Tax cuts for Bendigonians have emerged as a point of debate post budget as politicians weigh benefits in the region.
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Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie said taxpayers would be among the winners of the budget, with 59,900 taxpayers in the Bendigo region standing to benefit from low and middle income tax relief.
She said it would amount to an offset of up to $530 per anum.
“This means more money in their pockets to help them and their families with the costs of living,” she said.
Labor would support personal income tax measures, but Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters said cuts of up to $10 a week would not go far enough to help people on lower incomes make ends meet.
“We know middle class and working class people are struggling with the cost of living – this is overdue relief, but it doesn’t make up for Turnbull’s cost of living increases and cuts to penalty rates,” she said.
Ms Chesters would not be drawn on whether the ALP had any plans for personal income tax that would go further than the coalition’s.
“Bill Shorten will deliver his budget reply speech tomorrow night, where there will be a number of commitments that Labor will make,” she said.
“We believe in tax reform that is fair and what we’ve seen from the government is not fair.”
Concerns about aged care
Among Ms Chesters' other budget concerns was shortages of in-home care packages.
“There’s about 100,000 people waiting for home care packages in Australia, including many people who live in Bendigo and central Victoria,” Ms Chesters said.
She said funding would be taken out of residential aged-care to pay for 14,000 new in-home care packages.
“It’s just outrageous that the Liberal government is proposing cuts to residential aged care,” she said.
Ms Chesters was concerned that this could place pressure on central Victorian aged care facilities and potentially force some to close.
She said the government had failed the "fairness test” for pensioners by cutting the energy supplement, costing pensioners $14 a fortnight and keeping people working until they were 70.
Ms McKenzie said the government was supporting older Australians with a record $18.6 billion dollar investment in aged care.
"This will boost their financial security, helping those who want to work longer, and giving them more choice in their care," she said.
"The Government will also protect older Australians from Labor’s Retirement Tax.
"We are also ensuring better quality of care and greater transparency of care to protect older Australians who can no longer stay at home."
Tom O'Callaghan
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
I grew up in Bendigo and I want to tell your stories.
