Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks about need to ramp up northern NSW flood recovery during visit to Tweed Heads
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has conceded the federal government must do more to help ramp up the painfully slow northern NSW flood recovery.
Tweed Heads
Don't miss out on the headlines from Tweed Heads. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has conceded the federal government “need to do better” to ramp up the painfully slow northern NSW flood recovery.
The Labor leader has acknowledged “people are doing it really tough” in the area, with many still sleeping in cars, flood-ravaged homes, with relatives or couch surfing.
Mr Albanese did speak of the government’s plans to provide better early warning systems while visiting Good Start childcare in Tweed Heads on Wednesday to spruik the benefits of changes to the Child Care Subsidy.
The government will spend billions in hopes of delivering more affordable child care after legislation passed in November last year.
Mr Albanese also confirmed the Quad leaders meeting due to be held in Sydney next week has been canned after US President Joe Biden cancelled his visit to Australia.
“Mr Biden expressed his disappointment at being unable to come to the Quad Leaders’ Summit in Sydney … he indicated that he was very much looking forward to coming down at a future date, and I will visit the United States later this year,” he said.
Mr Albanese said 1.2 million families would benefit from the childcare reforms.
“Nothing says middle Australia like providing support for childcare,” he said.
“Over 90 per cent of the human brain development occurs in the first five years.
“This is an economic reform about boosting productivity and boosting the workforce as well as greater gender equality.”
Mr Albanese was accompanied by Richmond MP Justine Elliot, who said she expected 5600 families in her electorate alone would benefit from the childcare changes.
Stage 3 tax cuts were also a talking point. The measures are due to cost the government hundreds of billions of dollars
“These are legislated tax cuts. We attempted to amend those tax cuts when they were introduced and were not successful and therefore they’ve been legislated,” he said.
“While we are taking pressure off families we’re not adding pressure to inflation because of our responsible budget.
“I say to the people of this electorate and the people of the NSW North Coast that the Labor government has your back.
“The Labor government is introducing measures that will make a real practical difference and the LNP, on all of those measures, just stands in the way.”
Mr Albanese stated on his Facebook page after the visit – and before he headed north to the Gold Coast: “Forty five days until cheaper child care.”
“Our plan is good for children, good for parents, and good for the economy,” he said.
Named: Man accused of parking meter mayhem
Paying for a car space is never fun but one man took things too far after allegedly smashing a number of parking meters in a northern NSW tourist town, causing more than $15,000 damage.
Students tackle cost of living, global warming in ‘wicked’ challenge
Year 6 students from two northern NSW public schools are jetting off to Sydney for the challenge of a lifetime – which if solved, could fix a slew of worldwide problems.