Federal Member for Newcastle Sharon Claydon has slammed the Federal Budget, saying it fails to deliver the investment that Newcastle needs now to weather the economic storms ahead.Its deeply disappointing not to see any support for new projects like the University of Newcastles STEMM building or the Port of Newcastles Deepwater Terminal.
Instead of funding these priority projects, Mr Morrison chose to bail out his Liberal State Government friends from having to fulfil their promise to fully fund the Newcastle Inner City Bypass.
While I welcome funding for the final stage of the Inner City Bypass, I want to see a guarantee that the funds the State Government promised Novocastrians still end up in Newcastle.
Ms Claydon also welcomed the cash payments for income support recipients, but said they wouldnt compensate for the Governments cuts to JobKeeper and JobSeeker.
The Morrison Governments decision to slash JobKeeper and JobSeeker payments is ripping close to 50 a fortnight, millions on JobKeeper have seen their income slashed by 1 billion from universities at a time when theyre already on their knees. Universities should be central to driving our economic recovery, but this Government seems intent on delivering the fatal blow.
The Governments belated commitment to new apprenticeships rings especially hollow when you consider their failure to deliver on their earlier promise for an extra 300,000 apprentices and traineeship places. Why should we believe them now?
