Fed: Opp'n says backflip responsible thing to do

AAP General News (Australia)
12-05-2008
Fed: Opp'n says backflip responsible thing to do

The federal coalition insists an early-morning backflip in the Senate was the responsible
thing to do .. freeing up billions of dollars to spend on infrastructure projects.

The coalition won an amendment in the Senate to prevent the government transferring
2.4 billion dollars from the Communications Fund to its proposed Building Australia Fund
.. which will be used to fund its national broadband network.

After the government refused to accept the amendment in the lower house .. the opposition
backed down .. allowing the original bill to pass into law.

Shadow infrastructure Minister ANDREW ROBB has told the ABC .. blocking the legislation
would have resulted in the mother-of-all government scare campaigns.

He says the government wanted to shift the blame for their dithering and mismanagement
onto the coalition .. and they didn't want to give them that opportunity.

AAP RTV mb/rl/ka/bart

KEYWORD: FUNDS (CANBERRA)

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