The 2019-20 Budget is the next stage of the Morrison Government’s plan to build a stronger economy and secure a better future for all Australians. The Government’s strong budget management allows us to invest in lower taxes and essential services.
- 45,923 small and medium businesses on the Sunshine Coast are benefiting from tax relief legislated by the Government.
- 46,013 small and medium sized businesses on the Sunshine Coast will benefit from the Government’s instant asset write off scheme which enables businesses to invest in machinery and equipment up to a value of $30,000.
- To help small businesses make real energy efficient equipment changes to save money, the Federal government is investing in a $50 million in the Energy Efficient Communities grants program.
- To help small and medium businesses take advantage of our Free Trade Agreements, we’re delivering an additional $60 million to the Export Market Development Grant scheme to reimburse the costs of marketing products overseas.
- 128,834 taxpayers on the Sunshine Coast will benefit from tax relief in 2018-19 as a result of the Government’s enhanced personal income tax plan with 49,357 receiving the full tax offset of $1,080.
- Eligible persons will receive a one-off Energy Assistance payment of $75 for singles and $62.50 for each member of a couple.
- Funding for all 49 public schools on the Sunshine Coast is increasing by around 50% per student over a decade to 2029. Funding increases at local schools available here: www.education.gov.au/school-funding-estimator
- The Morrison government will provide $450 million Australia wide to give certainty to families by providing a guarantee to access universal quality preschool to the end of 2020.
- 12,473 local families on the Sunshine Coast are benefiting from the New Child Care Package.
- We want to support greater participation of girls and women in STEM and so we’re extending funding by a further $3.4 million over four years.
- Our record high investment in health will see an additional investment of $32 million for breast cancer patients to have life-saving scans cover under Medicare.
- Violence of any kind is unacceptable especially against women and children and so we’re investing a further $328 million to create real and lasting change as part of our plan to keep all Australians safe.
- A total of $150 million will be spent supporting the development of female change room facilities at sporting grounds and community swimming facilities across Australia to support participation and equal treatment for women in sport.
- Since we came to office the Age Pension has increased by $117.80 for singles per fortnight and by $177.40 for couples per fortnight, benefiting the 40,747 Age Pensioners that live on the Sunshine Coast. The Morrison Government will continue to increase pension payments for the 40747 Age Pensioners in Fairfax in March and September each year.
- We have increased funding for aged care by $7 billion. We have increased the number of home care packages and the government is providing $5.6 million to strengthen compliance to tackle the risk of poor quality service and fraud within the home care sector.
- $91.4 million to upgrade the Maroochydore and Mons Road Interchanges, meaning additional service roads either side of the Bruce Highway between Mons and Maroochydore and an improvement on the roundabout to Maroochydore Road.
- $3.65 million for Roads to Recovery program in 2019/20 to the Sunshine Coast Council for local road improvements.
- Work is underway to develop a fast rail corridor from Brisbane to Sunshine Coast further supported by the SEQ City Deal between all levels of Government toward a 20 year vision for the region.
- Local jobs and better services rely on a stronger economy. With over 1.2 million jobs created across Australia, the lowest level of welfare dependency in 30 years and the Budget returning to surplus, this Government has a strong record of economic management.
- We will create up to 80,000 additional apprentices in areas of priority skill shortages by investing $156.3 million.
- All local hospitals have had significant increases in funding. Australian Government funding for public hospital services in Queensland has increased by 84% since we came to office (from $2.7 billion in 2012-13 to $4.9 billion in 2019-20).
- The GP bulk billing rate on the Sunshine Coast is 86%. Last year, over 1,869,971 GP visits were bulk billed on the Sunshine Coast – 313,568 more than Labor’s last year in Government (2012-13).
- Eligible Australian children will continue to be able to access basic dental services and claim up to $1,000 in benefits in the Child Dental Benefits Schedule.
- All 15 Men’s Sheds and new Women’s Sheds across the Coast will receive Deductible Gift Recipient (DRG) status, making donations they receive tax deductible.
- The Federal government has committed $200 million for a fourth round of the Building Better Regions Fund to create jobs, drive economic growth and build stronger communities and a further $22.7 million for another round of the Stronger Communities program.
Full details on all initiatives announced in the budget are available at www.budget.gov.au.