FED:Labor opens attack on two fronts

AAP General News (Australia)
08-03-2010
FED:Labor opens attack on two fronts

CANBERRA, Aug 3 AAP - Labor has accused Tony Abbott of running from scrutiny after
the opposition leader rejected the offer of a second election debate.

The government also is on the attack over the coalition's paid parental leave scheme,
predicting it won't see the light of day, as Mr Abbott prepares to announce an 18 month-delay
to its introduction.

"Tony Abbott's running from the scrutiny of a debate," Labor frontbencher Chris Bowen
told ABC Radio on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has said she'd be willing to have another debate this
Sunday - the same day as the Liberal Party's official campaign launch - so long as it
focused on the economy.

But it was a suggestion rejected almost immediately by Mr Abbott, who accused the prime
minister of "flip-flopping" because her campaign was flagging.

Labor previously rejected "many offers" for three debates, coalition frontbencher Andrew
Robb said.

"We're not now going to jump to their tune," he told ABC Radio on Tuesday.

The coalition already is defending a decision to amend its paid parental leave scheme
ahead of Mr Abbott's re-launch announcement in Brisbane later on Tuesday.

Fairfax newspapers report the scheme now will cost $3.3 billion a year, up from the
$2.7 billion estimated, and that taxpayers would contribute $100 million a year.

As well, the start date is being pushed back to July 2012, prompting Labor to predict
the scheme won't get off the ground.

"I don't think mums and dads believe they'll receive a cent of this money," Labor frontbencher
Tania Plibersek told ABC Radio.

But opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey said the coalition's scheme would be always
better than Labor's even with the changes.

Mr Hockey would not confirm the details of the "relaunched format", but said not all
that had been reported was accurate.

"We will have a paid parental leave scheme that is much better than Labor's, it is
real, it is significant," he told ABC Radio.

Ms Gillard is in Sydney on Tuesday, although there are suggestions she may head north
to the NSW central coast where Labor is defending the marginal seats of Robertson and
Dobell.

AAP rl/maur

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