Coalition accused of hiding their figures

The Federal Opposition has been accused of failing to fully disclose their election costings under the Charter of Budget Honesty. To date, the Coalition has submitted less than one half of one per cent of its over $20 billion in policies for costing.

Federal Labor has warned that 'time is now running out for Abbott and Hockey to demonstrate that they are capable of running the Government’s finances'.

It has been revealed that there are now only nine days left to meet the deadline set by the Secretaries of Treasury and Finance to submit policies under the Charter.

The Coalition policies which have gone 'missing in costing action' include:

* The Coalition’s Education Tax Refund Policy – claimed cost of $760 million over four years – announced on 21 July 2010
* The Coalition’s Paid Maternity Leave Scheme – claimed cost of $8.1 billion over the forward estimates – announced on 9 March 2010.
* The Coalition’s Abolition of the National Broadband Network – claimed recurrent saving of $2.4 billion – claimed on 19 May 2010
* The Coalition’s Opposition to the means test on Private Health Insurance – a $2.1 billion cost over the forward estimates– announced on 14 May 2009

Labor has already submitted its policies for costing and have released the results.

The Government issued a statement calling on Mr Abbott to fully comply with the Charter of Budget Honesty and 'stop hiding the true cost of his policies from the Australian people'.