For Tasmanians on low incomes – waged or income support – this budget brings no joy.
A surplus of $46 billion while 120,000 Tasmanians live in poverty is not good enough.
A $46 billion surplus is not good enough when more than 3,000 Tasmanians sit on the housing waiting list and the Commonwealth Housing Debt still drains Tasmania’s ability to invest in social housing every year.
A $46 billion surplus when many Tasmanians cannot afford dental care.
And a $3 billion underspend on NDIS is insulting when Tasmanians with disabilities are trying to negotiate retention of taxi voucher schemes and fighting to get the most basic support packages they need to live a good life.
This Budget also ignores the two biggest and broadest reaching social issues in Tasmania – housing and the effective roll-out of the NDIS.
In particular the NDIS underspend of $3 billion p.a. is unconscionable when every cent of that money could be providing a better life for Tasmanians living with disability. This underspend also places pressure on service delivery organisations who are attempting to fill the gap without adequate funding to do so.
Nearly one-quarter of the budget surplus comes from spending less money than was allocated on people with disability who need it the most. This is not a part of the surplus to boast about.
Below you’ll find summaries on the major areas of the Budget with links to more information and commentary on the related peak body websites.
Please share your responses to the Budget with us by emailing Nic McBride, Manager Communications & Advocacy.
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Choose Your Area of Interest
Young People: 2019/20 Federal Budget
We are calling for a national plan to address the systemic issues that drive youth homelessness and greater investment in affordable housing and social housing.
Volunteering: 2019/20 Federal Budget
As we move into the election period, we hope there will considered thought on the massive contributions to GDP volunteering provides and the need to strategically invest in this workforce to ensure government programs are safely and appropriately supported.
Mental Health: 2019/20 Federal Budget
The balance of funding is slowly tipping the scales toward prevention and early intervention when in the past this was only a very small proportion of the overall mental health budget.
Families & Children: 2019/20 Federal Budget
It continues to be disappointing that the government refuses to listen to the chorus of voices calling for an increase to Newstart allowance. This refusal condemns countless children to abject poverty.
Alcohol, Tobacco & Other Drugs: 2019/20 Federal Budget
There was nothing new for Tasmania from this Budget for the alcohol and drug sector.
Aged Care: 2019/20 Federal Budget
New aged care initiatives announced last night included funding certainty for the Commonwealth Home Support Program (CHSP) and $2.6 million to support the implementation of the Aged Care Workforce Strategy.
Housing: 2019/20 Federal Budget
“Affordable housing and social housing, both public and community housing, ain’t fixed.”
Older Australians: 2019/20 Federal Budget
There are 183,000 people older than 50 on Newstart who have been on Newstart for longer than 12 months.