Marion Scrymgour (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. Minister, how is the Albanese Labor government's budget providing cost-of-living relief to regional Australians, and why is this so important? What has been the response?

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Lingiari for her question and the great advocacy work she does in making sure that we spend and invest in infrastructure, particularly in the Northern Territory and in remote communities where we are spending hundreds of millions of dollars to build the infrastructure that the Northern Territory needs. As members from regional Australia, we do understand that people in our regions and across the country are under pressure at the moment. It is why the government's priority has been cost-of-living relief for Australians. It's why our budget is carefully designed to deliver cost-of-living relief, of course, without adding to inflation.

In just under a month, every single Australian taxpayer will receive a tax cut, putting more money back into their pockets. An apprentice in Bendigo on $53,000 a year will receive a tax cut of $1,000; a truckie in the Pilbara earning $77,000 a year will get a tax cut of $1,604; and a nurse in Tamworth earning $73,000 a year will get a tax cut of $1,504. Just like every taxpayer is getting a tax cut, from 1 July every household will get energy relief.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Barker is going to be quiet for the remainder of this answer.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

All households in regional Australia will see a $300 credit automatically applied to their electricity bill, and small businesses—something that those opposite might want to show some interest in—in the regions will receive $325 off their bills over 2024.

From cheaper medicines to HECS debt relief, we are helping regional Australians earn more and keep more of what they earn. But, also, there are our historic increases in funding to local councils for road safety and local road maintenance that will help ease pressure on ratepayers throughout the regions. We are increasing the Roads to Recovery funding from $500 million to a billion dollars—something those opposite never did in a decade. It is a baked-in permanent increase to every single council—not just selected councils on a colour coded spreadsheet but every single council across the country. It will ensure that local councils across our regions can increase their investment in local road infrastructure, easing the financial burden on ratepayers.

The reaction has been pretty good. Bellingen Shire Council said, 'The assurance of a permanent increase enables us to plan effectively and execute projects with greater foresight, free from the constraints of budget fluctuations.' Temora Shire Council said, 'This funding is a significant contribution to the enhancement and maintenance of our roads and will have a positive impact on our community.' Wyndham, in the East Kimberley, said, 'This funding is crucial to enhancing the safety and quality of our local roads.' While on this side of the House we are supporting regional Australia, those opposite are doing— (Time expired)

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Barker will cease interjecting.