Local MP Katrina Hodgkinson has slammed the State Government’s mini budget, declaring it yet another attack on country families.
In the wake of the mini budget, which was handed down on Tuesday, Ms Hodgkinson condemned the State Government for taking the budget knife to frontline services and slugging country families with school aged children.
“Although he promised there would no cuts to frontline services, Premier Rees has broken this commitment by cutting $38.4 million of nursing staff from small hospitals, most of which are in the country,” Ms Hodgkinson said.
“These cuts will see the number of registered nurses reduced, to be replaced by enrolled nurses or assistants in nursing, reducing the level of experience available for patient care.
“Similarly, Police have had $5 million cut from their annual building works budget, which will limit their ability to deliver frontline services.”
A spokesman for the NSW Minister for Health John Della Bosca said smaller hospitals will still have registered and enrolled nurses caring for acute patients, with assistance from nursing support workers.
"Registered nurses play an important role in providing quality care and treatment for patients in NSW Hospitals.
"The adjustments we’re making to the staff mix in small hospitals are focused on ensuring that we have the right workforce in place to meet patients’ needs, whether it's acute care or aged care," the spokesman said.
Duty MLC Mick Veitch said he was not aware of any major cuts to frontline services in NSW.
“There has been a freeze on public service jobs but frontline service jobs – such as police officers and nurses - have not been frozen.”
“It was a tough mini-budget but these are hard economic times and the Government is acting responsibly with the State’s economy during these tough times.”
Ms Hodgkinson said families with school aged children had been slugged with increased State charges to compensate for Labor’s financial mismanagement.
Childcare has been hit with new licence fees, $700 for small services and $1100 for larger services, and Ms Hodgkinson believes these costs will be passed on to local families.
“NSW has the highest average costs for preschools in Australia, this will push them higher.
“Costs for childcare will become even more expensive,” Ms Hodgkinson said.
NSW is at even greater risk of slipping into recession after the state mini-budget, according to economists and financial experts. They believe the State Government had tightened the screws on the economy when stimulus was needed.
“This is policy making with your back against the wall,” an economist at nabCapital declared in the Sydney Morning Herald.
“This should see the state retain its AAA credit rating but it will amplify the economic downturn. These measures point to continued economic underperformance in NSW.”
BREAKOUT
(Educati on)
* $50 per child back-to-school payment axed
* $20 million saved from axing the back-to-school payment to be used for special-needs programs at disadvantaged schools, hiring 80 special-needs teachers for children with dyslexia, autism and mental health problems
* Introduce annual co-payment of $45 for primary students and $90 for secondary students (capped at $180 per family) for school student travel scheme
* $150 million a year to fund 500 new maintenance projects at schools
(Law and Order)
* 750 extra police officers by 2011
* 14 more lawyers funded for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions
* The Victims Compensation Levy will be doubled from $70 for offenders convicted of serious offences.
(Child Care)
* New licence fee for child-care centres, of between $700 and $1,100 depending on size, from January 2010
(Public Service)
* 20 per cent cut to senior executive public servants, to save $170 million
* Freeze on hiring public servants not in direct contact with the public
* Public service job losses (unspecified) but including 200 jobs in primary industry and 150 water and energy jobs
(Health)
* Cut back on nursing overtime
* Fee increases for specialists using public facilities
* Sell remaining state nursing homes and land
* Standardise fees for locum medical staff to avoid hospitals competing for staff
(Property)
* Land tax increased from 1.6 per cent to 2 per cent on investment property land worth more than $2.25 million
* $3,000 bonus for first home owners purchasing new dwellings, for one year from November 11, 2008
* Limit availability of first home buyers grant to first homes under $750,000 from July 1, 2009
* Increase in property transfer fee from January 2009 from $92 to $184
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