On election footing, Australia government extends budget welfare

Australia’s embattled government amended its annual budget on Wednesday, 12 hours after it was unveiled, extending an energy rebate to the unemployed after criticism it’s pre-election budget failed to adequately help those without a job. Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s conservative government on Tuesday unveiled a 2019-20 budget ahead of an expected May election it is forecast to lose, promising a voter sweetener of $158 billion worth of tax cuts over the next 10 years. The budget also contained a one-off cash rebate for pensioners of A$75 for an individual and A$125 for couples to assist with rising energy costs, but those on unemployment benefits were excluded. “Being told you aren’t eligible for the same help with bills as others receiving income support is outrageous and must be remedied immediately,” Ian Yates, chief of the Council on the Ageing, said in a statement on Tuesday.