (SHARPS), there have been 193 cases of illness among Samsung employees and those of its subsidiaries, of which 73 died.

Of this number, 146 worked at Samsung Electronics, 57 of whom died as a result.

The news comes several weeks after opposition politician Sim San Jeung, SHARPS and the families of victims urged Samsung to come up with measures to help its workers and prevent such cases in future.

Samsung announced that "in accordance to the proposal, all parties will discuss the set up of an impartial independent mediating group", which, among other things, will determine the amount of compensation.

13.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Councils push for smoke-free Aust cities

Melbourne's CBD could become smoke-free after a cigarette ban in a laneway was dubbed a success. Source: AAP

A BID to make Melbourne one of the world's first smoke-free CBDs has won some support in other Australian capitals, though even anti-smoking groups say it's unworkable.

It's a concept backed by the lord mayor of the City of Perth, where from June people can be fined $100 for smoking in city malls.

Melbourne City Councillor Richard Foster says after successfully trialling a smoking ban in a CBD lane, The Causeway, six more areas will be banned in the next financial year.

He says the final step would be a smoking ban in the CBD.

"We would be the first smoke-free city in the world," Mr Foster told reporters on Thursday.

"So, this is going to be a great example of how Melbourne can lead ... on wellbeing and on health."

Victorian Premier Denis Napthine said it would be impossible to implement.

"I think it's totally unworkable. I think it's totally unreasonable," he told Fairfax Radio.

Quit Victoria and the Heart Foundation say making the CBD smoke-free would be difficult, and a statewide ban on smoking in outdoor and dining and drinking areas would be preferable.

"A total ban on smoking in the CBD may be difficult or impractical to enforce and smoking shelters could create ghettos," Craig Sinclair from Quit Victoria said.

Sydney City Council supports a ban on smoking in its CBD but doesn't have the power to penalise offenders, a spokeswoman said.

Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore wants the state government to implement smoking bans to ensure they are uniform across all councils, she said.

NSW Premier Mike Baird said the government will take the possibility on board.

"I'm not someone that enjoys running through cigarettes - that's for sure," he told reporters.

The City of Perth became the first West Australian council to ban smoking in major pedestrian areas when its malls went smoke-free last November.

Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi, who said there was a lot of public support for the ban, wants to ultimately outlaw smoking entirely in the CBD.

Queensland Health Minister Lawrence Springborg wants smoke-free areas such as Brisbane's Queen Street Mall expanded, though he expects he will face resistance.

"We already have among the toughest laws in the country and they will be further strengthened over time, to actually save people and reduce the burden on public health," he told AAP.

13.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

How to become a thought leader

BEING a 'thought leader' can help accelerate careers and attract customers.

A thought leader is regarded as an authority in their field and is someone whom others follow.

The question is: How do you become one? Especially as it is a title that can only credibly be bestowed by your peers, and not one you can give yourself.

As chief executive of Thought Leadership Lab, Denise Brosseau specialises in helping executives and business owners become thought leaders in their chosen fields and has seen the careers and businesses take off as a consequence.

She focuses on how do you become someone who can move and inspire others with innovative ideas, and turn those ideas into reality.

She says - in her book Ready to Be a Thought Leader: How to Increase Your Influence, Impact, and Success - that to earn the thought leader moniker, it's not enough to simply be good at what you do, or even be the best at what you do.

It also requires originality and reach.

Put another way, the best watchmaker in the land is not necessarily a thought leader, but the person who is advocating for the 100-minute hour and successfully gaining converts to their new time-telling system most definitely is.

Her approach involves a series of steps, all built on the foundation of identifying your arena. She encourages clients to begin their journey by identifying their "intersection point," which is where their interests, expertise, credibility and commitment all line up.

Where to begin: Think about the industry you're in. What are the current standards? And where does your point of view differ from this majority view?

What possibility excites you so much that you would risk offending people in order to spread the word?

What are you already known for? When you Google yourself, what keywords and themes emerge from the results? What do you write, blog, post and tweet about?

Test yourself: Brosseau poses the following as a way of assessing your readiness to move forward on the thought leadership path:

* I can clearly define my niche, the area in which I want to be the recognised, go-to person.

* I have a clear view of the future that I'd like to bring about.

* I focus on big ideas that inspire and engage others.

* I understand the key trends in my industry or field and align my efforts with those trends.

