THERE’s a lot to like in the 2017-18 state budget. Behind all the hype of the cash splash is investment in areas which can pay back in the future.
The big spend is a bit of a sugar hit following the sell-off of a number of the state’s public assets. However, new schools, more teachers, smaller class sizes, and $100 for kids’ sports will help to set up a better educated future with healthier habits. Endemic health issues are a huge cost, so any step to reduce that is sensible.
The spend on hospitals in regional areas gets a big tick. Regional hospitals rank too high in waiting times, and often, patients can’t get the treatment they need locally.
On one of the issues we hear lots about from the big cities (remember the smashed avocado set?), steps are being taken to improve home affordability. A doubling of the foreign investor surcharge and an increase in land tax, will go some way to grow an existing revenue stream (remember we have sold a few things that used to make the state money) and maybe even make a first home more reachable for young Australians.
While those measures will bring about longer term savings, the dollars spent to help farmers is where the earning potential can be found.
Money for bridges, roads, insurance duty cuts, money for the cotton and grains sectors for attracting workers, or improving existing workers’ skill sets, money for the young farmers business project, irrigation efficiency, farm innovation, and medicinal cannabis research are all practical spends that make the cost of doing business less of a burden, less risky, or just better position farmers to help themselves.
The government might have had a leg up along the way to achieving its 30 per cent growth target in the value of primary production by 2020, thanks to better commodity prices and reasonable seasons of late, but it is also taking steps to build on that momentum, which has included spending in regions so often ignored due to the lack of votes.
Parts of Sydney might complain about not getting more of the budget pie and the $4.5 billion surplus, which Labor says was generated from taxes during Sydney’s property boom, but when that bubble bursts, at least the bush will be in better shape to help keep the state afloat.
A lot of potential exists in our regions. For a change we’re seeing steps being taken to help realise it.
