GOVT COMES OUT SWINGING

THE Morrison Government has targeted swinging voters with its tax cuts in last night’s Federal Budget.

These are residents in the northern Gold Coast seat of Forde, living in the city’s fastest growing communities. To win government, the Coalition must win in suburbs like Coomera.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in his opening remarks put it simply to these residents — the Budget is back in the black and Australia back on track.

For the first time in 12 years the nation was “paying its way”.

Compared to six years ago, growth was higher, unemployment lower, fewer people were on welfare and more of us had work. School and hospital spending were at record levels.

“This is our record,” Mr Frydenberg said. This was not so much a Budget speech but talking up the Coalition’s sound economic management on the eve of an election, likely to be held on either May 11 or 18.

“Only one side of politics has done this,” the Treasurer said, referring to the surplus.

This is the hard sell of the Budget — but Mr Frydenberg made a good fist of it.

The interest bill on the national debt across the last year was $18 billion. “This is money that could have built 500 schools or a world-class hospital in each state and territory,” he said.

What the electorate finds much easier to digest are statements like the Government is delivering “the largest personal income tax cuts since the Howard Government”.

The key announcement is the doubling of the low and middle income tax offset. A single income family will receive $1080 in their pocket per year, and families on dual incomes can get up to $2160.

The Treasurer was specific about the beneficiaries. “Taxpayers earning up to $126,000 a year – including teachers, tradies and nurses — will receive a tax cut,” he said. Small businesses, the backbone of the Coast’s economy, will also benefit — the Government is “cutting their taxes to 25 per cent”, while the popular instant asset write-off will be increased to $30,000.

The Treasurer remarked that it will allow “a café to get a new fridge or grill, a plumber to buy new tools or a courier a new van”.

Again, the pitch is aimed at the swinging voters in Forde, those not rusted on — yet — to Labor. Coast pensioners will get the one-off energy assistance payment of $75 for singles and $125 for couples.

But to dive deep into the Budget papers, to search through the graphs and data, what are the big projects being funded for our city?

Light rail is to get $112 million, yet not highlighted. The only fresh project on the M1 — $1.2 billion of works is already underway — involves a $500 million spend on the notorious Daisy Hill to Logan stretch.

Of more concern is the highlighted regional city projects — these are in western Sydney, Geelong, Launceston, Hobart and Darwin. No mention of the Coast.

For the commuters from Coomera, is a budget “back on track” enough to overcome their frustration of the daily drive on the beaten track of the congested M1 to work in Brisbane? Tax cuts will win back many swinging voters about to put Labor in the Lodge. Like the M1 trip to Brisbane, it all suggests the arrival may be a bit too late.