<text>  Tony Abbott is refusing to apologise for controversially saying taxpayers shouldnt fund the lifestyle choices of Australians in remote communities despite backlash from indigenous leaders. The Prime Minister sparked outrage when he backed a West Australian plan to close 150 remote communities on Tuesday, saying governments couldnt endlessly subsidise people who chose to live far away from schools and jobs. It is not the job of the taxpayer to subsidise lifestyle choices, Mr Abbott told ABC Radio in Kalgoorlie on Tuesday. Tony Abbott is refusing to apologise for controversially saying taxpayers shouldnt fund the lifestyle choices of Australians in remote communities despite backlash from indigenous leaders . Fine, by all means live in a remote location, but theres a limit to what you can expect the state to do for you if you want to live there. What we cant do is endlessly subsidise lifestyle choices if those lifestyle choices are not conducive to the kind of full participation in Australian society that everyone should have. Labor and the Greens are demanding he apologise for comments they have described as racist and highly offensive. Speaking on Sydneys 2GB Radio on Wednesday, Mr Abbott defended his comments saying he was just being realistic and stating a general principle. If you or I chose to live in a very remote place, to what extent is the taxpayer obliged to subsidise our services? he told host Alan Jones. Mr Abbotts chief indigenous adviser, Warren Mundine left, disagreed with the PM saying: It is not like retiring and moving for a sea change, it is about thousands of years connection Speaking on Sydneys 2GB Radio on Wednesday, Mr Abbott defended his comments saying he was just being realistic and stating a general principle It is incredibly difficult for the kids to go to school if theres only half a dozen of them and getting teachers there is all but impossible. Similarly, its very difficult for the adults to get a proper job if theres no employment within hundreds of miles and this is where we have to be a little bit realistic. But the prime ministers chief indigenous adviser, Warren Mundine, disagreed with his comments. That is a complete misconception of what it is and hes wrong in that regard, Mr Mundine told Fairfax Media. It is not about a lifestyle, it is not like retiring and moving for a sea change, it is about thousands of years connection, their religious beliefs and the essence of who they are. Mr Abbott said there was a limit to what people living in remote communities could expect from the government if they chose to live there . Mr Mundine said the prime ministers comments were a misconception . The hashtag lifestylechoices started trending on Twitter on Wednesday following the PMs comments. Opposition indigenous affairs spokesman Shayne Neumann demanded a public apology to all Australians for what he called deeply disturbing and highly offensive comments . This is a prime minister who doesnt understand the importance of these people to their connectivity to their land, he told AAP. The hashtag lifestylechoices started trending on Twitter on Wednesday following the PMs comments . Mr Neumann accused Mr Abbott of trying to undo any progress made in closing the gap of indigenous disadvantage. Mr Abbott said it was reasonable for state governments to stop funding services in remote communities if the costs were out of proportion to the benefits. Greens senator Rachel Siewert slammed the comments as unbelievably racist and completely out of touch with reality. 