PM Tony Abbott urged by Labor and Greens to drop 'confrontational' style as year ends with $30b still blocked in Senate

Updated

The Federal Opposition and Greens say the Prime Minister must change policies, and one key crossbench senator is warning Tony Abbott to drop his "confrontational" style, if he wants to have more success in 2015.

The Government heads into the new year with political capital at a low, and about $30 billion of 2014 budget measures still to pass the Senate.

Mr Abbott has again urged the Senate to act in "the national interest" and pass the remaining budget bills, but that call has received a frosty reception.

South Australian Independent Senator Nick Xenophon said while the Government got key measures through the Senate, Mr Abbott appeared to not understand why other bills were being blocked.

"Of course we need to act in the national interest, but I think the Prime Minister's interpretation of the national interest appears to be a very narrow and partisan one," Senator Xenophon told the ABC's AM program.

"It seems to me that this Government in the last 16 months has done to its political capital what Nero did to ancient Rome.

He really is the author of his own misfortune given that the budget contains so many broken promises, and that the Government did not foreshadow any of these changes prior to the last election. South Australian Independent Senator Nick Xenophon

"I just think it's a bit curious that the Prime Minister's approach appears to be identical to his approach as Opposition - that's one of confrontation, it's one of being incredibly negative," he said.

Senator Xenophon said in 2014 the Coalition Government did get key policies like the carbon price repeal, and temporary protection visas through the parliament by undertaking detailed negotiations and offering concessions.

But he said it appeared Mr Abbott did not understand why the Senate was blocking other bills, and why that would not change next year.

"He really is the author of his own misfortune given that the budget contains so many broken promises, and that the Government did not foreshadow any of these changes prior to the last election," Senator Xenophon said.

The South Australian senator used the Government's shifting language on where Australia's new submarines will be built as an example of a broken promise which was causing particular grief in his home state.

Before the election the Coalition promised 12 submarines would be built in South Australia, but now it said the Australian work on the fleet would be carried out in Adelaide.

"If the PM wants to declare economic war not just on South Australia, but on the rest of the country by exporting billions of dollars worth of defence jobs then good luck to him because I think that there will be a significant backlash at the next election," Mr Xenophon said.

'Senate will stand up for disadvantaged'

Greens leader Christine Milne also said her party would not be changing its tune in the new year.

She warned the Government against pursuing even harsher changes to social services if it could not get its 2014 budget measures through the Senate.

"If the Prime Minister thinks he is now going to use the unemployed and the sick and try and use those as hostages, then he's got another think coming," Senator Milne said.

"I think the Senate will stand up for the disadvantaged and I think it's time that the Government recognise that it's going in the wrong direction, and recognise that we need to go after those who can afford to pay."

Next year should represent the middle of the electoral cycle, and a chance for the Government to consolidate on its first year in office.

I think the Senate will stand up for the disadvantaged and I think it's time that the Government recognise that it's going in the wrong direction, and recognise that we need to go after those who can afford to pay. Greens leader Christine Milne

It will be looking to focus on long-term and strategic questions, with reviews into the way the federation works, Australia's taxation system, as well as a defence white paper.

Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen said the Opposition would engage in good faith with those reviews.

"Because there are big questions facing the nation, there are big possible federation reforms. There is a need for a further discussion about tax reform in Australia. We want to be proactive in those discussions and we will be," Mr Bowen said.

In the wake of West Australian Premier Colin Barnett's comments about expanding the GST to include fresh food, Labor called for the Federal Government to rule that out.

But Mr Bowen said that did not mean Labor would not support other changes to the tax system.

"People should come to the discussion based on a considered position, a position based on values, and that's what we've done," he said.

"We've indicated what our position would be on some of those questions, but I've also indicated in other areas of tax reform that we're up for a very serious discussion going forward about insurances taxes, the corporation tax rate, the number of taxes etcetera. There is a serious discussion to be had.

"The mistake the Government is making is they are suggesting their ideas are the only possible way forward and we'll be making the point over the next 12 months that is completely not the case," Mr Bowen said.

He also argued that the Senate had been acting in the national interest, and he said 2015 would be the year for Labor to outline its own policies.

"There will be a real choice for the Australian people at the next election based on an alternative vision for the nation underpinned by detailed policies on behalf of the Labor party as the alternative government," he said.

The next election is due in 2016, but Mr Bowen said Labor would be ready whenever the Prime Minister decided to call it.

Topics: federal-government, abbott-tony, budget, government-and-politics, australia

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