Tornado Alley (PROG)

[fuagf]

F6, chuckle share .. Govt 'underhand' on debt ceiling: Robb
12:58 AEST Mon Jun 20 2011

Australia's conservative politicians obstruct, and whinge, too.

The federal government is trying to lift its debt ceiling on the quiet, in
contrast to the robust debate on the issue in the United States, the opposition says.

Opposition finance spokesman Andrew Robb has used his blog to compare the "open and fierce" US political
debate on raising the federal debt limit and what he describes as the "cynical and underhand" approach by Labor.

In the May budget, the government said it planned to raise the debt limit by
$50 billion to $250 billion, linking an appropriation bill to the primary supply bill.

"The terms of the debate set by the government do not allow for a separate, substantive
debate on the government's plan to burden taxpayers with yet more debt," Mr Robb said.

"As it stands, there is no opportunity for the parliament to scrutinise the proposal, seek to amend it, support it or oppose it."

The government also wants to repeal the "special circumstances" clause it inserted when
the debt limit was increased to $200 billion from $75 billion during the global financial crisis.

"Why? Because it knows there aren't any "special circumstances", Mr Robb said.

"The only reason the government needs to lift the debt ceiling again is because of its own incompetence."

Labor knew that opposition to its debt plan in parliament would be "tantamount to a vote of no confidence".

For a government clinging to power by a thread, such a prospect presented too big a risk, Mr Robb said.

"When it's a choice between the national interest and self-interest, the Gillard government will choose the latter every time."

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8263192/govt-underhand-on-debt-ceiling-robb