Abbotts refusal to debate economy 'disgraceful'

Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott is quite simply a disgrace. This is a man who seeks the highest office in the land, yet still refuses to seriously debate the most important issue of this election - the Australian economy.

Mr Abbott's offer of a half hour debate on economic policy is disingenuous to say the least. He has never intended to put his economic plans under the microscope. With a generally lethargic media to rely on, Mr Abbott is hoping that he can win without explaining how he would manage our $1 trillion economy. This is nothing short of disgraceful.

There is little doubt that a desperate Tony Abbott has used this election to lie to the Australian people. He has lied about the government's stimulus program, he has lied about the level of government debt and he has lied about his plans for workplace relations laws.

The Liberals have shown time and time again that they cannot be trusted when it comes to the economy. Just recently, Senator Brandis had difficulty saying when the Budget would return to surplus. Given that the Coalition's policies are still un-costed, it is more likely that the Liberals will push the budget further back towards deficit.

Make no mistake, a proper debate on economic management is important and, quite frankly, the Australian people deserve better.

Rod Beisel is secretary of the Annerley Branch of the Australian Labor Party