Sathius005
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The Abbott government is hoping it can make its controversial budget welfare cuts more attractive by sending them to the Senate in a different form.
It has repackaged stalled legislation into four new bills - a move it considers will maximise chances of getting its changes past hostile Senate crossbenchers.
Labor is claiming a victory for itself and the people by forcing the government into what it labelled a 'humiliating backdown'.
'This is your victory over Minister Andrews and Tony Abbott,' Opposition Leader Bill Shorten told parliament on Thursday.
Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews preferred a more pragmatic explanation, saying repackaging the bills may be more attractive to Senate crossbenchers.
The government denies it has backed down on its welfare changes, arguing nothing has changed.
Measures reintroduced to the lower house maintain all its planned changes affecting the young unemployed, pensioners and families.
They include forcing young people to work for the dole, under 25s to move onto the lower Youth Allowance, families with children aged over six being cut off from the Family Tax Benefit B payment and raising the age pension eligibility to 70 by 2035.
Mr Shorten said the compromise had destroyed the credibility of the budget and the prime minister.
'This is the government defeated.'
Mr Andrews instead claimed a victory, saying with the support of Labor $2.7 billion worth of non-controversial welfare cuts would pass parliament.
'That's actually success,' he said.
The government's 'principal position' was to stand by its changes but it will be open to 'sensible talks' with crossbenchers over the coming days and weeks.
That may include making under-30s wait one month instead of six for the dole.
- See more at: http://www.skynews.com.au/news/poli...e-cuts--attractive-.html#sthash.29KDhuES.dpuf
It has repackaged stalled legislation into four new bills - a move it considers will maximise chances of getting its changes past hostile Senate crossbenchers.
Labor is claiming a victory for itself and the people by forcing the government into what it labelled a 'humiliating backdown'.
'This is your victory over Minister Andrews and Tony Abbott,' Opposition Leader Bill Shorten told parliament on Thursday.
Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews preferred a more pragmatic explanation, saying repackaging the bills may be more attractive to Senate crossbenchers.
The government denies it has backed down on its welfare changes, arguing nothing has changed.
Measures reintroduced to the lower house maintain all its planned changes affecting the young unemployed, pensioners and families.
They include forcing young people to work for the dole, under 25s to move onto the lower Youth Allowance, families with children aged over six being cut off from the Family Tax Benefit B payment and raising the age pension eligibility to 70 by 2035.
Mr Shorten said the compromise had destroyed the credibility of the budget and the prime minister.
'This is the government defeated.'
Mr Andrews instead claimed a victory, saying with the support of Labor $2.7 billion worth of non-controversial welfare cuts would pass parliament.
'That's actually success,' he said.
The government's 'principal position' was to stand by its changes but it will be open to 'sensible talks' with crossbenchers over the coming days and weeks.
That may include making under-30s wait one month instead of six for the dole.
- See more at: http://www.skynews.com.au/news/poli...e-cuts--attractive-.html#sthash.29KDhuES.dpuf