After presenting a budget aimed at assisting households with rising costs, the federal government is now defending the scope of its support measures. The promise of a $300 rebate on energy bills for everyone, coupled with tax incentives for new green energy projects, has sparked a debate over the distribution of financial aid and whether it should be targeted to those who need it most. National Affairs Editor Melissa Clarke will provide more insights into this ongoing debate.
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00:00 From the early hours of the morning, it was lights, camera, action for the Federal Government,
00:10 having handed down a budget forecasting lower inflation and offering assistance with household
00:16 costs.
00:17 More help is on the way for people who are doing it tough.
00:20 The help is spread broadly.
00:22 All households will get a $300 rebate off their energy bills and all income earners
00:28 will get a tax cut at an average of $1,900.
00:33 A more targeted initiative is increasing the maximum rate of rent assistance by 10%.
00:40 The prospect of high income earners benefiting from energy bill relief has angered some.
00:46 First priority was to deal with the cost of living and if you were serious about that
00:50 you would have put people with the least first.
00:53 Because this relief is delivered via the retailers, they don't have information about people's
00:58 incomes.
01:00 The opposition leader was up early too with his own concerns about the energy bill plan.
01:06 The government wants to buy itself an interest rate reduction coming up to the election.
01:10 But pressed on whether the coalition would support it?
01:13 We will.
01:14 But the coalition is not backing the Federal Government's plan to help the global transition
01:19 to net zero emissions by offering nearly $14 billion in tax incentives for production of
01:25 critical minerals and green hydrogen.
01:28 Why is the Prime Minister spending $13.7 billion on tax credits for billionaires at a time
01:34 when ordinary Australian battlers are struggling to make ends meet?
01:39 I mean spare us the faux outrage.
01:43 Spare us the faux class warfare over there Mr Speaker.
01:47 The future made in Australia policy aims to make the country a green energy superpower.
01:54 Labor's decided critical minerals and hydrogen are the best bet for taxpayer support.
02:00 But the industry will be looking for bipartisanship before making long term investments.
02:05 [BLANK_AUDIO]