The Illawarra was neglected in last night’s 2019 Federal Budget, according to the Young Greens.
Wollongong was mentioned once in the budget, with $40 million earmarked for rail between Sydney and Wollongong.
Young Greens member Ben Arcioni dismissed budget and its personal tax cuts.
“I think tax cuts usually benefit slanted towards benefiting the wealthy over anyone else,” Mr Arcioni said.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg yesterday claimed the government was “back in the black” with a $7.1 billion surplus. Mr Arcioni said the government had a habit of turning temporary monetary windfalls into permanent taxation problems.
“If we are going into surplus, I think we really need to be taking care of the people in our community who are the most vulnerable,” Mr Arcioni said.
ALP Federal Member for Cunningham Sharon Bird said the budget was a “pathetic attempt to cover up the past six years of cuts and chaos by the Liberals and National Coalition” and believes that the Illawarra’s needs were neglected.”
“The Illawarra was, yet again, left high and dry with not one cent for infrastructure,” she said.
“[Morrison’s] chaotic government have practically copied Labor’s tax cuts for working and middle-class people in the vain hope that it will make up for six years of penalty rate cuts, job insecurity, no wage growth and a slowing economy.”
Mr Arcioni said the budget presented many commitments that aligned with Labor promises and while funding would be provided to regional universities, the University of Wollongong would miss out.
“I do think that they have used a lot of Labor’s policies which is a good thing. You should have a parliamentary system where you take good ideas from any part of the parliament and implement them,” Mr Arcioni said.
“The majority of budgets that come out in recent years have been sticking university students with higher bills and lower support.”
“I think that a lot of people, particularly young Australians, are fed up with this government and if they continue acting the way they are acting between now and the election, I don’t think result will be all that surprising,” UOW Labor member Kal Slater said.
The federal election will be held next month.