Labor MPs: Federal Budget ‘misses the mark’

Last week’s Federal Budget has received a mixed reaction on the Coast, with Member for Robertson, Lucy Wicks, saying it delivers the next stage of the Government’s plan to build a strong economy, and Labor Candidate, Dr Gordon Reid, describing it as “an election ploy”.

Member for Dobell, Emma McBride, said it “misses the mark” for the Central Coast.

Wicks said the Budget would create more jobs, guarantee essential services and keep Australians safe.

“More Australians are in work than ever before and the unemployment rate is now forecast to reach 3¾ per cent in 2022, the lowest rate in close to 50 years,” she said.

Wicks said the Budget provided temporary and targeted cost-of-living relief for households and tax relief for small businesses; delivered more jobs; made record investments in health, education, roads, rail, dams and renewable energy; and invested in stronger defence, borders and security.

“The Government is investing an unprecedented $37.9B in regional Australia and priority infrastructure across the nation to create jobs and unlock the economic potential in our regions,” she said.

But Dr Reid said the Liberals had just sprayed money at voters to try to win the Federal Election in May.

“As a local Emergency Department doctor, I have seen first-hand the Liberal Government’s neglect of our health system,” he said.

“We have a GP shortage crisis here on the Central Coast, yet the Budget does nothing to address this problem.

“What we need is a government committed to Australia’s long-term future – a government that will tackle the rising cost-of-living pressures after the May election, not just before it.

“We need action on housing affordability and the rising rental stress that’s taking a toll in regional areas like the Central Coast.

“We need to fund TAFE properly and invest in training our next generation of workers. We need to ensure our students can bounce back after COVID-19 and for our schools to be able to respond to future pandemic disruptions.

“We need to make sure childcare is affordable and that there are places available for when you need them.

“And we need a government that will listen to the science and take climate change seriously.”

Reid is not alone in his criticism.

McBride said the Budget was focused on short-term fixes.

“The past three years have been tough, and what Coasties really need is a proper wage rise, not a one-off patch job that barely covers the cost of a week’s rent,” she said.

“While infrastructure investment on the Central Coast is welcome, the Government has made promises like this before and they have failed to deliver for our region.”

McBride said Labor would make childcare cheaper, strengthen Medicare, deliver cleaner and cheaper energy, build more affordable housing, and introduce fee-free TAFE to tackle the skills crisis if elected.

She said the Budget had neglected the aged care crisis.

Central Coast group, Action on Housing Older Women (AHOW), described the Budget as a “huge disappointment”.

Convenor, Deb Tipper, said it did not acknowledge the seriousness of the lack of housing, especially for older women.

“Following another year of pandemic impacting budgets through higher housing rental prices, general cost-of-living expenses and petrol prices, exacerbated by significant climate-related natural disasters, there is nothing to support any additional affordable housing stock for those needing it,” she said.

Tipper said that since launching in March last year, the group had worked with numerous organisations exploring options for addressing the significant issue of housing older women on the Central Coast.

“Safe, affordable housing for everyone is a key equity issue and members of AHOW were looking to the national government for some action to increase the supply of housing,” she said.

Peak advisory body Catholic Health Australia (CHA) CEO, Pat Garcia, said: “Additional training places are all very well, but the sector is struggling to attract and retain aged care workers because they are simply not paid enough for the essential and demanding caring role they perform for the Australian community.”

The Australian Patients Association (APA) has criticised a lack of relief in paying for prescription medicines, with the safety net threshold lowered from $1542.10 to $1457.10 from July 1 for general patients.

“(This is) a reduction of just $85 or two scripts at the maximum co-payment of $42.50,” APA CEO, Stephen Mason, said.

“Patients who are struggling to afford their medicines from week to week are not helped at all by this Budget,” he said.

He urged the Government to make medicines more affordable at the cash register.

Terry Collins