Opinion: Tony Abbott’s zombie measures to get Budget chop

TUESDAY’S Budget looks set to once and for all dump Tony Abbott’s so-called zombie measures and instead focus on pragmatism and reward.

Treasurer Scott Morrison will try to pique the attention of the apathetic and irritated voter in Tuesday’s Budget. Picture: Ray Strange

MALCOLM Turnbull and Scott Morrison have found their inner John Howard and Peter Costello. Mark Tuesday night as the Back to the Future Budget.

The Turnbull Government’s second Budget looks set to once and for all dump Tony Abbott’s so-called zombie measures – they will be killed, buried and cremated.

And instead of being a manifesto decrying debt and deficit, and scaring the bejesus out of many Australians with a razor gang on speed, Tuesday night will be about pragmatism and reward.

Dubbed a “practical” Budget by the Treasurer, Mr Morrison will try to pique the attention of the apathetic and irritated voter by unveiling cheaper medicines, cheaper doctors’ visits, and measures to drive down the cost of rent while helping wannabe first-home buyers to save for a deposit.

The first one-off payments to pensions will come within weeks to help pay the power bill when the mercury dips.

These are the things real people talk about.

When John Howard was in office, he made a point of “cleaning off the barnacles”, dumping policies that slowed down the Coalition ship. He wasn’t afraid of a backdown or a backflip, as long as he felt he had the public’s backing.

As prime minister, John Howard was astute about cost-of-living pressures felt by Australian families. Picture: Richard Dobson

Above all, the then-prime minister was astute about cost-of-living pressures felt by Australian families.

And Mr Costello knew how to sell the measures. Both knew Australians are myopic and supersensitive when it comes to their wallet.

Queenslanders also had an affinity for Mr Howard. During the height of his success, Queensland was all but ground zero for the so-called Howard battlers. Queenslanders understood John Howard and John Howard understood them.

Every Budget night, no matter who is in power, Australians want to know, “What’s in it for me?”

When the Coalition booted Labor out of office in 2013, Tony Abbott and his then-treasurer, Joe Hockey, embarked on an ideological Budget that enabled barnacles to grow and foster.

Under Tony Abbott, then-treasurer Joe Hockey (above) tried to slash and cut essential services to the bone. Picture: Kym Smith

When Australians asked, “What’s in it for me?” they were shocked to learn it was in the form of a middle finger.

Decrying a Budget emergency, Mr Hockey tried to slash and cut essential services to the bone, setting the foundation for their inevitable boning.

The first Turnbull Government Budget was a bore-fest, uninspiring to the average Australian, and still carrying the hangover from the Abbott/Hockey stinker.

This is the Turnbull Government’s chance to win back fickle Queenslanders, many of whom struggled with giving Mr Turnbull a second chance.

Realistically, this is Mr Turnbull’s last chance. If the Budget doesn’t resonate with Queenslanders, the Coalition Government will be steering into an iceberg.

For the better part of two decades, Queensland, with Western Australia, bankrolled this country. The resources boom were in these two states.

Some who worked hard during the mining boom saw their investments hit the wall when the housing market tanked in areas such as Miles (above), 340km west of Brisbane. Picture: Tim Marsden

Unfortunately, for some who worked hard – either putting a family on hold or not seeing their family at all for weeks on end – life is now a struggle.

If they still have work, their investments have hit the wall, mostly because the housing market has tanked in regional areas.

Scott Morrison says he is aware of this and tells The Courier-Mail he will look after these Queenslanders. Note, he has hinted the state should get a significant infrastructure spend.

It would not be a Coalition budget without a further tightening of welfare for those who are viewed as being slackers and deliberately shirking their mutual obligation to look for work while receiving financial help.

But any tightening measures will have to be reasonable because the Government will need to pass them in the Senate.

It wouldn’t be a Coalition budget without a further tightening of welfare.

Mr Morrison says better days are ahead, referring to better growth on the horizon. This is the overall pitch, making the right choices to secure the days ahead, with these kickers: growing the economy for better-paid jobs, guaranteeing the services Australians rely on, putting downward pressure on the cost of living, and ensuring the Government lives within its means.

It all sounds fantastic. The question is, how will it be paid for? Tax receipts are still lethargic, business is not investing as quickly as hoped, and while the resources sector has bouts of economic exultance, it’s too unpredictable and doesn’t reach the highs of days gone past.

Without a credible plan, the Coalition ship will be weighed down with past rhetoric that could sink it at the next election.

Renee Viellaris is The Courier-Mail’s federal political editor.

Originally published as Opinion: Tony Abbott’s zombie measures to get Budget chop