The Federal Budget will support Gippsland’s ongoing recovery from the coronavirus and natural disasters with a focus on infrastructure spending and cost of living relief for local families.
Federal Member for Gippsland Darren Chester has welcomed the budget’s commitment to continue funding major infrastructure projects in the region along with funding for local roads, bridges, community facilities and better telecommunication services in regional areas.
“We have several major projects underway like the Princes Highway duplication and Gippsland rail upgrades where the bulk of the funding is coming from this year’s Federal Budget,” Mr Chester said.
“That work will continue along with Federal Government funding for local and state government projects to build better and safer roads, along with major improvements to communities impacted by the bushfires.
“We need to get those projects delivered as soon as possible to deliver the benefits to local residents.”
Mr Chester said Gippsland families will benefit from measures to ease pressures associated with the cost of living.
“The temporary halving of the fuel excise, additional tax offset for low and middle income earns and the one off payment for pensioners and concession card holders will put more money in Gippslanders’ pockets,” Mr Chester said.
“More Gippslanders will be able to join the local workforce too with funding for an additional 35,000 traineeships and apprenticeships and 15,000 training spaces for those wanting to work or upskill in the aged care sector.
“We have achieved a lot as we continue to recover from the combined effects of drought, bushfires, floods and the coronavirus and as a region we should be proud of our efforts.
“We need to remain optimistic about our future and the Budget is designed to secure the economy and keep Australians safe in an uncertain world.
“It recognises that Gippslanders are resilient, determined and hardworking and we must all keep working together for a better future for our region.”
Highlights of the 2022-23 Budget include:
Cost of living relief
- 22c a litre cut to fuel excise to last for six months. An average family with two cars will save $30 a week
- $420 cost of living tax offset for low-and-middle income earners
- $250 one off payment for pensioners, veterans and concession card holders
Paid parental leave
- Single parents to receive access to the full 20 weeks of paid parental leave
- Eligibility expanded for access to paid parental leave to provide greater flexibility for couples
Skills
- $5000 payment for new apprentices;
- $15,000 wages subsidies for employers who take on apprentices
Small business
- $120 tax deduction for every $100 spent on training employees;
- $120 tax deduction for every $100 spent of digital technologies like cloud computing, invoicing, cyber security and web design.
Domestic violence
- $1.3bn to prevent domestic violence through emergency accommodation, access for legal and health services for women and children in need.
National security
- $9.9bn for offensive and defensive cyber capabilities.
Regions
- $7bn over 11 years to bolster exports
- $1.3bn to expand mobile phone coverage across 8000km of regional transport routes.
Home ownership
- Home Guarantee Scheme to be doubled to 50,000 places.
- Introduction of Regional Home Guarantee from October, 2022.
Manufacturing
- Backing for mRNA vaccines to be manufactured in Victoria.
Environment
- $636m to expand the Indigenous Rangers Program by 1000 officers for sea and land management;
- $1bn for Great Barrier Reef marine science.
Health
- The drug Trodelvy, for the treatment of triple negative breast cancer, listed on the PBS saving $80,000 a treatment.
- Drug safety net thresholds reduced from $326.40 for concession card holders to $244.80 and from $1542.10 to $1457.10 for non-concessions.
Aged care
- $340m to embed pharmacy services within residential aged care facilities to improve medication management for the elderly.