Treasurer Joe Hockey fuels outrage over ‘poor people don’t drive’ slur

THE treasurer stood by his radio comments that the Budget — in particular the fuel tax - would hit high- income families because the rich drove further.

CHAUFFER-driven federal Treasurer Joe Hockey has shown just how out of touch he is with working mums and dads by declaring poorer people won’t be affected by the fuel tax because they don’t own cars or drive very far.

Joe Hockey being driven in a luxury taxpayer-funded car.

Western Sydney battlers, who face the city’s gridlocked motorways each day, may be stunned by Mr Hockey’s revelations. The bizarre claim was seized on by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, who ­described Mr Hockey as the “cigar-chomping, Foghorn Leghorn” of Australian politics.

The Sydney-based Treasurer made the claim during a radio interview in Brisbane as part of a national tour where he has met crossbench senators to try to gain support for his Budget.

Needless to say his comments have been ridiculed online.

@GrogsGamut @JoeHockey "can't they just take public transport that poorly services their area because they are poor?"

— Sith Lotus (@upulie) August 13, 2014

@SamJMitra @woolkebb @JoeHockey Could this treasurer possibly be from another planet? @JoeHockey #coalition #auspol

— Stefenmac (@Stefenmac) August 13, 2014

lol I thought this was a joke but Joe Hockey actually said that

— Maddy (@MaddyDell) August 13, 2014

Twitter image of an LED road sign mocking Mr Hockey’s claim that poor people don’t have cars. Picture: Twitter

Mr Hockey had tried to argue that the Budget would hit high-income families, citing hikes to the fuel tax — ­because the rich drove their cars further. “Well, change to the fuel excise does exactly that; the poorest people ­either don’t have cars or actually don’t drive very far in many cases,’’ he said.

Mr Hockey was given an opportunity to back away from the comments late yesterday but refused. When asked if he stood by his view that poorer people did not have cars, he replied: “Yes.”

“Everyone can see that the fact is there is a clear trend in Australia that the higher the household income the more fuel taxes are paid by that household,’’ he said.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann and Treasurer Joe Hockey relax, satisfied with their Budget / Picture: Twitter

“If you look at total usage out of ABS stats you can see the higher the income the more the fuel taxes are paid by those households

“I am happy to lay down the facts and people can have a debate about them.’’

Many Sydney workers drive to and from places like Campbelltown into Sydney each day on low wages. Mr Hockey’s comments drew disdain from community groups throughout Sydney.

Mr Shorten questioned whether Mr Hockey wanted society’s poorer residents driving cars. “Are you serious, Joe Hockey? Are you really the cigar-chomping, Foghorn Leghorn of Australian politics where you’re saying that poor people don’t drive cars,” Mr Shorten said.

Joe Hockey says poor won’t be hit by increase in fuel excise because they don’t drive very far.

“Joe Hockey says (poorer Australians) don’t drive cars yet (the government) don’t give them another alternative. It is almost as if the Treasurer believes that poor people should be sleeping in their cars, not driving their cars.”

Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen said the comments were offensive. “What an ­offensive and insulting comment to suggest that poor people don’t drive cars,’’ he said.

The statement capped a rattled performance from Mr Hockey, who also took aim at pensioners: “You know there is some irony in that pensioners pay over $360 for their pharmaceuticals each year and when we ask for $70 to visit the doctor, if they have 10 visits, then the ­suggestion is, somehow, that’s unfair.”

Treasurer Joe Hockey’s latest comments about poor people have him in hot water / Picture: Getty Images

Originally published as Treasurer Joe Hockey fuels outrage over ‘poor people don’t drive’ slur