What are you hoping to see from Tuesday night’s Federal Budget?
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Increased government spending on roads and infrastructure, housing, health, education and mental welfare services?
Or strengthening of our defence and Border Force capabilities?
Or perhaps you just want some more dollars in your pocket?
Budgets of both Federal and State varieties often promise much but deliver little for “the man on the street”.
Focusing instead on the big end of town and a few key big-ticket items make the big-picture figures seem impressive while not really doing much overall.
It appears the same is coming from this week’s announcement.
Fairfax Media economics editor Ross Gittins was among those commentators predicting “modest” tax cuts for low-income earners and small falls in unemployment.
Meanwhile, an Urban Congestion Fund is predicted to be dropping billions into road and rail projects in capital cities.
Around $8 billion is already slated for projects across Victoria, but no word on any deals with NSW as yet.
In the Yass Valley, the government got in early this week to announce its $100 million investment for the Barton Highway as part of the 2018-19 Federal Budget.
The additional funding brings the total spend forecast to $200 million, of which $150 million is from the Feds, and $50 million is from the State, much to the delight of local lobbyists and action groups.
Moreover, that extra $100 million commitment for the Barton, under the Roads of Strategic Importance Initiative, is matched by a second $100 million to be invested in the Monaro Highway Upgrade Package.
This will likely be the last Budget before the next Federal election, so keep an eye out for those “issues inherited from the last government” statements on why certain budget measures can’t be achieved, like the oft-promised surplus that still is yet to happen, and looks unlikely for at least another term of government.
Just enough time for that government to blame previous iterations for also not being able to reduce the country’s deficit.
But as Federal Member for Eden-Monaro Dr Mike Kelly (ALP) declared to the Tribune this week, Yass Valley has waited long enough: “We won’t tolerate any more ifs, buts, maybes or weasel words,” he said.