Once you find your driving passion, you're ready for next steps, which include building your platform, codifying your ideas and intellectual property, and passing the baton to others.

Ultimately, successful thought leaders leave behind a legacy of a changed world.

13.24 | 0 komentar | Read More

Speaker boots 100th Labor MP

House of Representatives Speaker Bronwyn Bishop has booted out her 100th Labor MP. Source: AAP

BRONWYN Bishop has scored a century, booting out her 100th Labor MP.

The Speaker's auspicious achievement came during a rowdy post-budget question time as Labor MPs launched a barrage of questions about the impact of the budget.

Labor backbencher Terri Butler had been warned for interjecting while Treasurer Joe Hockey was speaking.

Her ejection came after one interjection too many as Prime Minister Tony Abbott spoke about the budget.

Manager of opposition business Tony Burke noted Ms Butler was the 100th Labor MP ejected from the house, against nil coalition members.

"If you had 100 members you'd be in government and sitting on this side. You simply have some recurrent offenders," Mrs Bishop replied.

Under the House of Representative standing orders, the Speaker can eject disorderly members from the chamber for an hour.

13.24 | 0 komentar | Read More

Rudd arrives to front insulation inquiry

FORMER prime minister Kevin Rudd has arrived at a royal commission to give evidence about his government's disastrous home insulation program.

Mr Rudd walked through the front doors of the Brisbane Magistrates Court complex about 4pm (AEST).

He did not speak to awaiting media.

Mr Rudd is expected to take the stand as soon as former environment minister Peter Garrett finishes giving evidence.

Mr Garrett has accepted "ultimate responsibility" for the Rudd government stimulus program, which has been linked to the deaths of four installers and 224 house fires.

But he insists everyone involved in the scheme had a responsibility to minimise risks and public servants failed to warn him of significant safety flaws.

Former senator Mark Arbib, the first senior Labor figure to give evidence at the inquiry, said his sole responsibility was to sell the program that was rolled out in 2009.

Mr Rudd is expected to be grilled about what warnings he received about the scheme.

He's also likely to be pressed about its rushed introduction, including revelations two public servants were given just two days to secretly cost it.

Mr Rudd will be represented by one of Australia's leading silks at the $20 million inquiry.

Bret Walker SC has represented many high-profile clients, including the Finks motorcycle club and NRL player Greg Bird.

13.24 | 0 komentar | Read More

Stretching the marketing dollar

IF there's one thing I know a lot about, it's "champagne marketing on a beer budget".

Old marketing strategies are no longer cost-effective, but fortunately, there are new approaches that require surprisingly little time or money.

QUESTION: I've got a small retail business, and I don't have a lot of time or money to spend on marketing. I've got a great product that people love, but they can't buy it if they don't know I'm here. How can I get the most bang for my buck?

ANSWER: Your prospects are looking for you on Google, but how can make sure that they can find you? Alfred Poor, author of Power Marketing for Small Business, offers some excellent advice.

Your link must appear on the first page of the search results because people rarely click past the first page. The first link in search results gets about one-third of all clicks, according to a study last year from web advertising company Chitika. The second link gets about half that, and links on the next page get one per cent or less of clicks.

You have to be on the first page. The easiest way to do this is to add video to your web page. It does not have to be fancy or funny or go viral; just share some useful information.

OK, but video is expensive, right? Wrong. In fact, it can be much cheaper - in both time and money - that many marketing strategies you might use already such as newspaper ads or direct mail pieces. You can hire a professional videographer to shoot and edit a three- to five-minute video for a few hundred dollars, and you can post it for free on YouTube. From there, your webmaster can add it to your page in just minutes.

13.24 | 0 komentar | Read More

Double budget whammy for NT

THE Northern Territory government has denied it is trying to avoid scrutiny by releasing its budget on the same day as the federal budget on Tuesday.

The Country Liberals' timing of their budget to be released on the same day as Canberra's is unusual, says Opposition Leader and former treasurer Delia Lawrie.

"It occurred last year with the CLP scrambling to avoid scrutiny; they're backing that up by trying to hide under interest in the federal budget again this year," Ms Lawrie told reporters on Monday.

She said she was most concerned about cuts to the public service, education and health service delivery.

