The region’s Labor politicians and union movement have labelled Treasurer Scott Morrison’s budget “a plan for cuts and unfairness”, saying it provides tax cuts for banks and high income earners but cuts to services, infrastructure, skills and education.
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Cunningham MP Sharon Bird said only the wealthiest people in her electorate would get a tax cut, as more than 70 per cent earned under $75,000 and would not be eligible.
Throsby MP and, until Wednesday, Labor’s assistant health spokesman, Stephen Jones warned health was abandoned, saying the government would “extend its GP tax by the backdoor” by freezing Medicare rebates for a further two years.
“Doctors will be forced to slug their patients with a GP Tax or shut up shop,” he said. “This will have a particularly harsh impact on communities outside of our major cities where many practices operate on tight margins.”
Similarly, South Coast Labour Council boss Arthur Rorris labelled the budget “daylight robbery”, saying it was “taking money from our school children and giving it to the corporations”.
“Even the infrastructure announcements have left the Illawarra out in the cold,” he said.
“If there was any point in dumping Tony Abbott it is not clear what it is. They have learnt nothing from the disastrous Abbott years.”
Meantime, Gilmore MP Ann Sudmalis praised the budget as a “plan for a strong new economy with more jobs and growth while also placing a big focus on creating stronger communities”.
She highlighted measures which would give which “small and medium businesses” with a turnover of up to $10 million a tax cut, saying this would provide room for many businesses to employ more people.
She said the government’s plan to increase the middle tax bracket threshold from $80,000 to $87,000 would affect “close to 2000” people in Gilmore; this is 1.5 per cent of her electorate.
Ms Sudmalis also praised the government’s plans for young job seekers.
“There are so many young people in Gilmore who will benefit when they are given a real chance to learn and earn,” she said.