Federal Budget gets the once over

Local MPs assess Labor’s financial blueprint and its impact on this region & the SA

“Farmers deserved better, truckies deserved better and our regional communities deserved much, much better.” That was Member for Barker Tony Pasin’s reaction to last week’s Federal Budget as he analysed the financial blueprint through the lens of his electorate.

Mr Pasin (pictured below) issued a stern warning that Barker residents would need to brace themselves for more cost-of-living pain as Labor’s Federal Budget failed to deliver for Aussie families and regional communities.

“The Budget handed down last night (Tuesday, May 9) is a typical big-spending, big-taxing Labor Budget,” Mr Pasin said. “It’s a Budget that does nothing to ease the cost-of-living pressures on hardworking Australians and does nothing for our regional communities.

“This budget will not build a stronger economy, and it is not a budget that is fair for all Australians, least of all those living in our regions.”

The Member for Barker viewed the budget as nothing but broken promises – not delivering on Anthony Albanese’s election commitments of lowering the cost of living. Providing cheaper electricity and cheaper mortgages.

“The budget cuts infrastructure spending, and fails to address congestion and road safety, the housing and rental crisis, and the sustainable growth of our regions.

“Across Barker, local communities are worse off under this budget with the Labor Government‘s refusal to continue funding through programs such as the Stronger Communities Program, Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program, and the Regional Airports program.

“While taking an axe to important funding programs that have delivered for communities across Barker, Labor is now introducing two new taxes that will disproportionately hurt our regional economy and increase the cost of food for every Australian household.

“A new food and fibre tax on Farmers to pay for the biosecurity measures and an increase to the tax paid by our trucking industry with a 5.2c/L increase in the heavy vehicle Road User Charge that will hurt all Australians through increases to their grocery bill but most of all it’s a kick in the guts for our agricultural supply chain that were amongst the front line heroes of the pandemic.”

Member for Mount Gambier Troy Bell (pictured above) was able to find some welcome announcements in the Federal financial plan.

“There are some positives in the Federal Budget for our region and our state and two particular areas I’m happy to see some changes in are youth allowance and aged care,” Mr Bell said.

“The announcement that aged care workers will get a wage increase of 15 per cent is both necessary and timely, when many regional areas are experiencing major skills shortages.

“Our elderly people deserve the best care possible and I’m pleased to see this vital industry attracting the attention it deserves.

“The increase is both a boost to those employees who worked a tough role through the pandemic but also, an incentive for more people to choose caring as a career path or perhaps even reenter the workforce. The plight of the young people of this region has always been at the forefront of Mr Bell’s policy positions and he was pleased to see some action in that space.

“Many young people from our region have to move to a capital city to study and now, those students will be $40 a fortnight better off under the Austudy allowance increase,” he said. “This will be a significant help to both those studying and the parents that support them, so another budget measure that will have an impact on our region.”

On the energy front, Mr Bell also welcomed the $2billion Hydrogen Headstart program for producing and exporting hydrogen energy. “Our state is set to significantly benefit from that fund, through the State Government’s plans to build a hydrogen plant in Whyalla – insulating South Australia against fluctuating energy prices and setting us up for the future.”