Greens to oppose deficit levy and offer permanent taxes on wealthy

The Australian Greens will oppose a temporary so-called deficit levy but have left open the option for permanent increases in taxes on the wealthy if the Abbott government wants to get serious about progressive structural tax reform.

"Australia needs long-term structural economic reform for the future to address challenges like climate change and growing inequality," Greens Leader Christine Milne said.

"Both those challenges highlight the need for permanent revenue streams - not phoney temporary measures.

"Tony Abbott's harsh budget cuts are permanent but his so-called deficit levy is temporary and nothing more than a ploy.

"It looks like billionaire corporations will be completely let off the hook in this budget and in the end the cash raised from savage cuts will be handed back to the rich later on. The Prime Minister's rhetoric on sharing the burden is a lie.

"We can afford to fund the services our nation needs if this government is prepared to make structural change for our future.

"That means raising money from those who can afford it. Creating a temporary deficit levy while putting permanent cuts on the poor is no way to create a caring society.

"The Greens will support permanent measures that raise revenue from those who can afford it. By shaving the top off the multi-billion dollar profits of big mining and banking corporations we can create a more caring society where our wealth and burdens are truly shared.

"We need serious long term structural reform to create a more caring society, not an political ploy that is all about justifying Tony Abbott's phoney budget emergency rhetoric.

"We won't support temporary political fixes that are nothing about delivering for the community and all about paying for Mr Abbott's three word slogans. There is no budget emergency."