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Tony Abbott defends green army amid reports it will be scrapped Tony Abbott defends green army amid reports it will be scrapped Tony Abbott defends green army amid reports it will be scrapped
(about 13 hours later)
Tony Abbott has lashed out after reports that the green army will be scrapped in the looming midyear budget update, declaring that he is “dismayed” by the development and accusing Malcolm Turnbull of dancing to the tune of the Greens.Tony Abbott has lashed out after reports that the green army will be scrapped in the looming midyear budget update, declaring that he is “dismayed” by the development and accusing Malcolm Turnbull of dancing to the tune of the Greens.
The former prime minister took to social media on Monday to defend the program he launched after reports it would be axed to help fund the government’s parliamentary deal with the Greens to restore $100m to Landcare.The former prime minister took to social media on Monday to defend the program he launched after reports it would be axed to help fund the government’s parliamentary deal with the Greens to restore $100m to Landcare.
Abbott said the program was good for grassroots conservation and “got unemployed people working too”.Abbott said the program was good for grassroots conservation and “got unemployed people working too”.
“It’s a bad principle to axe your own policy for the Greens policy because it means that their priorities are more important than ours,” Abbott said. “That would hardly be a smart move for a centre-right government.”“It’s a bad principle to axe your own policy for the Greens policy because it means that their priorities are more important than ours,” Abbott said. “That would hardly be a smart move for a centre-right government.”
Earlier on Monday Turnbull refused to say if the government would axe the program in the midyear budget update, due on 19 December.Earlier on Monday Turnbull refused to say if the government would axe the program in the midyear budget update, due on 19 December.
The prime minister said he wouldn’t engage with media speculation, and he told reporters in Melbourne that the government had a strong commitment to environmental programs.The prime minister said he wouldn’t engage with media speculation, and he told reporters in Melbourne that the government had a strong commitment to environmental programs.
“Landcare is a very good program,” he said. “It is very much admired and very effective. It is a very effective use of funds. It has enormous community support.”“Landcare is a very good program,” he said. “It is very much admired and very effective. It is a very effective use of funds. It has enormous community support.”
As to the future of the green army, Turnbull said: “We will have to wait until Myefo.”As to the future of the green army, Turnbull said: “We will have to wait until Myefo.”
The deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, told ABC’s 7.30 he would not pre-empt Myefo but the $100m offered for Landcare was a “great decision”.The deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, told ABC’s 7.30 he would not pre-empt Myefo but the $100m offered for Landcare was a “great decision”.
When asked about Abbott’s comments, Joyce said the former prime minister knew “as well as all of us” about the need to turn the budget around.When asked about Abbott’s comments, Joyce said the former prime minister knew “as well as all of us” about the need to turn the budget around.
The environment and energy minister, Josh Frydenberg, also ducked the issue. “The green army has been a very successful program of the Coalition,” he told ABC Radio on Monday.The environment and energy minister, Josh Frydenberg, also ducked the issue. “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.”
Frydenberg said the government would have to find savings across the board in MYEFO but he didn’t intend to speculate in advance.Frydenberg said the government would have to find savings across the board in MYEFO but he didn’t intend to speculate in advance.
Abbott set up the green army program after commitments made in 2010 and before the election he won in 2013. His government allocated $300m over four years to the green army, funded by a $484m cut to Landcare.Abbott set up the green army program after commitments made in 2010 and before the election he won in 2013. His government allocated $300m over four years to the green army, funded by a $484m cut to Landcare.
As part of the deal to pass the backpackers tax in the final parliamentary sitting week, the Greens required the government to allocate $100m to Landcare.As part of the deal to pass the backpackers tax in the final parliamentary sitting week, the Greens required the government to allocate $100m to Landcare.
The Greens leader, Richard Di Natale, said on Monday his party had never supported the green army program.The Greens leader, Richard Di Natale, said on Monday his party had never supported the green army program.
“We always opposed the green army,” he said. “It was not an environmental program, it was an employment program and a bad one at that.”“We always opposed the green army,” he said. “It was not an environmental program, it was an employment program and a bad one at that.”