Anthony Albanese MP, Federal Member for Grayndler, has drawn attention to Kim Beazley’s plan for Australia, announced in last night’s budget reply.

Labor’s Plan has five simple commitments:

• Fix the childcare crisis, with $200 million towards building 260 new childcare centres, giving Australian parents childcare places where they need them;

• Fix the skills crisis by introducing free TAFE for traditional trades and childcare workers;

• Equip our kids so that they can compete in the high-tech future;

• Train young Australians instead of importing foreign apprentices; and

• Help families secure their future prosperity by putting job security back into the industrial relations system.

Mr Albanese said, “Mr Howard and Mr Costello keep claiming the economy is so good, but families are under pressure from rising interest rates, rising costs of petrol, and cuts to wages and overtime caused by the Howard Government’s extreme workplace laws.”

“Howard has ripped away job security from middle Australian families. No tax cut can make up for a job lost.”

Mr Albanese also noted the appalling lack of attention received by environmental issues in Costello’s budget.

He said, “By not spending on climate change or renewable energy initiatives in this Budget, the Treasurer has shown he’s ignoring one of our greatest future challenges - climate change. Peter Costello promised to “make decisions for the future”, but in his 11 years as Treasurer, he has never mentioned climate change in a Budget speech.”