How Capricornia and Flynn fared in the federal budget

With an election date set to be announced in the coming weeks, the Treasurer has handed down his pre-election budget. See what’s in it for Flynn and Capricornia.

With a Federal Election date announcement looming, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has delivered his budget in hopes of wooing voters around the country.

Petrol prices and the rising cost of living were targeted by government, giving some relief to households around the region.

“Our regions will always be an economic powerhouse generating prosperity for our nation,” Mr Frydenberg said.

“No government has invested more in our regions than this Liberal‑National.

“We go further. Announcing an unprecedented regional investment package that includes transformational investments in agriculture, infrastructure and energy in the Hunter, the Pilbara, the Northern Territory and North and Central Queensland.”

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg delivered his 2022 Budget speech in the House of Representatives in Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

CAPRICORNIA

In Central Queensland, about 59,100 taxpayers in the Capricornia electorate are set to benefit from tax relief of up to $1,500 this year, made up of the $1,080 low and middle income tax offset and a $420 cost of living tax offset.

The government will also invest $296.5 million in regional, rural and remote health to improve access to healthcare for people in country Australia, including in Capricornia.

Some of these measures include expanding the number of medical Commonwealth support places at rural campuses by 80.

There will also be an investment of $66 million in deregulating and expanding access to Medicare funded MRI services in regional, rural and remote areas.

Small business also got a slice of the budget pie with access to a 20 per cent bonus deduction for eligible external training courses for upskilling their employees and $1 billion for a new Technology Investment Boost to encourage small businesses to go digital.

The Treasurer also announced $1.3 billion to support the delivery of the next National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children and $165.0 million for wellbeing programs and $104.2 million for health services to support veterans and families.

“A strong economy enables the Government to guarantee the essential services Australians rely on,” Member for Capricornia Michelle Landry said.

Member for Capricornia Michelle Landry. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“Since coming to office, we have delivered record levels of funding for health, aged care, education and disability support.

“The Government is investing an unprecedented $37.9 billion in regional Australia and priority infrastructure across the nation to create jobs and unlock the economic potential in our regions.”

Labor candidate for Capricornia Russell Robertson said the budget failed to deliver social housing funding.

He said while the Treasurer was delivering his speech in parliament, he was out listening to frontline workers.

“It was important to hear from frontline workers on the major issues around social housing and how we can find a solution,” he said.

“There’s a cash splash before the election, and at least $3 billion in secret cuts after – but not a single cent to fix the housing crisis, which is now at an ‘emergency’ level.

“And today, he’s saying the best way to support Aussies who are renting a house, is to help them buy a house.

“Nine hundred people in Rockhampton alone are on the social housing registry – our region needs solutions, and a fresh start.”

Capricornia Labor candidate Russell Robertson.

Mr Robertson said a Labor Government would invest $10 billion over five years, including $100 million for crisis and transitional housing for at-risk families.

“That’s 20,000 new social housing properties, all while supporting 21,500 full-time jobs, with one in 10 workers on new build sites will be apprentices,” he said.

Mr Robertson said new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed 2013 people have moved to Central Queensland between 2020 and 2021 and that five of the top 10 largest regional migration centres were in CQ.

FLYNN

Flynn residents are set to benefit from a number of infrastructure projects targeted at Central Queensland, as well as a large sum of money dedicated towards regional development, including in education, training, and rural health.

The funding will be sourced from a massive $7b portion of the budget dedicated to energy security and regional development which will oversee projects such as hydrogen which will be key to the region’s energy future.

The government has also promised $1 billion for water quality protection, habitat restoration and resilience science for the neighbouring Great Barrier Reef, as well as $99.3m to address the crippling shortage of doctors in Central Queensland by providing more training places for medical students studying in regional and remote locations.

A $1b pledge to fund the government’s Modern Manufacturing Strategy to provide sovereign energy capability will also benefit Gladstone’s workforce and provide a more resilient manufacturing sector, according to the Treasurer.

Member for Callide, Colin Boyce leaves Parliament. . Picture: John Gass

LNP Flynn candidate, Colin Boyce, who only on Tuesday resigned from his positions as Callide MP, said this was a budget that would keep cost of living down and contribute to the region’s and nation’s continued economic growth and resilience.

“Only an LNP government can deliver that, with rising risk of inflation we need to be ensuring we’re spending responsibly as a government while securing our economic future. We are the only party with a plan to do that,” Mr Boyce said.

“The funding for the Modern Manufacturing Strategy will allow Australia to strengthen supply chains, which is absolutely critical given continued global insecurity if we want to produce, build and supply things in this nation.

“Due to the nature of the electorate of Flynn and our strong manufacturing base, in conjunction with the Port of Gladstone, this will enable greater job security for the entire region.”

Mr Boyce also welcomed additional funding for training and health services across the region to invite and keep doctors in places such as Gladstone, Emerald, and Moura.

“It’s going to help relieve some of the pressure that our rural doctors are feeling, we know that people who train regionally are more likely to take up a position in a rural or regional location,” he said.

“This is aided by the 10 Year Strategic Agreement for the Royal Flying Doctor Service worth nearly $1 billion to help ensure that the far reaches of the electorate are also covered.”

While the Labor Opposition will give its budget reply speech in federal parliament tonight, MPs and candidates including Labor candidate for Flynn and current Gladstone Mayor, Matt Burnett have given their thoughts to the pre-election budget.

“Labor always supports more investment in our region, the fact is though that this government has a terrible track record of delivery,” Mr Burnett said.

“Locals have been doing it really tough for a while now; from the price of food and groceries to the cost of child care, and housing, everything seems to be going up across Queensland except people’s wages.

“There is nothing in this Budget that makes up for a decade of attacks on wages, job security and Medicare in Central Queensland.

“The reality is that under this government, the cost of living is skyrocketing – real wages are going backwards, and working families are going further behind. If the Morrison Government really cared about the huge issues in our aged care and health sectors, they wouldn't have waited until the election to do something about it.”

Mr Burnett also took to social media to label the budget “a ploy” for upcoming election and not a plan for a better future.