Frontline services not in PM’s sights: Bradbury

Assistant Treasurer David Bradbury says the government will not cut ‘frontline services’ in order to secure a budget surplus.

Bradbury told reporters in Canberra Prime Minister Julia Gillard would not be taking a reckless approach.

“We think it is important to protect those frontline services,” Bradbury said.

He said the commitment to returning the budget to surplus was about tackling inflation, fighting cost-of-living pressures, giving the Reserve Bank room to cut interest rates and ultimately taking pressure off the high Australian dollar.

“There is a big job ahead for the government in making the cuts that are necessary in order to return the budget to surplus,” Bradbury said.

“We make no apologies for doing that.”