"We're hearing about increases to fuel costs coming out of Canberra, which would be a huge hit to territorians already struggling under the weight of hefty power and water bills, and an out-of-touch CLP treasurer who's just taken home ownership even further out of reach of territorians by scrapping the first home owners' grant for people trying to buy into the existing housing market."

The changes to the grant - which has been cut from $12,000 to nothing for those buying existing homes, and increased to $26,000 for those buying new properties - were necessary to stimulate the building sector, said Treasurer Dave Tollner.

He said the NT is never really able to time its budget to have time to factor in federal spending.

"There's still belt-tightening measures in this budget but having said that, there is still sunshine," he said.

"Tough decisions" would help to address the NT's debt and secure a stable future for the children, he said, but the NT is on track to balance the $6 billion budget by 2017/18.

Ms Lawrie accused the government of pork-barrelling to the tune of $80 million in the lead up to last month's Blain by-election, something which Mr Tollner rejected.

"I flatly deny that this government is pork barrelling; we put the money where it's needed and this budget continues that," he said.

He also promised there would be no job cuts "at all" in Tuesday's budget.

13.24 | 0 komentar | Read More

Vic baby killer 'should get life in jail'

Prosecutors say the savage murder of a baby by a Victorian burglar demands a life sentence. Source: AAP

A VICTORIAN man who murdered a 10-month-old baby while committing a burglary should get life in jail for the "evil killing", prosecutors say.

Harley Hicks, 21, of North Bendigo, bashed baby Zayden Veal-Whitting more than 30 times about the face and head with a home-made baton made of copper wire wrapped in tape.

Prosecutor Michelle Williams SC said baby Zayden must have been disturbed by Hicks but posed no real threat to him.

"We consider what he did was an extreme, extreme way to respond to any thought of self-preservation, to react in such a violent way," she told the Victorian Supreme Court, sitting in Bendigo, on Monday.

"It almost has no explanation."

Zayden's mother Casey Veal said she and her older son Xavier would never recover.

"I may stand before you alive and breathing but I'm but a shadow of my former self," she wrote in a victim impact statement read to the court.

"This also has denied Xavier the mother he once knew.

"We both died that day. Xavier lost not only his brother but his true mother."

Ms Williams told Justice Stephen Kaye the prosecution wanted a life sentence with a non-parole period.

"I will repeat that it is an evil killing without any rational explanation, so we will maintain our submission for a life sentence, however we say that it is appropriate for your honour to apply a minimum sentence."

She said a minimum term is consistent with sentences involving the murder of children including that of Robert Farquharson, who drowned his three sons in a car on Father's Day in 2005.

Defence barrister David Gallowes agreed with the gravity of Hicks' crime but said his client's consumption of alcohol, marijuana and ice before it might have contributed to its ferocity.

"There is some prospect of rehabilitation even if the prognosis is poor," Mr Gallowes said.

Ms Williams said Hicks had an extensive criminal record, with nine court appearances before his murder trial dating back to 2007 for crimes including wilful damage, thefts and burglaries.

She said Hicks breached almost all of the orders, including good behaviour bonds and community corrections orders, given to him.

Mr Gallowes said Hicks' parents separated when he was eight and neither offered an appropriate home environment.

Hicks drifted into drug and alcohol abuse and was sexually abused as a teenager, the court heard.

A psychological exam found Hicks had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, a conduct disorder and an anti-social personality disorder.

Hicks was found guilty of murder, aggravated burglary and two counts of theft amid a robbery spree in the Bendigo suburb of Long Gully early on June 15, 2012.

Hicks will be sentenced on a date to be fixed.

13.24 | 0 komentar | Read More

Qld girl's abductors known to family

A GROUP of people who abducted a two-year-old girl from her father's house southwest of Brisbane are known to her family.

Bella Rose Goulding was taken from a house at Willowbank, near Ipswich, on Saturday night.

Acting Inspector Alison Jewell said three men and a woman abducted the toddler from the home, where she was temporarily staying.

"We believe that Bella is in the company of people who are known to the family," she told reporters outside Yamanto police station.

"However, we still hold concerns for her safety."

The 8pm abduction occurred on Sancroft Street, which is near a park and the Cunningham Highway.

The girl's father Steven declined to speak publicly on Sunday.

Witnesses saw the abductors in a white Holden Commodore and a silver Mitsubishi sedan.

Bella is described as Caucasian with blue eyes and blonde, curly hair.

