Budget Lockup Coverage 2023
This is Dr Jim Chalmers first main Budget where policy settings become evident. Things like HECS debt, Diesel rebate and anything to do with Business have not garnered any support for change, but a comprehensive energy package which includes a 2 billion dollar kickstart for Hydrogen has. Windfall tax and resources receipts have nudged the budget to a $4 billion surplus; but this will slip back into deficit in coming years.
The much anticipated cost of living measures centred on an increase in Bulk Billing GP’s through medicare incentives, $20 per week for Jobseeker, and child care measures.
The ballooning increases in the cost of the NDIS (14%) will be reduced through attention to cost reduction measures, but not until 2026-27 will it suddenly settle to the more subdued 8% yearly increase.
Wendy Frew, Dominic Giles and Roderick Chambers were in the lockup and this is their take on the measures contained in Budget 2023
We are grateful for the support of Marleen Nandi and others without which we would not have been able to be in Canberra.