Half-baked austerity package in Austria

Austria's government passed an austerity package on the weekend that foresees 1.6 billion euros in cuts, with the major cutbacks coming in the areas of family and nursing care. The public is most outraged about an increase of between four and five cents in the petrol tax. But the measures don't go far enough, writes the daily Der Kurier, because "much more needs to be done, namely a serious structural reform. There is no sign of a comprehensive administrative reform. Getting rid of regional school inspectors - a step on which there has been consensus for some time now - is far too little. For example the Landeshauptleutekonferenz [Austrian State Governor's Conference] could replace the upper house of parliament and no one would notice the difference. ... It won't be long before the government also has to raise the retirement age because of the increase in life expectancy. But this will require new work models for older citizens - and at the same time less protection against dismissal for people over 50. Because this protection prevents older people from starting anew."

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