WITH less than four months to go until the federal election, Prime Minister Julia Gillard has defended the budget as being one that will underpin a “fairer future” for Wyndham residents.
But the state government says Wyndham families are in the firing line of a budget decision to slash the baby bonus, and criticised the budget’s failure to bankroll major road infrastructure.
Handed down on May 14, Treasurer Wayne Swan’s sixth federal budget has earmarked $176,000 to tackle dangerous black spots on Wyndham roads. They include the intersections of Tarneit and Shaws roads at Werribee, Haines Drive and Storkbill Road at Wyndham Vale, and Morris and Hogans roads at Hoppers Crossing.
Canberra coffers funnelled a further $527,700 directly to Wyndham Council for road upgrades under the Roads to Recovery Program, and $448,500 to design a sustainable community next to the upcoming Tarneit West station on the Regional Rail Link, under the Liveable Cities Program.
Ms Gillard said the DisabilityCare scheme would give 4182 residents in her Lalor electorate lifetime support. “This is a big picture budget, focused on making the right decisions to ensure Australia’s future,” Ms Gillard said.
Western metropolitan Liberal MP Andrew Elsbury said a big blow to Wyndham residents was replacing the Howard-era baby bonus with a much lower payment.
A new payment linked to Family Tax Benefit A will slash the payment for a first child from $5000 to $2000 and for subsequent kids from $3000 to $1000.
“There’s a birthrate of 70 babies a week in Wyndham, and this is going to have a huge impact on families,” he said.
Mr Elsbury welcomed the “minor” budget allocations for Wyndham roads, but said Ms Gillard had failed to help fund the $40 million Sneydes Road interchange — “the biggest infrastructure project in her own backyard” — and left the state government to go it alone.
“It just shows which government is serious about funding infrastructure works in the western suburbs.”
