The Federal Member for Durack, the Honourable Melissa Price has welcomed the Morrison Government’s budget as a plan to support hard working Durack constituents with a plan for future employment opportunities and tax relief that will benefit many.
I believe the focus on minimising the impact on younger workers across my electorate coming out of the COVID-19 crisis and building a local economy for jobs growth reflects a budget focused on recovery.
“There is no budget recovery without a jobs recovery. This budget is all about jobs. The new JobMaker hiring credit to encourage businesses to hire younger Australians will have a positive impact across Durack,” Ms Price said.
The Jobmaker hiring credit will be payable for up to twelve months and immediately available to employers who hire those on JobSeeker aged 16-35. It will be paid at the rate of $200 per week for those aged under 30, and $100 per week for those aged between 30-35. New hires must work for at least 20 hours a week.
“We have also committed an additional $1.2 billion to create 100,000 new apprenticeships and traineeships, with a 50 per cent wage subsidy for businesses who employ them,” she said.
There has also been $39.8 million to improve the education and employment prospects for up to 12,500 young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men, by funding additional places with the Clontarf Foundation.
Our support for apprentices and trainees includes the $1.2 billion Boosting Apprenticeship Commencement Scheme with 50 per cent wage subsidy to all businesses who take on new apprentices from 5 October 2020 and will support 100,000 new apprentices and is available until 30 September 2021.
“I also believe the $16.3 million over two years from 2020-21 to create temporary incentives in the income support system to encourage recent school leavers to undertake seasonal horticultural work and help address the expected critical workforce shortages for the upcoming harvest season, is very helpful for Durack,” she said.
As well as those employment incentives, many already working in Durack will benefit from the more than 11 million taxpayers who will get a tax cut backdated to 1 July this year. Lower- and middle-income earners will this year receive tax relief of up to $2,745 for singles, and up to $5,490 for dual income families compared with 2017-18.
Building on the successful expansion of the Instant Asset Write Off during the COVID crisis, the Morrison Government will now provide the largest set of investment incentives any Australian Government has ever provided. Over 99 per cent of businesses will be able to write off the full value of any eligible asset they purchase for their business.
Around 7 million Medicare subsidised mental health services have been delivered since March. Access has been improved for Durack residents with a doubling of the number of Medicare funded psychological services through the Better Access Initiative, from 10 to 20. We are also providing more funding for Lifeline, headspace, Beyond Blue and Kids Helpline.
I welcome the extra 2 payments for pensioners who will receive an additional $250 payment in December and a further $250 payment in March next year, while for those in Durack with the dream of homeownership, can receive more assistance with an additional 10,000 first home buyers being able to purchase a new home sooner under our First Home Loan Deposit Scheme.
Indigenous Business Australia will receive an additional investment of $150 million over three years to deliver 360 home loans for new housing construction in regional Australia. The extension of Indigenous Business Australia’s Indigenous Home Ownership Programme will support over 1,000 jobs by unlocking financing for shovel-ready construction projects in regional Australia and increase the proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in appropriately sized housing.
Tourism support and infrastructure will benefit from the next round of Building Better Regions Fund announced in the budget along with recent changes to make backpacker visa requirements working in the north more flexible.
For Durack agriculture, the Secondary Freight Network has had another $80 million committed, while the On-Farm Emergency Water Infrastructure scheme has been extended. The Bureau of Meteorology has received extra funding of $254.6 million to be provided over four years from 2020-21 to help ensure the long-term financial sustainability of Durack’s farmers.
Ends;
Media contact Rose Crane 0427 587 395. Rosemea.Crane@aph.gov.au