'Debt levy' faces likely defeat in Senate unless included in budget

Tony Abbott says levy would be temporary as Bill Shorten dubs it 'mother of all broken promises'

The debt levy being considered by the Abbott government faces likely defeat in the Senate if the government does include it in the 13 May budget.

The Labor leader, Bill Shorten, said his party would fight a tax increase on ordinary Australians, absolutely, dubbing the proposed levy the mother of all broken promises.