Joe Hockey gave the Opposition’s Budget Reply speech yesterday, promising to save $47 billion.
Unfortunately, he failed to explain how he would do so — and it didn’t go unnoticed.
Writing on Crikey‘s public affairs blog The Stump, Bernard Keane said his lack of policy detail was a “wholly unnecessary self-inflicted wound”, overshadowing an otherwise well-crafted speech.
Finance Spokesman Andrew Robb later fleshed out the Opposition’s plans in more detail — but it seems it was too late: the media narrative that the Coalition didn’t actually have any plans had already gained traction, and it has only gained more momentum through the news pages today, with Hockey admitting he may have dropped the puck.
Stay tuned for more in-depth analysis in today’s Crikey Daily Mail. In the meantime, here’s a look at what the pundits are saying:
The Australian
Editorial: Coalition struggles to make up for wasted time
Mr Hockey and opposition finance spokesman Andrew Robb were left to sell an economic strategy based largely on what a Coalition government would not do, rather than what it would.
Dennis Shanahan: Flawed image hides the message
… a strategic decision was taken for him to provide the broad vision and his finance colleague, Andrew Robb, to provide the details.It angered the media and left Robb with the best lines.
Samantha Maiden: Babushka Joe holds back details
… the opposition Treasury spokesman’s game plan was all about delayed gratification.
Ian Smith: Rogues’ gallery of ill-mannered journalists
Hockey, as a guest of the press club, was absolutely within his rights to provide or, as the case turned out, not to provide materials ahead of his presentation.
Sydney Morning Herald
Lenore Taylor: Opposition fudges and fails to reveal most of its necessary budget cuts
… rough rather than tough, and mingy in detail rather than swingeing in size.
The Age
Tony Wright: Hockey sweats over tax replacement plan
His speech boiled down to the promise to kill the government’s so-called super-profits tax on miners.
Michelle Grattan: Policy vacuum a recipe for disaster
… the Coalition has left a dangerous policy vacuum in an electorally sensitive area.
Katharine Murphy: Hockey dances around issue of opposition budget cuts
Hockey’s fandango also doesn’t reassure that the Coalition has the smarts, the organisation and the internal discipline to be a serious contender in this election race.
Herald Sun
Philip Hudson: Handballs instead of kicking goals
It was a shambolic performance by the Coalition, who have not yet shown why they should be considered fit to govern.
ABC
Lyndal Curtis: Coalition caught up in budget speech ‘shemozzle’
Mr Robb failed to deliver
I suspect that the Canberra press gallery and our pathetically inept and partisan MSM have made themselves the issue.
Good.
I’ll hand Hockey a fig leaf (god knows he needs one, after his performance on Q&A): Kill the $10Bn in fuel subsidies to miners.
Only $37Bn to go, now. 😀
An Opposition Leader with economic nous would use the Budget Reply Speech to outline an alternate vision. Abbott squibbed on that.
An Opposition Treasury Spokesperson with any nous would use the National Press Club to a detailed response to the Budget, especially when the Leader flicked that to him. Hockey squibbed it.
They both squibbed it because they lack confidence on economic matters.
Abbott knew he could not cope with questions on the economy on the 7.30 Report after the Budget Reply Speech, so left it to Hockey.
Hockey knew he would be unable to answer questions from the National Press Club if he gave journalists the information they needed beforehand, so waited til after his speech and question time.
This is truly pathetic. There is no-one with economic credibility on the Opposition front bench, which is a huge problem for them running into an election.
In answer to the headlines question, June Whitfield’s immortal line; “Just the ONE dear?”
Still,
I would rather have Hockey for dinner that the Master of Buffoonery, T. Abbott. Just imagine him parking his bike against the Camelias and then making his entry wearing his lycra bike shorts showing his maritals.
It would frighten the missus.