Abbott’s Popularity Slumps in Australian Budget Backlash

Prime Minister Tony Abbott defended the budget and said Australians were put “on notice” about spending cuts before the last election, as polls showed his approval ratings and support for the government slumping.

“Doing nothing was not an option,” Abbott told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. “We’re not doing this because we are somehow political sadomasochists. We are doing this because it is absolutely necessary for the long-term welfare of our country.”