The Coalition Government was elected last September with an unprecedented focus on regional Australia. Australia faced a $47 billion deficit for the 2013-14 financial year alone and $123 billion of accumulated Labor deficits to 2016-17. The reality of Labor’s legacy is damaging budget deficits as far as the eye can see. Australia is paying $1 billion a month interest on Labor’s debt and that number was destined to rise every month. Even critics of specific Federal Budget measures concede that Labor’s deficit track is unsustainable. Expenditure reductions are not the sole answer. We must invest in things that make our country strong and will drive economic growth. That’s where the regions come in. The Budget confirmed our $314 million investment in local communities through our Community Development Grants Programme, with 300 projects funded across the nation. In addition, our new $1 billion National Stronger Regions Fund will be up and running next year. It will invest in priority projects across Australia’s regions and local communities. Our $50 billion investment in transport infrastructure is the largest by any Australian Government. It provides billions of dollars for regional road projects across the nation – including $6.7 billion to fix the Bruce Highway and $5.64 billion to finally finish the duplication of the Pacific Highway. It also includes: $2.5 billion for local roads under the Roads to Recovery Programme – including an extra $350 million more to provide double funding in 2015-16. $565 million for Black Spots – crucial to fixing dangerous and accident-prone sections of local roads and streets, plus $248 million for Heavy Vehicle Safety projects. $229 million for a new national highway upgrade program. $300 million for our new Bridges Renewal programme to help repair and replace local bridges. There is $100 million to fill in black spots in the mobile phone network, a new university scholarship program, green army, an extra $100 million for rural research… all of direct benefit to regional Australia. The abolition of Labors carbon tax will save local councils, communities, businesses and households many millions of dollars every year. This is a tough Budget. We are not hiding from that. We did not create the economic problems besetting our country, but we were elected to fix them. We have no desire to prolong stringent measures. As soon as we can relax them, we will. But going down Labor’s route of unsustainable spending is a recipe for much greater and permanent costs. Today I released Building Stronger Regional Communities – a range of programmes and initiatives to build stronger regional economies and communities. These include: • Over $2.34 billion in water infrastructure upgrades for the Murray-Darling Basin, working to restore our greatest natural resource to full health whilst supporting economic development. • $50 million for the 20 Million Trees programme that will provide job opportunities for Australians while also providing local solutions to local conservation needs. • $320 million for a comprehensive drought support package that will support farm businesses, families and communities that are experiencing hardship and to help them recover when the current drought ends. • $18.2 million under the Regional Aviation Access Programme for infrastructure upgrades to regional airstrips across Australia. The Coalition Government recognises the vital role regional areas can, and must, play in overcoming Australia’s national challenges and driving economic development. Through our policies and investment programmes, the Australian Government is building stronger regional communities. The Building Stronger Regional Communities publication is available at: regional.gov.au/regional/publications/.
Posted on: Mon, 02 Jun 2014 07:28:35 +0000
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