Like all Logan residents, I awaited last week’s federal budget with hope of a better deal for our city and state.
But unfortunately, the delivery left nothing but disappointment, with Queensland once again dudded, denied and done over by the federal government.
On healthcare. Infrastructure. Transport. Housing. We’ve been shortchanged and stitched up.
Even our city’s most pressing need right now, flood recovery funding, is clouded in confusion and uncertainty.
For weeks the state government has been calling on the federal government to sign off on our $771 million flood recovery package so Queensland can speed up our rebuild and strengthen our ability to withstand future flood and rain events.
Last week’s federal budget shows no evidence the federal government will come to the table to co-fund our package.
What makes this even harder to swallow is that it comes on the back of Queensland flood victims only receiving $1000 emergency payments from the federal government, while in New South Wales they received $3000, three times as much.
Where you live shouldn’t affect the support you receive, so it’s deeply disappointing how this has played out.
Just as shocking is the news of health funding cuts. In the midst of a pandemic.
Queensland state hospitals like Logan will receive $21 million less next financial year.
Our government, along with every state and territory in the country, has been calling for the federal government to increase their health investment and agree to a 50/50 funding split.
Sadly, this request has been ignored, which at its core means Queenslanders will have to cop longer wait times for the treatment they need and deserve.
In other areas of the budget we see infrastructure and transport investment short by hundreds of millions of dollars, and housing supply and rent relief measures non-existent.
For all the talk of easing cost-of-living pressures, there’ll be an income tax increase for low and middle income earners from 1 July.
Queensland communities like Logan aren’t asking too much to expect a fair share of federal funding and a fair go for the future.
This year’s federal budget delivers neither of those things. Queenslanders have been taken for granted once again, and Queenslanders won’t forget.
