While Australian families will be hard hit by the new budget, some Queenslanders are demanding answers about why roads, the homeless and children have been ignored.
Julia Younger reports.
TRANSCRIPT
Some prominent Australians digested the budget at a special breakfast function in Brisbane this morning.
High on the menu; baby bonuses, child care relief and road funding.
Queensland Treasurer Tim Nicholls critised a lack of funding for a new range crossing to Toowoomba and other major infrastructure projects.
Tim Nicholls, Qld Treasurer: “A budget of smoke and mirrors, a budget that’s more about Mr Swan and Ms Gillard leaving a legacy for themselves than it is about delivering outcomes for Queenslanders and Australians.”
Scott Emerson, Minister for Transport and Main Roads: “I will not sell out Queenslanders. I want a fair partnership on the payment for Cross River Rail, not this con job we saw last night.”
CEO of Queensland Council of Social Services says there are positives in the new budget, but there’s a long way to go.
Mark Henley, Qld Council of Social Services: “What we would’ve liked to have seen was more about housing and homelessness. It talks about a one year funding commitment to the national partnership agreement between the federal and state governments. That’s a great disappointment to see that it’s only a one year commitment there.”
But axing the Howard Government’s baby bonus to save $1.1 billion, many feel is a cruel blow.
Vox 1: “Oh, it’ll be more of a struggle than it is. People struggle with the baby bonus. Without it it’s just going to be even harder I think.”
Vox 2: “I think it’s about time the government was fair and didn’t discriminate on salaries.”
People say they are confused about how the new budget will affect them in the future. They worry they will not be eligible for many new government schemes, labelling it middle class discrimination.
One things is for sure Queensland families will be keeping a close eye on what they spend and their household budgets.
Julia Younger, QUT News.