Given that the insulation scheme alone will take $439m of taxpayer money to fix, can we trust Mr Rudd that there won’t be other botch-ups over the next two years that eat up the promised small surplus?
On this basis, can we trust Mr Rudd to successfully implement a national health scheme which is still an undelivered promise and was designed to deny WA its GST?
Can we trust Mr Rudd to deliver the promised surplus when it depends on a hotly disputed 40 per cent super tax on mining - which hasn’t even made it through the parliament?
Mid West miners and local governments are rightly furious about the mining tax, which was a hot topic at a Mid West Hinterland Sustaining Communities workshop in Perenjorie.
Federal Liberal Leader Tony Abbott has promised to fight the tax in Opposition and rescind the tax in government.
The agricultural sector as also badly served by the budget. According to the National Farmers Federation, R&D funding is at its lowest level in 30 years.
At a time when the grain rail issue is sensitive in Western Australia, the Rudd Government allocated $1billion Australia-wide for freight rail, but WA will only get funding for one line between Koolyanobbing and Kalgoorlie.
Electricity upgrades for the Mid West were also overlooked.
The extra funding for training is welcome but I will wait to see how this translates into WA rural scene.
I was also happy to see incentive funding for additional nurses in general practices. However, I agree with comments by Wheatbelt GP Network executive Paul West* that $25,000 will only pay half the salary of a nurse and more money is needed for country practices. *Countryman 13/5/10
In a blow to farmers and communities which are endeavouring to adopt improved landcare practices, the Caring for Country program lost $81m and, on top of that, Landcare lost $10m.
In general WA was shortchanged given that, with 10 per cent of Australia’ population, WA accounts for more than 40 per cent of the nation’s exports and 14 per cent of the national economy.
What Mr Rudd is ‘promising’ is a deficit next year. What he is ‘hoping for’ - if he doesn’t have any more disastrous blowouts from mismanagement - is a small surplus the year after.
In other words, we can expect the budget drought to continue for another twelve months and we can turn our eyes hopefully to the elusive clouds on the horizon two years from now.
On this basis, can we trust Mr Rudd to successfully implement a national health scheme which is still an undelivered promise and was designed to deny WA its GST?
Can we trust Mr Rudd to deliver the promised surplus when it depends on a hotly disputed 40 per cent super tax on mining - which hasn’t even made it through the parliament?
Mid West miners and local governments are rightly furious about the mining tax, which was a hot topic at a Mid West Hinterland Sustaining Communities workshop in Perenjorie.
Federal Liberal Leader Tony Abbott has promised to fight the tax in Opposition and rescind the tax in government.
The agricultural sector as also badly served by the budget. According to the National Farmers Federation, R&D funding is at its lowest level in 30 years.
At a time when the grain rail issue is sensitive in Western Australia, the Rudd Government allocated $1billion Australia-wide for freight rail, but WA will only get funding for one line between Koolyanobbing and Kalgoorlie.
Electricity upgrades for the Mid West were also overlooked.
The extra funding for training is welcome but I will wait to see how this translates into WA rural scene.
I was also happy to see incentive funding for additional nurses in general practices. However, I agree with comments by Wheatbelt GP Network executive Paul West* that $25,000 will only pay half the salary of a nurse and more money is needed for country practices. *Countryman 13/5/10
In a blow to farmers and communities which are endeavouring to adopt improved landcare practices, the Caring for Country program lost $81m and, on top of that, Landcare lost $10m.
In general WA was shortchanged given that, with 10 per cent of Australia’ population, WA accounts for more than 40 per cent of the nation’s exports and 14 per cent of the national economy.
What Mr Rudd is ‘promising’ is a deficit next year. What he is ‘hoping for’ - if he doesn’t have any more disastrous blowouts from mismanagement - is a small surplus the year after.
In other words, we can expect the budget drought to continue for another twelve months and we can turn our eyes hopefully to the elusive clouds on the horizon two years from now.
The 2010 Federal Budget was like an almost empty cattle yard - plenty of structure but not much meat.
Political analyst Peter Van Onselen got it right when he said that Rudd’s budget “over-promises and under-delivers” and “the rhetoric is stronger than the reality”. news.com.au
How can we believe in a government which promises a deficit next year, and hopes for a small surplus of $1b the year after, when it hasn’t been able to deliver on its previous promises such as the Emissions Trading Scheme, the disastrous insulation scheme, and its mismanaged school improvement program?
Political analyst Peter Van Onselen got it right when he said that Rudd’s budget “over-promises and under-delivers” and “the rhetoric is stronger than the reality”. news.com.au
How can we believe in a government which promises a deficit next year, and hopes for a small surplus of $1b the year after, when it hasn’t been able to deliver on its previous promises such as the Emissions Trading Scheme, the disastrous insulation scheme, and its mismanaged school improvement program?
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Federal Budget Leaves Regions Wanting More
Copyright Brian Ellis MLC © 2009 - 2011
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Ph: +61 (08) 9923 9211; Fax: +61 (08) 9923 9222; Email: brian.ellis@mp.wa.gov.au
Ph: +61 (08) 9923 9211; Fax: +61 (08) 9923 9222; Email: brian.ellis@mp.wa.gov.au
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