John Howard’s local Canberra mouth-piece has even more egg on his face with the Federal Budget doing very little for very few. This budget is about satisfying John Howard’s political needs, not the needs of ordinary Australians – and certainly not Canberrans.
The truth about the 2004 Federal Budget is that:
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Around 75 per cent of all taxpayers in the ACT receive less than $52,000 p.a. and therefore will not receive one cent from the Howard Government’s tax cuts |
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Only 28 per cent of all Canberra families will receive the family tax benefit relief. (of 83,100 families in the ACT, only 23,666 are eligible for Family Tax Benefit Part A) |
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Around one – third of those recipients of Family Tax Benefit Part A – approximately 7, 500 Canberra families – get family payment debts or will continue to receive debts which potentially negate any benefit derived from Family Tax Benefit relief. |
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It brings no relief for the thousands of Australian families unable to access quality, affordable centre based long day care for their children aged 0-5. |
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The Howard Government has failed to provide any additional funding for our public health system, refused to accept any responsibility for Australians Dental or Mental Health and has not provided any substantial increases for running of our schools |
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Has not provided any funding for the Defence Headquarters Complex at Bungendore – Despite Senator Humphries talking it up |
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Does not provide Special Revenue Assistance for the ACT beyond 2004-05 or for National Competition Payments after 2005-06 which will result in a $16 million hole in the ACT budget |
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While providing $9.9 million to the National Library, last years budget stripped nearly $8 million and 31 jobs from the National Archives, Gallery and Library. |
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No additional funding for the rebuilding of Mt Stromlo after short-changing it by approximately $8 million in 2003-04 Budget. |
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Despite hypocritical reassurances that no money would be cut from the National Office of Information Economy it appears that one-third of funding has gone missing from the budget of the agency formally known as NOIE. |
This Federal Budget is all bad news for Canberra, and leaves Australia with a new class of forgotten people. After 8 years with John Howard, the best he can offer up is a pre-election spending spree. The Howard Government has no plan for Australia, and Senator Humphries has no plan for Canberra – just a plan for their own re-election.
Contact: Adina Cirson – 0418 488 295 or 02 6277 3334
