The 2022-23 Federal budget will:
- Deliver cheaper child care for 1.26 million families, including 4800 locally.
- Cut the cost of medicines on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme.
- Fund additional university and fee-free TAFE places.
- Deliver $9.6 billion in nation-building infrastructure projects, including in regional areas.
- Add six weeks of Paid Parental Leave for families, bumping the total leave payable up to a full six months.
The Federal budget also delivers on a number of election commitments for the Bendigo electorate including:
- $1million to upgrade facilities at North Bendigo Recreation Reserve
- $500,000 to create inclusive and female friendly facilities at Golden Square Oval
- $460,000 to transform Huntly Junior Oval at Strauch Reserve.
The Government is also committing $1 billion in the Budget over three years to two new regional program to invest in much needed community infrastructure in way that is transparent, fairer and more sustainable.
The Growing Regions Program will provide new opportunities for regional local councils and not-for-profit organisations through an annual open, competitive grants process.
The regional Precincts and Partnerships Program will provide a strategic, nationally consistent mechanism for funding and coordinating larger-scale projects that transform a place, to benefit communities in regional cities and wider rural and regional Australia.
These programs will replace the Building Better Regions Fund Round 6.
Further, regional connectivity is also getting a boost, with the expansion of full-fibre access to 1.5 million premises by 2025 with a $2.4 billion equity investment over four years.
Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Bendigo, Lisa Chesters.
“This family friendly budget will make a real difference to household budgets for thousands of Central Victorians.
“Cheaper child care and expanded paid parental leave will make life easier for families and take some of the pressure off household budgets.
“These measures will give families greater choice about how they balance work and family, and give kids the best start in life.
“The Labor Government has delivered on it’s election commitment to invest in community sporting infrastructure by releasing the funding for North Bendigo, Huntly and Golden Square - I look forward to seeing these projects come to life.
“Further, the new regional investment programs will provide a fairer and more transparent opportunity for local projects, after the previous government ignored Bendigo and local community groups fell victim to pork barrelling and the sports rorts saga.
“This budget is solid, sensible and suited to the times we are in. This is exactly what responsible cost-of-living relief with an economic dividend looks like.
“The Labor Government has hit the ground running and this Budget is an important part of that – we’re focused on cleaning up the mess the previous government left behind, helping Australians with cost-of-living pressures, and building a better future.”
