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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/dec/05/tony-abbotts-green-army-expected-to-be-abolished-in-budget-update
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| Tony Abbott's 'green army' expected to be abolished in budget update | Tony Abbott's 'green army' expected to be abolished in budget update |
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| Tony Abbott’s signature “green army” will reportedly be dumped in the upcoming midyear budget review. | Tony Abbott’s signature “green army” will reportedly be dumped in the upcoming midyear budget review. |
| The move will save $350m, with $100m used to increase funding to Landcare as part of the government’s backpacker tax deal with the Greens. | The move will save $350m, with $100m used to increase funding to Landcare as part of the government’s backpacker tax deal with the Greens. |
| The green army was an election promise of the former prime minister, introduced after the 2013 election, which aimed to create a force of young unemployed people to work on conservation projects. | The green army was an election promise of the former prime minister, introduced after the 2013 election, which aimed to create a force of young unemployed people to work on conservation projects. |
| But the Australian Financial Review reports on Monday that Abbott’s pet project will be abolished in the budget update on 19 December, after a decision by the Coalition’s budget razor gang, the expenditure review committee. | But the Australian Financial Review reports on Monday that Abbott’s pet project will be abolished in the budget update on 19 December, after a decision by the Coalition’s budget razor gang, the expenditure review committee. |
| The environment minister, Josh Frydenberg, would not confirm if the program would be abolished. | The environment minister, Josh Frydenberg, would not confirm if the program would be abolished. |
| “The green army has been a very successful program of the Coalition,” he told ABC Radio on Monday. | “The green army has been a very successful program of the Coalition,” he told ABC Radio on Monday. |
| “We’ve had more than 1,000 projects right around the country, whether it’s planting 2m trees as a result of the green army, or ridding 90,000 hectares of weeds, but these are issues that have to be looked at in the context of the overall budget situation.” | “We’ve had more than 1,000 projects right around the country, whether it’s planting 2m trees as a result of the green army, or ridding 90,000 hectares of weeds, but these are issues that have to be looked at in the context of the overall budget situation.” |
| When asked if that was a yes or a no, Frydenberg said: “Well we’ll wait and see. I don’t want to pre-empt what will be released in [the midyear budget update] other than to say we have to find savings across the board.” | When asked if that was a yes or a no, Frydenberg said: “Well we’ll wait and see. I don’t want to pre-empt what will be released in [the midyear budget update] other than to say we have to find savings across the board.” |
| The establishment of a green army was a Coalition commitment at both the 2010 and 2013 federal elections. | The establishment of a green army was a Coalition commitment at both the 2010 and 2013 federal elections. |
| It was included in the Coalition government’s December 2013 midyear economic and fiscal outlook, with the government committing $300m over four years to the program (a reduction from the original $400m funding announced by the Coalition in the lead up to the 2010 election). | It was included in the Coalition government’s December 2013 midyear economic and fiscal outlook, with the government committing $300m over four years to the program (a reduction from the original $400m funding announced by the Coalition in the lead up to the 2010 election). |
| The program was funded by a $484m cut to Landcare. | The program was funded by a $484m cut to Landcare. |
| Abbott envisaged the program as creating an army of 15,000 people aged between 17 and 24, working on conservation projects for between 20 to 26 weeks. | Abbott envisaged the program as creating an army of 15,000 people aged between 17 and 24, working on conservation projects for between 20 to 26 weeks. |
| Participants, comprising mostly unemployed workers, would receive an allowance of between $10.14 and $16.45 per hour and be provided with necessary work clothing and equipment. | Participants, comprising mostly unemployed workers, would receive an allowance of between $10.14 and $16.45 per hour and be provided with necessary work clothing and equipment. |
| But the program was plagued by problems and the former environment minister Greg Hunt admitted in January this year that the government had decided to cap green army places at 5,000 a year, a substantial reduction on 15,000. | But the program was plagued by problems and the former environment minister Greg Hunt admitted in January this year that the government had decided to cap green army places at 5,000 a year, a substantial reduction on 15,000. |
| He told Melbourne’s 3AW Radio that places in the program would “grow between now and the end of the year to 5,000 people a year”. | He told Melbourne’s 3AW Radio that places in the program would “grow between now and the end of the year to 5,000 people a year”. |
| “Then it’ll be capped at that – it was going to go to 15,000 – I think it’s better to be absolutely upfront,” he said, conceding the decision was related to budgetary constraints. |