Federal Member for Page Kevin Hogan has welcomed the 2021-22 Federal Budget, which was presented to the Parliament tonight.
“Australia’s unemployment rate has dropped from 7.5% to 5.6%, consumer confidence is at a 12-year high, and job advertisements are at their highest in two decades,” Mr Hogan said.
“This budget continues to build on this and outlines our Economic Recovery Plan for Australia.”
“It focuses on creating jobs and keeping our economy strong.”
“Australia is the only country in the world where there are more people employed today than there were before the pandemic.”
“We are continuing guaranteeing the essential services Australians rely on, and building a stronger and more resilient community to keep us safe in these uncertain times.”
Key budget announcements include:
- $250 million for a sixth round of the Building Better Regions Fund. Through this fund I have secured money for Casino Saleyards, Grafton Riverside Precinct, Crozier and Oakes Oval upgrades, Woolgoolga Sports Complex and Ballina Airport.
- Providing tax relief for more than 10 million Australians, to put more money in their pockets to spend in small businesses across the country helping to create jobs.
- Incentivising business to invest, creating more economic activity and more jobs by extending the Instant Asset Write-Off until 30 June 2022.
- In response to the Aged Care Royal Commission, we will commit $17.7 billion on top of our existing investment.
- Building infrastructure with a record 10-year $110 billion infrastructure pipeline, which is already supporting 100,000 jobs across the country.
- To cut the cost of living for around a quarter of a million families and to help boost workforce participation, the Government is making an additional $1.7 billion investment in child care.
- $2.3 billion National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan, including $820.1 million for a national network of Adult, Youth and Children’s Treatment centres.
- The Budget also funds more than 170,000 new apprenticeships and traineeships, 5,000 higher education short courses and 2,700 places in indigenous girls academies to help them finish school and get a job.
- Providing around $124.7 million for an additional two years of funding for the states and territories to meet their social and community housing responsibilities under the National Housing and Homelessness Agreement.
- $351.6 million in woman’s health and wellbeing measures, $1.1 billion for women’s safety, and $1.9 billion to support women’s economic security and leadership,
- $486 million in new environmental funding for oceans, biodiversity, waste and recycling, and climate resilience.
- A record Commonwealth funding of $24.1 billion in 2021-22 for all Australian schools.
- Small businesses will benefit from $45.4 million in tailored programs over the forward estimates.
- The Government is doubling its commitment to the JobTrainer Fund to support a further 163,000 new training places to upskill job seekers and meet skills shortages.
- An additional $13.2 billion for the NDIS up until 2023-24 to reflect the forecast demand for participant supports required into the future. This is in addition to the extra $3.9 billion included in the 2020-21 Budget.
- $1.5 billion to further extend the Boosting Apprenticeships Commencement wage subsidy for an additional six months from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022.
- $145.3 million over two years for the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicides.
- Establishing the Family Home Guarantee with 10,000 guarantees made available over four years to single parents with dependents. The Family Home Guarantee allows them to purchase a home sooner with a deposit of as little as two per cent.
- $9.5 billion to permanently increase the rate of working-age payments by $50 a fortnight benefiting around 1.9 million Australians.
- $16.4 million for better mobile connectivity in bushfire-prone areas on the fringe of our cities.
- The Government is investing $215.0 million in the delivery of affordable reliable power for consumers across Australia.
Authorised by Kevin Hogan MP, National Party of Australia, Lismore, NSW
