Our 10,000 or so local small businesses, jobseekers, pensioners, motorists and our community in general are all winners from this budget.
After 20 years of promises, this Government will complete the $5.6 billion duplication of the Pacific Highway between Ballina and Woolgoolga by 2020.
The entire project is the largest infrastructure project in the Southern Hemisphere. The money is there in the budget to complete it on time, and just this month I announced the successful tender to start building the 155km stretch from Ballina to Woolgoolga.
This will create 4000 direct jobs and 12,000 indirect jobs.
We have also doubled the amount of money we give our councils to repair and maintain our local roads. Lismore will get $1,765,206 this coming financial year, Ballina $1,194,725, Kyogle $1,468,317, Richmond Valley $1,402,544 and Clarence Valley $2,907,498.
That’s a massive $8,738,290 out of this year’s budget to fix our local roads in the Northern Rivers and Clarence Valley.
In my maiden speech, I called on Australians to ‘Have a Go’, and this has been picked up in this budget.
The tax cuts to small business and generous deductions means owners can now “have a go” and expand their businesses through investment and putting on more staff.
This is fantastic news for our job seekers, who have also had their wait for Newstart benefits reduced from six months to four weeks.
I also welcome the decision not to change the indexation rate for pensioners. This means pensions will now rise twice a year at a faster rate than inflation.
More than 90% or 3.7 million pensioners and other Australians who receive pension linked payments will either be better off or have no change to their arrangements under these new proposals.
Lastly, the Government has taken on the large multi-nationals which are not paying their fair share of tax.
I, and the Government, believe if a company earns money here, it should pay tax here.
If readers have any further questions about the budget, they can call my office on 6621 4044.
Kevin Hogan MP
Federal Member for Page
Congratulations to the Federal Government for a more palatable budget. I was fearing Kevin, if they got it wrong this time,it would open the door for the Opposition to gain power after the Coalition being in just one term in government. What a disaster for the country that would have been. I hold out hope now, this will not happen.
Your stance on an aniti- CSG policy in the Page Electorate is paramount to retaining office. It offers nothing to our pristine region, and opposition to any development will meet “stiff” resistance from the community. Continue the fight and the support of the Electorate. I have my doubts about the sincerity of Thomas George.
The Ballina to Woolgoolga leg of the dual highway completion will be a boon to our region. As a much younger man, I remember the prediction of “by the year 2010, the Pacific Highway will be dual carriage from Sydney to Brisbane.” Well only a decade late, but better late then never!! Trusting there will be no financial delays to slow the project, and also hoping you will be in the seat of Page for the official opening.
Cheers
Allan Marsh