Budget a drop in the ocean

After all the anticipation of last year’s federal election promises from Labor, I’m sure many were underwhelmed by the recent Labor federal budget.

Of course – the best outcome was the extension of the single parent payment to cover parents with children up to 14 years of age. This is a win for all of our community. Being a single parent is hard enough, without having to choose between putting food on the table or paying the electricity bill, a very real proposition many are currently facing.

But the extension to Centrelink payments did not go far enough.

The government’s very own report concluded that the current rate of Jobseeker is actually prohibitive to people finding work. I myself have spoken to people who cannot afford petrol, or appropriate attire to attend job interviews.

When people are reduced to such poverty that they merely have to concentrate on surviving, they are not able to reach their full potential as a contributing member of our community.

Raising the rate of Jobseeker was a hot topic among Monash voters during the election campaign last year, and discussed at many kitchen table conversations. Even those not in receipt of jobseeker agreed that it should be increased to allow people to live with dignity.

The increase of Medicare funding will hopefully encourage more GPs to bulk bill – and I fully commend the GPs who do this – they are sacrificing greater income for the benefit of the community. But in regional areas where GP waitlists are often long, and specialists are sometimes non-existent, will this translate to better access to health for local residents?

Most disappointingly is that the “strong on climate action” stance the Labor party took during the election appears to have just been spin. The government is still subsidising fossil fuel industries by almost $10 billion, and continues to approve new gas and coal projects. This will prove detrimental to our future.

I would like to see the government investing more in the renewable energy industry. This emerging and fast growing industry will not only provide clean air and environmental benefits, but also has potential to create thousands of jobs, many here in Gippsland where we have the people skills, expertise and energy transmission infrastructure, as well as providing lower cost energy to households and businesses.

While far better and more sensible than the “vote-buying” Liberal budget handed down last year, this Labor budget is just a drop in the ocean of what needs to be done to ensure the Australian economy and community can thrive to its full potential.

Deb Leonard, Cowes