Treasurer Joe Hockey 'really genuinely sorry' for hurt caused by 'poor people don't drive' comments

Updated

Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey has apologised for the "hurt" caused by his comments about the poorest people's use of cars.

Mr Hockey has been under fire for suggesting the Government's proposed changes to the fuel tax will hit higher income households harder, as poorer people "don't have cars or actually don't drive very far".

This afternoon Mr Hockey told Macquarie Radio: "I am really genuinely sorry that there is any suggestion at all that I or the Government does not care for the most disadvantaged in the community."

"I am sorry about the interpretation. I am sorry about the words," he said.

He said the analysis that poorer Australians are less likely to be affected by an increase in fuel taxes because they do not drive as much was "obviously insensitive".

"I am sorry the words came out the way they did ... but what's said, can't be unsaid.

"All of my life, as everyone who knows me knows ... I have fought for and tried to help the most disadvantaged people in the community.

"And for there to be some suggestion that I had evil in my heart when it comes to the most disadvantaged in the community is upsetting."

It is an embarrassing backdown for the Treasurer, who has stood firm against a chorus of complaints that he was "arrogant" and "out of touch" with the community.

On Thursday Mr Hockey declared he was doing his job by presenting "facts" and "reality" from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

"I don't care about that commentary, I care about dealing with the facts and ensuring that we have a strong economy," he said.

Hockey says suggestions he was asked to apologise 'dead wrong'

His remarks came hours after Prime Minister Tony Abbott weighed in on the controversy early after returning from a whirlwind trip to the Netherlands, London and the United Arab Emirates.

This morning, Mr Abbott offered his "full support" to Mr Hockey, but rebuked the Treasurer over the car comments, saying: "Well, plainly, I wouldn't say that."

There was also a lack of support from Leader of the Government in the House Christopher Pyne, who passed up six opportunities on Channel Nine to support Mr Hockey's judgment, but instead defaulted to backing the Treasurer's general performance.

Despite his colleague's comments, the Treasurer said he was not asked to issue the apology.

"Anyone suggesting that I was asked to do that ... is just dead wrong," he said.

"I thought about it this morning and I thought 'I don't want to hurt people' and the words were clearly hurting some people."

Accepting responsibility for the controversy, Mr Abbott said he wanted to "get on [with] the job of trying to fix the budget we inherited".

"I want to get on with the job of explaining to Australians that we are about building a more prosperous nation, a more caring nation, a nation which has the capacity to help those most disadvantaged," he said.

Bowen 'a little cynical' about apology

Opposition Treasury spokesman Chris Bowen was cynical about Mr Hockey's apology.

"Words are one thing but it’s the actions and measures in Hockey's budget that are really hurting low and middle income Australians," he said.

"These weren't accidental words – the Treasurer did repeated interviews backing them in, calling those who criticised his comments 'hypocrites'.

"He also furnished modelling which he said justified his words – so forgive me for being a little cynical about an apology more than 48 hours after the event.

"The Treasurer's comments about the poor and car use explained to us the Government’s motivations in targeting low income Australians with petrol tax increases.

"While the Treasurer has attempted an apology, the problem is, the bad policy remains."

Nationals colleagues and Victorian Motoring Enthusiasts Party Senator Ricky Muir had also rounded on the Treasurer, saying he failed to understand the reliance on cars in regional and rural areas, while Liberal Senator Cory Bernardi said the comments were an unneeded distraction.

Topics: hockey-joe, government-and-politics, federal-government, australia

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