The Treasurer, Peter Costello, has failed to match Labor’s commitment to provide $20 million to meet the security concerns of Australia’s Jewish schools, Michael Danby, federal member for Melbourne Ports, said today.
At the same time Danby said that a Rudd Labor Government would match Mr Costello’s promise to extend tax deductibility to donations to the Council for Jewish Community Safety.
"Last week the Tresaurer, Peter Costello, gave a long interview to the Jewish News, in which he was asked whether he would match the recent announcement by Kevin Rudd and Stephen Smith of $20 million to meet the security concerns of Jewish schools.""
In reply he gave a confused and flippant answer about Rolls Royces and Mini Minors, dodging the issue completely. He claimed that tax deductibility was a better solution to the security issue than cash grants. But the bottom line was that he refused to match Labor’s commitment.
"Costello’s comments amounted to saying that he expected the Jewish community to pay for the security of its own schools, in exchange for a tax break for donors, Danby said."
"As always, the Liberals assume that an appeal to self-interest is better than a commitment to community solidarity. Labor recognises that the security threat to Jewish schools, which is very real, is not something for the Jewish community to deal with on its own. It is a national issue, and something that the national government, which represents all Australians, ought to respond to."
At the same time, Danby said, Labor agreed that donations to assist with security ought to be tax deductible. "I have spoken to the Shadow Minister for Revenue, Chris Bowen, and he has agreed that a Rudd Labor Government would extend tax deductibility to donations to the Council for Jewish Community Safety."
Danby said that this represented an even better outcome for Jewish schools. "After years of Liberal broken promises and neglect, the concerns of Jewish schools are now being taken seriously. Kevin Rudd and Stephen Smith have taken the lead with his policy announcements on schools funding and security. As in so many other areas, the Liberals are following in Kevin Rudd’s wake, and are only now doing to because there is an election coming up."
Shadow Minister for Revenue & Competition Policy Chris Bowen.
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