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General News

16 May, 2024

Federal Budget focuses on easing cost of living pressures with power bill credit

Only a week after the State Budget rollout, the Central Goldfields Shire is once again back at the scoreboard — this time, we’re sizing up the local winners and losers in the Federal Budget. Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down the budget on...

By Prealene Khera

Federal Budget focuses on easing cost of living pressures with power bill credit - feature photo

Onlya week after the State Budget rollout, the Central Goldfields Shire is once again back at the scoreboard — this time, we’re sizing up the local winners and losers in the Federal Budget.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers handed down the budget on Tuesday, and according to him it’s a budget “for every Australian”.

But what’s in it for you?

Broadly, residents could benefit from a raft of investments especially those focused on helping ease cost of living pressures.

Here’s some potential good news:

  • A tax cut is on the way for every taxpayer from July 1.

  • Every Australian household will receive an energy rebate of $300.

  • Victoria will receive $1 billion to build more homes.

  • $40 million will be invested to support the rollout of additional community wi-fi in remote and regional Australia.

  • $2.2 billion will be used to deliver key aged care reforms.

  • Funding of $925.2 million for victim-survivors leaving violent intimate partner relationships and $1.1 billion to pay superannuation on government-funded Paid Parental Leave.

  • $2.8 billion to strengthen Medicare, including a further 29 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics

  • However, critics argue that the budget doesn’t go far enough to address important issues impacting regional areas like Maryborough.

    According to Federal Member for Mallee Anne Webster, the region’s interests have been “ignored”.

    “There is not one Growing Regions [Program] announced for Mallee in two years,” she said.

    “I think the cost of living crisis that is hitting regional families in particular is not being assisted by this budget.

    “People are doing it incredibly tough. I know a family with four children, paying $3000 to $4000 a year now for their energy bills, so $300 per household is around 82 cents per day — that doesn’t even buy you a sip of coffee let alone a cup.”

    Another concern raised by Dr Webster related to the lack of appropriate healthcare funding — emphasing that it was a sector she would continue to advocate for.

    “There’s funding for Urgent Care Clinics and I understand that it reduces pressure on hospitals, but a much better solution is for primary care to be properly funded,” she said.

    “I am happy to be proven incorrect but for me there are better ways that would make a very big difference to regional communities.

    “We need more funding for general practitioners, we need to be able to train them in the regions and we need to remove the barriers to medical students choosing medical practice.

    “I have been working over the past 18 months on regional health policies, they are sitting with the parliamentary budget office now, so I certainly hope that we are moving to a position where we can see improvements in regional health — my aim is to see people in the regions be treated the same as people living in the cities.”

    While noting problems with the budget, Dr Webster also acknowledged the boxes it ticked.

    “I advocated to increase the Shingrix vaccination quotas. Thankfully $57.7 million over four years will assist the disproportionately higher number of older people in Mallee compared with the general population,” she said.

    “Shingles and postherpetic neuralgia is a horrendous disease, I’ve had it and it was incredibly painful, so the vaccine expansion is very warmly welcomed by me.

    “Out in the regions we generally have less access to health services so if you can prevent a health crisis, that is the best thing you can do.”

    The budget also provides $132.0 million over eight years from 2024–25 to continue the Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hubs model, with the Mallee Regional Innovation Centre (MRIC) a partner in the Victorian hub.

    “I advocated directly to the Minister for Agriculture for this funding and in a slim budget for the regions I am glad there is some funding to help MRIC continue its vital work,” Dr Webster said.

    Locally, Central Goldfields Shire Council CEO Lucy Roffey welcomed the investments put forward in the budget.

    “Some of those measures in the budget that help people with cost of living pressures are really important,” she said.

    “Investment in housing was a key issue for regional areas and we have been involved in a couple of projects to make use of some of those investments, so we will continue to look at those grant programs and see if we can assist community housing providers and developers.

    “We know our local roads are one of our biggest expenses and a real challenge so it’s good to see local investment in the budget. Over the four year outlook period, the funding for the Roads to Recovery Programis going to double for local governments which is a real positive.

    “One of the things we were looking out for in the Federal Budget was to make sure things like our financial assistance grants are increasing over time and that has been included.”

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