Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says it won't be easy to find savings without a carbon tax, which the coalition has promised to scrap if it wins government.
But an Abbott-led government will make the necessary decisions, such as scrapping Labor's school kids bonus.
"Our first commitment is to repeal the carbon tax," Mr Abbott said in his first public speech of the year.
"The prime minister says that it will never happen but I'm not like her and don't operate by her standards."
The carbon tax raises 6 billion annually.

Yay! We have Timoy to thank for eight months free from the Handbag Hit Squad and Julia wielding the misogyny weapon of man destruction.

There is a small silver lining in the dark, ominous clouds of the longest election campaign in history. Er, should that be 'herstory'?

Interesting.

News of the arrest of Craig Thompson today. Did this have anything to do with the announcement of the election date? Not quite sure how the mechanics work but imagine handing the reins to the opposition to form government for six months until an election.

Anything at all will be better than the current toxic government and that toxic Gillard. They've almost destroyed Australia, and I can hardly wait for the chance to throw these lying criminals out.

Quote "Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says it won't be easy to find savings without a carbon tax" - just shows it was nothing to do with saving the environment just another Government cash grab.
Juliar the worst prime minister in Australian history.

Not sure of labor's tactics; perhaps it is to give it time for the coalition to offer its policies in order to riducule them.

i think that now Abbott has a target (and date), he (and Coalition) will focus much more astutely.

2013 will be an interesting year for Aust federal politics.