Australians Too Dependent On Government, Says Career Public Servant

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact

The Opposition Leader, Sussan Ley, has yesterday warned that Australians are becoming “too dependent on welfare and universal government subsidies,” despite the fact she has drawn her own wage from the public purse for most of her adult life.

In her first major economic speech since taking the reins of the Liberal Party, Ms Ley signalled a preference for “targeted” spending rather than “writing a cheque” for households struggling with the cost of living.

That warning arrives after more than two decades in Parliament, a career which followed earlier stints in the Australian Taxation Office and as an air traffic controller, both funded by taxpayers.

Critics say the comments sit uneasily with her history of taxpayer-funded adventures, most memorably the time she bought a $795,000 Gold Coast luxury apartment, from a Liberal Party donor, during a ministerial trip, before being forced to step aside after it emerged she’d also expensed a chauffeured ride to the auction.

But Ms Ley maintains her party’s message is consistent.

“Government should not shield everyone from every pressure,” she said, adding that in her case, shielding should be limited to the ministerial car, the pre-2004 pollie perks and the generous pay packet on top, and the parliamentary super scheme.

At press time, the career public servant was unavailable for further comment.

More to come.