David Gillespie (Lyne, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Around 48,500 taxpayers in the Lyne electorate will benefit from tax relief of up to $2,745 this year. We have extended the low and middle income tax offset, which means people receiving that will get a tax rebate when their tax returns go in of $1,080 if they're single or $2,160 if they are a couple. Because we have an economy now in regional Australia that's booming and we need more skilled workers, we've extended the JobTrainer fund. It'll support 500,000 new places around the nation to upskill jobseekers and young people. We already have 1,500 apprentices in Lyne, and these new measures will lead to improved opportunities for trainees and apprentices.

The other tax incentives in this budget are continuing the instant asset write-off for small businesses so those tradesmen can afford to get their new ute, their new trailer or their new piece of equipment because the value of it can be written off instantly against their tax liabilities. There's 4,300 businesses in Lyne that will be able to use the extended loss carry back facility. That's where a loss this year can be carried back several years against your profit years so that you get a better tax refund. There are so many things that have helped businesses, particularly the tax-free cashflow boost, which has helped about 4,200 small businesses during the COVID pandemic. Because of that initiative, $167 million has come into the Lyne electorate.

For investment in major infrastructure: what better than having $48 million from the federal coalition infrastructure budget to get the Harrington to Coopernook overpass built. This grade separated interchange is a major necessity. It's a $60 million project, and there's $48 million coming from the federal government.

The HomeBuilder program has helped a lot of housing construction in our electorate. The payments of $15,000 and $25,000 are being paid for out of this budget. Thirty-one thousand pensioners and 6,400 carers have received support payments of $1,250. This budget is how we have managed to pay for these things.

The other things benefitting us is all the new drugs on the PBS as well as extra funds for child care, preschools and aged care. There's more money for aged care; it has doubled from when I came in, in 2013. The Newcastle Airport upgrade of $66 million means all the people on the North Coast will have an international airport in Newcastle. (Time expired)

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