May 10, 2018
Federal Member for Maranoa David Littleproud and Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien both believe this year’s Federal Budget is good for rural Australia.
On Thursday, Maranoa MP David Littleproud said the needs of rural communities were at the forefront of the Budget.
“Maranoa is vital in this government’s plan to drive economic growth to secure more and better paying jobs,” Mr Littleproud said.
“The $51.3 million for six more agricultural counsellors will help grow farm exports from Maranoa, which means more money for our farmers and in our communities.
“Whether it’s Granite Belt horticulture or South Burnett wine; kangaroo meat harvested and processed in Western Queensland; beef processed in Warwick, grazed on the Channel Country, sold at Australia’s largest cattle-selling centre in Roma; or Darling Downs grain – trade deals are fantastic news for Maranoa.
“Trade agreements can reduce tariffs, but we need market access agreements for each specific commodity before our producers can export their produce there.
“These agricultural counsellors will work to remove barriers and create export protocol agreements for specific fruits, vegetables and other commodities so they can be exported.
“The $121.6 million extra we’re investing in biosecurity will help keep our farmers safe from exotic pests and diseases and protect their top-quality produce and their livelihoods.
“We’re also investing $51 million into controlling pests and weeds.”
Mr Littleproud said the Budget also meant good news for rural communities in support for seniors, child care and health.
“Seniors are very important members of our community and I think it’s an absolute tragedy when someone is forced to move from their rural community – away from family, friends and everything they’ve know – to a city or larger centre to receive care as their needs change,” he said.
“This Budget is about supporting the 28,979 people aged over 65 and their families in Maranoa to live longer, happier and healthier lives.
“The Budget will provide capital grants funding of $40 million, over four years from 2019-20, for aged care facilities in regional, rural and remote communities and helping seniors to stay in their own home for longer through more high-level home care packages.
“Childcare is important to help families balance work and caring responsibilities. The Coalition is making child care more accessible and affordable – providing the greatest level of assistance for those who need it most.
“On July 2, our new child care system will come into place, with 3820 local families in Maranoa standing to benefit from our reforms.
“$53.9 million will be used to help more students from regional and remote communities to qualify for Youth Allowance, or receive a higher rate of payment. This will go towards increasing the Youth Allowance parental income cut-off for the regional workforce self-supporting independence criteria from $150,000 to $160,000.
“There’s also the $550 million plan for rural health which includes 3000 doctors and 3000 nurses for the bush.
“Our 17 Local Government Areas in Maranoa will share in the $482.8 million Queensland will receive under the Financial Assistance Grant program in 2018-19. Individual council allocations will be finalised early in the 2018-19 financial year.
“Funding to mental health will increase to $4.3 billion, and counselling is now available through Medicare-funded telehealth appointments.”
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Member for Wide Bay Llew O’Brien was also upbeat about the Budget and outcomes for his own electorate.
“In Wide Bay, the 2018 Budget will build new roads, deliver more aged care places and packages, and fund hospitals, schools, councils, community services and local projects, providing more services, creating jobs and helping to unlock the potential of our region,” Mr O’Brien said.
“The Budget will also provide tax relief with a focus on low and middle income earners, invest in new infrastructure projects to make the Bruce Highway safer and faster, strengthen the economy, and boost services that our community needs and people rely on.”
He said the plan would:
- Deliver lower, fairer and simpler taxes to encourage and reward working Australians
- Back businesses to invest and create more jobs
- Deliver the infrastructure that industry and workers rely on
- Guarantee essential services including record funding for hospitals and schools, boosting aged care places, and fund disability services
- Keep Australians safe by safeguarding our borders and investing more in our intelligence and security services
- Protect the environment with smarter biosecurity systems
- Ensure the Government lives within its means with a forecast return to budget balance in 2019-20, increasing to a projected surplus of $11 billion in 2020-21.
“Our tax relief plan will encourage and reward hard workers in Wide Bay, with 52,239 local taxpayers set to benefit from an additional tax offset of up to $530 per year.
“There is great news for small businesses, with the $20,000 instant asset write-off continuing for another year, helping small business invest, grow and hire.
“This is on top of legislated tax cuts for small and medium businesses that help the 17,574 local businesses to create more jobs and pay higher wages.
The Budget has also allocated $992 million for improvements to the Bruce Highway, including $11.2 million to upgrade the intersection of the Bruce and Wide Bay highways.
Mr O’Brien said Wide Bay Councils would benefit from Roads to Recovery funding, with $67,783 for Gympie Regional Council in 2018-19; $1,645,002 for Fraser Coast Regional Council; $254,143 for Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council and $1,456,301 for South Burnett Regional Council.
A further $6 million would be spent on specific road projects at East Deep Creek, Monkland, Noosaville and Noosa.
He said the Budget was also investing in a range of projects in Wide Bay that will create over 200 jobs, including $267,000 for Teys’ beef cattle hide processing facility expansion in Murgon, along with a further $7 million for projects in Gympie and Maryborough.
“Community projects, local events and community service organisations will also benefit from another $200 million round of the Building Better Regions Fund, and another round of the $150,000 Stronger Communities Programme.”
Mr O’Brien said the Budget was also committed to delivering record levels of funding to Queensland’s hospitals.
“The government is increasing funding to Queensland hospitals by over $29.5 billion over the five years to 2024-25, delivering an additional $7.49 billion in funding compared to the previous 5 years. This is a funding increase of 34 per cent,” he said.
The Budget will also substantially increase the number of home care packages.
“I know that as people age, they want to stay in the comfort, security and familiar surrounds of their home,” he said.
“This Budget enables more people to stay in their own home for longer, with more than 14,000 additional places, adding to the 6,000 extra places already released in MYEFO – bringing the total of additional in home places funded since last Budget to 20,000.”
The 2018 Budget will also fund 13,500 new residential aged care places and 775 short-term restorative places to be made available where they are most needed, plus $60 million for capital investment.
“The government will also invest $40 million to support aged care providers in regional, rural and remote Australia for urgent building and maintenance works,” Mr O’Brien said.
“An Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission will ensure older Australians receive the best possible care, with an additional $50 million to assist providers implement the new standards.
“MyAged Care will be improved with an investment of $61.7 million to make it easier to use, along with simplifying the forms required to apply for aged care services, and $7.4 million to trial navigators to assist people to choose the aged care services that suit their needs.”
The Budget also guarantees the funding of the National Disability and Insurance Scheme.
“Australians with a permanent and significant disability deserve the best care we can provide,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Once fully rolled out, the NDIS will directly help an estimated 3,969 people and their families in Wide Bay.”
The Budget delivers on the Coalition Government’s needs based funding model recommended by David Gonski.
“We are making sure that our record and growing school funding delivers a quality school education so that every student in every school in Wide Bay is given every opportunity to succeed and thrive,” Mr O’Brien said.
Government and Independent Schools funding in Wide Bay increases substantially, with funding rising by $35.7 million to 2027.
Children of pre-school age will also benefit from a multi-million dollar preschool funding boost, enabling 1,706 children in Wide Bay access to 15 hours of quality early learning in the year before school.
“From July 2, our new child care system will come into place, with 4,145 families in Wide Bay standing to benefit from the reforms.”
