This morning, Fairfax Media interviewed Member for Gilmore Ann Sudmalis on key issues for Shoalhaven residents in the budget, or left out of the budget.
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The Shoalhaven hospital, youth unemployment, Princes Highway improvements and tax cuts to big business were discussed.
Aged care
Mrs Sudmalis said 20,000 aged care packages [nationwide] should ease the bed block at Shoalhaven Hospital.
“When I heard better aged care services were needed to ease the burden on the hospital, I got on the phone last week and said, ‘what can we do?’” she said.
“They told me to wait until the budget was released.
“There were 6000 places scheduled, but we added 14,000 places.
“These additional aged care places will definitely help people in the Shoalhaven.”
Shoalhaven hospital
Mrs Sudmalis said the hospital is a state government responsibility.
“We’ve increased our health funding to the state government,” she said.
“The NSW state government is in a very good fiscal position.
“It always concerns me shortfalls will be blamed on the federal government when we’re increasing funding to the hospital.”
Nowra bridge
$155 million for a new Shoalhaven River crossing at Nowra was announced last week.
Princes Highway
The Princes Highway south of Nowra was not mentioned in the federal budget.
However, the government established a Roads of Strategic Importance initiative. The initiative will see $3.5 billion spent over the next 10 years to upgrade "key routes to improve access for businesses and communities to essential services, markets and employment opportunities".
“It’s an outstanding bucket of money, a great opportunity to advocate for Princes Highway funding,” Mrs Sudmalis said.
Last week, Mrs Sudmalis said a study into the strategic importance of that section of road was under way.
A Fairfax Media campaign, dubbed FIX IT NOW, has called for an 80/20 funding split between the federal and state governments for upgrades along the dangerous stretch of highway.
Youth unemployment
There are no specific measures in the budget to address the region’s high youth unemployment rate.
The Shoalhaven/Southern Highlands rate of 24.3 per cent, recorded in March, is an improvement on what it reached last year, 29.3 per cent, but it’s still dangerously high compared to the state average of 10.7 per cent.
“We want to rectify that, we are acting on it,” Mrs Sudmalis said.
The Gilmore MP said the regional jobs investment program would benefit young people looking for work, by creating 1000 new jobs in the area.
$20 million has been dedicated to projects on the South Coast from Berry to Pambula.
These grants were announced before the budget was released on Friday.
The arts
$1.5 million will go to the Shoalhaven-based Bundanon Trust - established in 1993 to own and manage the properties and art collection donated by Arthur and Yvonne Boyd "as a means of a gift to the nation".
Tax cuts to big business
Fairfax Media asked Mrs Sudmalis how the government can justify $65 billion in tax cuts to big business when there’s no promise funds will go back into wages.
“This is all about helping Australians find positions for work,” she said.
“There are organisations like Qantas, Woolworths, Coles, all of those businesses employ thousands of Australians, and drive our economy.
“It’s the sensible solution here, because we’re not a Socialist country, we can not give them a directive to increase wages.”
Cuts to the ABC
The federal government will cut $84 million from the ABC’s budget over the next three years.
Mrs Sudmalis said she would fight to keep regional ABC journalists.
“I will support my regional journalists and outlets,” she said.
“I personally will advocate to help retain our regional ABC reporters.”
Read more on the budget:
