Mixed reception to budget: Haines

INDEPENDENT Indi MP Helen Haines welcomed some aspects of Labor's first full Federal Budget including measures to make going to the doctor cheaper and lower electricity bills for those doing it tough, but said there isn't enough action on housing or enough funding for the regions. "The number one issue people talk to me about in Indi is housing," Dr Haines said. "There's so much more this government could do to kickstart housing development in regional Australia to ensure we all have a safe, affordable roof over our heads. "The budget includes measures to help people get into home ownership, which I support, but in many towns in Indi there are just no houses to buy. "These measures won't be effective without first addressing supply issues." The budget includes a $2 billion increase for the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation to support more social and affordable housing and measures to incentivise build–to–rent projects, but didn't implement Dr Haines' plan for a Regional Housing Infrastructure Fund. "I welcome the funding increase for social and affordable housing...now the challenge for the government is to make sure this funding actually makes a difference on the ground, and fast," Dr Haines said. "I will be speaking to the Minister to see how projects in Indi can make the most out of this expanded funding pool." Dr Haines said the budget showed just how important it was for the Housing Australia Future Fund legislation to be passed so building could begin on more social and affordable housing, however, that was scuttled on Wednesday afternoon in the senate when the Coalition joined the Greens in delaying a vote on the bill until parliament resumes possibly in June. She welcomed budget measures to ease cost of living pressures, such as: • a $40 per fortnight increase for JobSeeker, Youth Allowance, Austudy and other income support payments; • a higher rate of Jobseeker payments for people aged 55 and over, who will receive an increase of $92.10 per fortnight; • increasing the maximum rate of Commonwealth Rent Assistance by 15 per cent; • $3.5 billion to triple the Medicare bulk billing incentive for GPs, for eligible Australians, including pensioners and children under the age of 16; and • $3 billion in energy bill relief for eligible households and small business. "Almost 30,000 people in Indi will benefit from the tripling of bulk–billing incentives and I welcome this commitment from the government," Dr Haines said. However, she said more could still be done to improve the cost of living. "The government has said the energy bill relief will be different from state to state and it's not clear what this means for Victorians," Dr Haines said. "I will be seeking more information about what this means for Indi residents. "The $40 a fortnight increase to JobSeeker is below the increase that the Australian Council of Social Service and other sector leaders called for and will still leave thousands of people in Indi living below the poverty line."

Mixed reception to budget: Haines

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