03 June 2024
What are the odds that those opposite will ask a question about the budget or the economy this week? If it's anything like last week, the answer is 'zero'. What they don't want to know is that, for the second time, our Treasurer has handed down a budget that delivers a surplus.
And, importantly, our budget delivers tax cuts for every Australian taxpayer, not just some. In fact, 85 per cent of taxpayers in my electorate will be far better off under Labor's tax cuts than if the coalition had got their way. Our budget delivers energy price relief for every single household, not just some.
It delivers the largest investment in housing that we've seen from a government in decades: $32 billion. It delivers by strengthening Medicare, with more investment in women's health. We've also added 29 urgent care clinics to the 58 that we've already delivered, including one in Belmont in my region.
There's also a much-needed boost in rent assistance—the first back-to-back increase in more than 30 years. We're investing in a future made in Australia, with significant investment in training tradies, with an extra 300,000 fee-free TAFE places and funding that is securing our transition to renewables.
This is a Labor Party budget because it invests in workers, it invests in small business, it invests in the regions and it invests in our environment, it supports those doing it tough, and it delivers responsible economic management.