“Average Aussies” will be left wanting in the latest federal budget, according to critics.
But treasurer Jim Chalmers said the budget reforms were designed to help the most vulnerable in Australia and Logan residents had “a lot to gain”.
Mr Chalmers said over one hundred thousand of his constituents would benefit from the budget.
His electorate, Rankin, covers much of the northern half of Logan.
Beyond the billion-dollar investment into Olympic infrastructure spanning four years, which includes the stadium to be built in Logan, Mr Chalmers said the budget would “make a difference in our community”.
“Whether it’s cheaper medicines, more bulk billing or a bit of extra help to pay the rent – it will take pressure off local families and local businesses and create more opportunities for more people in our area to get ahead,” Mr Chalmers said.
The budget has targeted some of the most vulnerable in Logan, including those on welfare payments, people needing healthcare, aged care workers, older women and single parents.
According to the treasurer, more than 100,000 people will benefit from Labor’s new higher bulk-billing incentive, taking place at 59 practices in Rankin.
“Our record investment to triple bulk-billing incentives will make it easier and cheaper to see a doctor in our community,” he said.
He has predicted more than 39,513 people in the community would benefit from the prescription-medicine regulation change, which will allow people to buy two months’ worth of certain medications for the price of a single prescription.
The change, which becomes effective on 1 September, will apply to more than 300 PBS medicines for chronic conditions where a GP assesses a patient’s condition as stable.
Because of the change, general patients are predicted to save up to $180 a year, while some concession card holders will save up to $43.80 a year per medicine.
The government’s $40-dollar increase to the fortnightly base-rate of eligible JobSeeker, Austudy and Youth Allowance payment recipients will reportedly impact 4795 Rankin residents, and 225 people between the ages of 55 and 59 on JobSeeker will receive an extra $92.10 per fortnight.
Currently, around 4715 households in Rankin are eligible for the maximum Commonwealth Rent Assistance rates.
Starting in September, households receiving these rates will get up to $31.36 extra a fortnight.
The budget also delivered a highly-anticipated change to the single-parent payment system, giving single parents an extra six years of support.
Now, around 150 Rankin locals will receive the single-parent payment until their youngest child turns 14, as opposed to the last 17 years, which only supported parents until their youngest was eight.
The budget also promised a range of funding to help small-businesses, TAFE, hospitals, aged care workers and to relieve electricity bills.
Economists said the challenge was to form a budget that provided relief to residents but didn’t contribute to high inflation.
Mr Chalmers said he was “supremely confident” the budget would not worsen inflation.
“Our aim throughout – whether it’s our cost-of-living package, our broader investments in energy or other efforts to grow the economy – is to make sure this budget is part of the solution to high inflation and cost-of-living pressures in our local area, not adding to the problem,” he said.
