Joe Hockey has once again refused to endorse his own party's unfair and costly paid parental leave policy and left Australian families in the dark.
This morning the Shadow Treasurer continued to run away from the Opposition's paid parental policy and the massive tax on business they want to introduce to try to pay for it.
JOE HOCKEY: Well how do you know we're going to increase company tax?
CHRIS BOWEN: Well because it's your policy, Joe.
CHRIS BOWEN: Are you going to increase company tax or not?
JOE HOCKEY: Well, you watch. You watch what we do.
[Sunrise - 2 August 2013]
This is just the latest episode in the Coalition's long-running saga over their paid parental leave policy.
Time after time, Joe Hockey and his colleagues have refused to back Tony Abbott's 'signature policy' and have suggested it will be dumped.
JOE HOCKEY: You will see our initiative in that regard prior to the election…I'm not going to get into speculating about where we're at.
[Doorstop - 5 June 2013]
Even the Leader of the Opposition is throwing doubt on his own policy, saying he 'hopes' he can deliver it.
TONY ABBOTT: This will be, I hope, one of the signature policies of the Coalition.
[Doorstop - 29 July 2013]
With the internal division in Coalition ranks on this unfair and unaffordable policy, it's no wonder Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey can't say when and if it will be delivered.
The Opposition's policy would give wealthy lawyers and bank executives $75,000 to have a baby while leaving ordinary working women behind.
And they would whack a new tax on business - driving up prices at the checkout.
Labor's Paid Parental Leave scheme has already delivered for more than 300,000 families. It is fair for families and won't hurt people at the checkout.