Joe Hockey gives emotional response to opinion polls over Federal Budget 2014

TREASURER Joe Hockey has attacked “silly populist games” by Budget critics as he defended it in the face of widespread condemnation.

Treasurer Joe Hockey addresses the Liberal National Party federal budget lunch, Plaza Ballroom, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, South Brisbane. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

TREASURER Joe Hockey today emotionally attacked “silly populist games” by Budget critics as he defended it in the face of widespread condemnation recorded by opinion polls.

Mr Hockey said the long-term objective of the financial statement was “doing what is right” to provide jobs and improve the quality of life for our children.

“That’s why we are in the game. We are not in politics to occupy the space,” Mr Hockey said.

“And we are not in politics to play silly populist games. We are about building a stronger future for our nation.’’

Mr Hockey said his job was to build the nation and not deliver policies “that might sound easy to the ear”.

And like his leader Prime Minister Tony Abbott, the Treasurer noted the “political pain” his government had suffered.

“We didn’t go through all the pain of politics and all the pain of elections and all the dark days of Opposition to get back into government and do things that might please people, that might sound easy on the ear,” he said.

“We did it to make a difference for our nation. To strengthen our nation. To strengthen our economy. To give people hope that tomorrow would be better than today.”

“We are not in politics to play silly populist games.” Photographer: Liam Kidston

Mr Abbott today confirmed he would not comply with a demand from premiers for an emergency Council of Australian Governments meeting to discuss the $80 billion lost by states in the Budget.

Speaking in Queensland, Mr Abbott said one strong critic, Premier Campbell Newman, was a friend, a fine man who was fighting for his state.

“But I’ve got to fight the nation’s corner. We’ve got to fix the Budget. We’ve got to fix the Budget,” he told reporters.

Mr Abbott said a problem had been left by the former Labor government and he would “address it purposefully, carefully, methodically, in a very moderate and measured way”.

“Part of addressing this is going to be fixing the Federation and that’s the great enterprise that I look forward to sharing with Campbell and the other premiers in the months and years ahead.”

Treasurer Hockey had the more emotional defence of Government spending cuts, saying “there is no choice”.

He said the Labor Opposition should “facilitate” the Budget measures otherwise the repair job would get harder.

“This will be difficult. We know it will be difficult. But we know it is right. And that’s why we must do what we are doing,” he said.

Originally published as Joe Hockey gives emotional response to opinion polls over Federal Budget 2014