Ministers unhappy over budget cuts: Joe Hockey

Treasurer Joe Hockey is of the opinion that some of the front line ministers including Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, Minister of Communications Malcolm Turnbull and Minister for Industry and Science Ian Macfarlane are not quite pleased with him after he slashed their budgets.

"I've cut a few of their budgets, some of them aren't very happy, [including] quite a few billion from foreign aid [in Ms Bishop's portfolio], we had to cut funding for the ABC [which is in Mr Turnbull's portfolio],” he was quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald as saying. “We had to make hard decisions. We couldn't write out a cheque for car manufacturers [who are in Mr Macfarlane's portfolio] when the money was going straight to Seattle, we didn't write out a cheque to Qantas and thank god we didn't, Qantas has tripled in value and SPC Ardmona. Of course they are not popular but they are the right thing to do."

Despite reports that Bishop had urged the prime minister to sack him from the post of the Treasurer, Hockey insisted he shared good terms with the foreign minister. Apart from cutting down the foreign aids Hockey had also suggested GST on Uber and online purchases along with controlling illegal foreign investment.

However, he disregarded the idea of stepping down as treasurer if asked by Prime Minister Tony Abbott amid speculations over a cabinet reshuffle towards the end of the year. But Tony Abbott has denied any such possibility by dismissing the reports.

“I've seen some reports this morning about a reshuffle. They're wrong,” he said. “Reports of end of year reshuffles are absolutely a dime a dozen.”

According News Corp reports Macfarlane, Defence Minister Kevin Andrews and Employment Minister Eric Abetz could be made to step aside, along with Trade Minister Andrew Robb.

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