BUDGET DEFENDED

Evening Star, Issue 24006, 3 October 1941, Page 4

BUDGET DEFENDED

AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER’S SPEECH DISAPPOINTED WITH LABOUR'S ATHWIDE Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright CANBERRA, Octobers. Rising amid Ministerial cheers to* repel the Labour Budget attack,, the Prime Minister, Mr A, W., Fadden, nx tho House of Representatives to-day, quickly swung into a counter-offensive, in tho course of which he expressed the keenest disappointment with Mr Curtin’s speech, which he declared merely offered minor criticism and little in the way of constructive suggestion. “ I expected him to make a fundamental contribution to the method of developing tho war effort, but agaia I was disappointed. I would remind Labour that never before has the wags earner had more work, better pay, a higher standard of living, or better social conditions. Never has private enterprise ' been so rigidly controlled in the public interest,” Mr Fadden. proceeded to defend the Budget, and said that the Government) had made great exactions on the higher incomes, leaving the lower incomes better off than before tha war. The taking of 20 per cent, oc tho natural wealth of Australia for waging the war was not a. pleasant task, but was an inescapable necessity. Mr Fadden challenged Mr Curtin to deny that wholesale and retail prices in Australia at present are the lowest of any country in the world, Now Zealand included. He pointed out that to exempt tho lower incomes front taxation would depreciate the Budget position by £15,000,000. The Government, ho added, was not prepared to recast the Budget because nothing Mr Curtin had said would improve it, and he as Treasurer, would not bo. a party to a worse Budget. Mr J. M'Ewen, the Minister for Air, made it clear that if the Government was defeated Mr Fadden would recommend dissolution and) an election. DEBATE PROCEEDING DIVISION MAY BE TAKEN NEXT WEEK (Rec. 8 a.m.) CANBERRA, Oct. 2. , The debate is proceeding* The division may not be taken until next week, INDEPENDENT MEMBER'S POWER MAY DECIDE FATE OF GOVERNMENT (Rec. 11 a.m.) CANBERRA, Oct. 2. The speakers last night included the Deputy-Leader of the Opposition (Mr Forde), who condemned the compulsory loans, and) said these had ben jettisoned by New Zealand. The debate was adjourned until today, when it is expected that the Independent member, Mr Wilson, who holds the balance of power, will declare himself, after which tho Government’s fate will be known.