Politics & Council
25 May, 2024
Rural areas ignored, Budget tagged a failure by Webster
COALITION frontbencher and Mallee MP Anne Webster had labelled last week’s Federal Budget a failure for the region. The local MP said: “The Prime Minister said when he was elected two years ago, ‘no one would be held back, no one would be left...
COALITION frontbencher and Mallee MP Anne Webster had labelled last week’s Federal Budget a failure for the region.
The local MP said: “The Prime Minister said when he was elected two years ago, ‘no one would be held back, no one would be left behind’, but that’s only if you live in a capital city and not in Mallee.
“I have pored through the budget and found no references to any projects or benefits for Mallee, Wimmera, Sunraysia or the Grampians,” Dr Webster said.
“This year’s Budget has demonstrated again that not only has regional Australia had critical infrastructure ripped away, but will also bear the cost of higher mortgages, higher energy bills and higher food prices.”
Dr Webster said the Government had spent $1.6 billion less on Australia’s road and rail projects this year than it promised just five months ago in its Mid-Year Economic Fiscal Outlook.
However, Rural Councils Victoria chair Mary-Ann Brown Rural said: “RCV welcomes the continuation of the Roads to Recovery Program set to increase to $1 billion and the increase to $200 million per year for Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program. Local governments, especially small rural councils, need as much money as possible to maintain and repair local roads.
“It is good to see the federal government investing in road infrastructure. However, it is disappointing to see that in Victoria that investment is metropolitan focused.
“Rural and regional roads are in a shocking state and in urgent need of upgrades and in many cases emergency repairs.”
Dr Webster said the Government’s $300 per household rebates for energy bills came on the heels of its plans for 28,000km of transmissions lines and billions of dollars in tax incentives for ‘green energy’ projects, ripping up prime agricultural land and remnant vegetation supposedly to save the planet.
Dr Webster said the rebate was Labor’s admission its energy policies had failed, “covering over the cracks with taxpayers’ money, politically deferring the impact of higher energy prices until after the election”.
However, Dr Webster welcomed $132 million over eight years in the Budget to continue the Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hubs model.
““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,” Dr Webster said.