Labor's budget betrays renters, job seekers and people doing it tough. It leaves millions stuck in poverty while billionaires get tax cuts, argues Sue Bull.
Labor’s budget is a huge disappointment for many, but especially young people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis, surging rents and expensive education. Despite significant pressure from welfare recipients and advocates to raise the rate of JobSeeker and other payments above the poverty line, the payments only rose by $40 a fortnight. See also
Economists and energy experts say the government is short-changing Australians with planned changes to the Petroleum Resource Rent Tax that will only raise an additional $2.4 billion over five years.
The 2023 budget includes $40 million to improve school attendance in Central Australia. It also includes more than $38 million for “culturally appropriate” education for Indigenous students.