21-October-2011
Portfolio Media Releases
Christine Milne’s shrill defence of the $10 billion ‘Bob Brown Bank’ clearly shows that the Coalition has hit a raw nerve by calling it for what it is.
“This is a $10 billion slush fund, it is the Greens’ baby, and it is their price for propping up the Gillard Government,” Shadow Finance Minister Andrew Robb said.
“This will be all borrowed money, and many of the projects it will support would be like someone borrowing $10,000 from the bank and putting it on the horses and doing it again, and again, and again.
“What makes it worse is the underhand way in which Labor is trying to use creative accounting so this $10 billion of borrowed money doesn’t hit the budget bottom line.
“Extensive levels of taxpayer support are already being provided for renewable energy, and this slush fund will be used to back high-risk proposals that the banks would not touch with a 40-foot barge pole.
“The Government and the Greens need to come clean about the approaches they have had from individuals or groups seeking access to the $10 billion and what nods and winks have already been given,” Mr Robb said.