Budget gets poor response from the bush

Story by Tricia Duffield

Last week’s Labor Federal Budget has been described as an ‘epic fail’ by Federal Member for Parkes Jamie Chaffey, and has also been criticised by State Member for Barwon, Roy Butler

It has also met with a lukewarm response from community leaders and mayors across the western region.

The strongest criticism was about the cost of living for people in the bush, and the cuts to the local government Financial Assistance Grants scheme getting a resounding ‘thumbs down’. The federal government has announced that the Financial Assistance Grant program that supports local councils will drop as a proportion of Commonwealth tax revenue

Ahead of the Budget, Mr Chaffey called on the 20 councils within the vast electorate of Parkes to put forward their priorities.

“I wanted to know exactly what the highest priorities were for these Councils so we could at least address the most urgent needs,” Mr Chaffey said.

“Escalating costs and financial sustainability are the top priorities. The Labor Government has addressed this by actually dropping funding to Councils. That is a spectacular failure.

“The number two priority was road maintenance, freight efficiency and road safety. I was pleased to see the Roads to Recovery Program continue, but the Local Roads Community Infrastructure program has gone.

“No certainty, no recognition of the roads issue. Another epic fail,” he said. […]

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Member for Parkes Jamie Chaffey on right meeting with Nationals Leader Matt Canavan on the Federal budget. Photo contributed