Insp Jewell said there weren't any specific child safety issues but declined to say if her mother was among the people who abducted the girl or with whom she lived permanently.

"We are consistently getting information from the public and we're following all those leads," she said.

13.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pollie pay freeze a stunt: seniors

A PAY freeze for federal politicians is a stunt say seniors, who face increased healthcare costs and pension changes in the federal budget.

Treasurer Joe Hockey on Sunday confirmed the government would seek to freeze the salaries of federal politicians and senior public servants for a year in the budget.

The measure could cost the prime minister, who earns an annual salary of $500,000, an estimated $10,000, while the average backbencher would miss out on an estimated $3900.

"We've got to send a very clear message to the electorate that whatever we are asking the electorate to contribute to the budget repair task, we are going to contribute ourselves as well," Mr Hockey told the Nine Network on Sunday.

But the measure was rejected as a stunt by National Seniors Australia, who said it showed politicians were increasingly out of touch with those struggling on a fixed income.

Seniors are facing the introduction of a GP co-payment and higher costs for subsidised medicines in the budget, as well as possible changes to the indexation of pensions.

"They'll (seniors) be quite cynical about it - I think they can see through stunts of this kind," National Seniors chief Michael O'Neill told AAP.

"I don't think this measure will increase in any way politicians awareness of the struggles that people face."

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said he was "up for a politicians pay freeze".

But shadow treasurer Chris Bowen said the move wouldn't appease voter anger over what is shaping as a tough budget.

"If he thinks that freezing his salary is going to make Australians feel better about pension cuts, tax rises and other changes, I think he's kidding himself," he told ABC TV.

Liberal frontbencher Scott Morrison said the move would have the support of Mr Abbott's coalition colleagues.

The prime minister has written to the Independent Remuneration Tribunal seeking the pay freeze.

13.23 | 0 komentar | Read More

Cuts, but Hockey also plans roads and jobs

AFTER weeks of being flayed for the potential nasties in Tuesday's budget, Joe Hockey has tried to cool concerns with a plan to boost jobs.

The treasurer's first budget will contain a six-year road building plan in excess of $80 billion, which Mr Hockey believes will create tens of thousands of jobs and prevent unemployment hitting the 6.25 per cent rate predicted by the previous Labor government.

"We are going to do everything we can to make sure we never get there," he told Channel Nine on Sunday.

He also confirmed that Prime Minister Tony Abbott had written to the Independent Remuneration Tribunal to freeze the salaries of politicians and senior public servants for a year.

It means they'll miss out on a 2.4 per cent increase while also paying a new deficit levy on all high income earners.

"We've got to send a very clear message to the electorate that whatever we are asking the electorate to contribute to the budget repair task, we are going to contribute ourselves as well," Mr Hockey said.

His comments came as a new opinion poll showed Labor being backed by an election-winning 54 per cent of voters, against 46 per cent for the coalition.

People are strongly opposed to key budget measures that include lifting the pension age to 70 and a co-payment for doctor visits.

Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the quality of health care shouldn't depend on someone's credit card, and he flagged that Labor wouldn't make life easy for the government.

"We see no point in a petrol tax, a GP tax, a hospital tax," he told reporters in Melbourne.

"We think it takes Australia down a very sick and sorry path where some Australians will not get the medical care they need because Tony Abbott is putting pressure on their budgets and on their cost of living."

Government frontbencher Jamie Briggs has conceded it will be a "very difficult" budget to sell to both the general public and to get through the parliament.

"We didn't create this mess but we are going to take the responsibility to fix it," the assistant infrastructure minister told Sky News.

Mr Hockey refuses to accept that initiatives - in what he is calling his "contribute and build" budget - would be breaking an election promise.

Some initiatives include a deficit levy on high income earners and an increased fuel excise but Mr Hockey said: "We never said we were going to never change a tax or alter a tax".

He said if the government went down the road of raising fuel excise, which has been frozen since 2001, the revenue would go into roads.

The commonwealth would contribute in excess of $40 billion to its roads plan, which Mr Hockey said would be matched by the states and the private sector.

He said the budget would be fixed in a structural manner, but at the same time stimulate economic growth and address the significant drop off in mining investment.

"Everything we are doing on Tuesday night is going to be about jobs and about prosperity," Mr Hockey said.

13.23 | 0 komentar | Read More