TOOWOOMBA MISSES OUT

No new infrastructure announcements for region in Federal Budget

TOOWOOMBA has missed out on any major new infrastructure investments as part of the Federal Budget.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg handed down the most important Australian budget in a generation in Canberra on Tuesday night.

Big ticket items included income tax cuts and a new JobMaker scheme, which will give businesses $200 a week for hiring young people aged 18 to 29.

While these measures, as well as extra funding for grants programs, have been welcomed by local leaders and business groups, disappointment has also been expressed at the lack of infrastructure investment in the region.

“One of the big things mentioned was the business case for passenger rail to Brisbane,” Mayor Paul Antonio said. “But that was at least the second or third time that has been announced in the Federal Budget.”

TOOWOOMBA Mayor Paul Antonio says the council will fight hard to receive its fare share of grant funding announced in the Federal Budget on Tuesday night.

Deputy Prime Minister McCormack said $1 billion had been committed for the local roads and community infrastructure program, $2 billion for the national water infrastructure development fund and $200 million for the building better regions fund.

Cr Antonio said the council would work hard to secure as much of that funding they could get their hands on.

“That’ll be our task now that we know the parameters that have been set,” he said.

“We will definitely be working with our local members in Groom, once that is sorted, and Maranoa to try and access some of that to secure our water future.”

Cr Antonio said he was disappointed there wasn’t any new strong secure, non-competitive, funding announced for local governments.

Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce CEO Todd Rohl said the budget appeared to be all about jobs.

“It hits the mark for things that Chamber has been advocating for in terms of youth, like the JobMaker program,” he said.

JobMaker will provide businesses with $200 a week for each new employee aged between 16 and 29. They’ll get $100 for those aged 30 to 35.

“The tricky thing for local business has been securing the time and funding to facilitate the employment of youth,” Mr Rohl said.

“I think this announcement about this program seems to be very good.

“We’ve got to get into the detail, but the headlines seem very positive.”

TSBE CEO Ali Davenport said while the budget was good overall in terms of initiatives for individuals and businesses in response the economic crisis caused by COVID-19, there was “nothing special” in it for Toowoomba.

“What we desperately need from the government is a confirmation of the Inland Rail route,” she said.