Scott Morrison to unveil $100m recharge for hard-hit regions
As Prime Minister Scott Morrison prepares to unveil his most important budget “since World War II”, Gippsland is set to share in a $100m package aimed at rebuilding regions destroyed by coronavirus, drought and bushfires.
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Gippsland will share in a $100m federal budget package to rebuild regional areas ravaged by drought, bushfires and the COVID-19 recession.
The cash splash is the latest element to be revealed ahead of next Tuesday’s budget, which Scott Morrison has declared to be one of the most important since World War II.
The Prime Minister, who will on Thursday unveil his plan to kickstart manufacturing, said the budget was “about cushioning the blow, it’s about recovering what was lost, and it’s about building for the future”.
But Labor leader Anthony Albanese will on Wednesday to outline an alternative vision focused on social housing, infrastructure and higher support payments, as he accuses Mr Morrison of being “there for the photo op, never there for the follow-up”.
The $100m package for regional recovery partnerships will be detailed by Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack on Wednesday, with Gippsland one of several target areas.
The funding will be co-ordinated with councils and state governments on local initiatives such as infrastructure projects and tourism upgrades.
“I’m excited by our regions, excited by their prospects, excited about what we are all – together – doing to overcome the challenges of today and build a better tomorrow,” Mr McCormack said.
He will announce an extra $30m to improve communications connectivity in regional areas, and $5m to support the leadership skills of strong local voices.
The Herald Sun can reveal the budget will also include $10.6m to help ensure no one under the age of 45 is living in residential aged care by 2022.
Aged Care Minister Richard Colbeck said a national network of 40 coordinators would work with vulnerable young people to find “age-appropriate accommodation”.
Mr Morrison said the budget — expected to include fast-tracked tax cuts, cash incentives for businesses to hire unemployed workers and an infrastructure funding boost — would help “build our economy for the future” through “unprecedented times”.
Mr Albanese will tell the McKell Institute his three priorities for the budget are “jobs, jobs and jobs”, arguing the reduction in JobKeeper wage subsidies and JobSeeker unemployment benefits is “premature”.
“Mr Morrison is leaving people behind. Worse than that, he’s kicking people when they are down,” he will say.
But Mr Morrison said the two payments worked together to provide support.
“There are more jobs coming back into the economy and more hours coming back into the economy so people’s incomes, increasingly, will be supported by their jobs, not just by the taxpayer,” he said.
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