Regions smashed by Labor's cost of living crisis
A joint media release with
Senator the Hon Matt Canavan
19 February 2024
Regional charities are facing demand greater than in the pandemic, more dual income families are seeking charitable services, and community food centres are seeing queues out the door.
Representatives from the Gladstone Regional Council told the Cost of Living Committee that the region has some of the highest levels of no interest loans sought in the country and that instances of people searching for charitable assistance had increased by 148%.
The Committee also heard that the lack of bulk billing GP practices in the region meant more young people are being forced to choose between paying their rent or seeing a doctor as it doesn’t fit within their budgets.
CEO of Master Builders Australia (MBA), Ms Denita Wawn, said there needed to be serious examination of the property taxes levied at the state and territory level, which were an impediment to delivering new housing supply.
Ms Wawn told the Committee that Commonwealth payments to states and territories under housing and homeless agreements should be tied to housing supply metrics.
The MBA also gave evidence that the existing settings around negative gearing and the capital gains discounts, which supported a supply of rental properties in the market, should be retained.
Local business owner Stephen Young told the committee the number one thing the government could do is to cut the red tape around getting more jobs in construction, with Labor’s new industrial relations reforms being described as “productivity sapping” by the MBA.
Senator Hume said that from the evidence heard today, one thing is abundantly clear: the Albanese Government needs to get serious about coming up with an economic plan.
“Not only is Labor failing to lower the cost of living for households, but they are also making life more difficult for small and medium sized businesses, with more red tape and barriers to creating jobs.
“Once again we’re hearing that Australian families, even those with dual incomes, are being forced to seek charitable assistance just to get by and put food on the table. Charities are struggling to keep up with the demand.
“But we know Labor is focused on the wrong priorities. The same day Labor announced $14 million in additional funding for food relief agencies we uncovered they are also going to spend $40 million of tax-payers’ money to sell their broken promise on tax. I know where Australians would feel more of a difference from that money in Labor’s cost of living crisis.”
Senator Matt Canavan said the cost of Living is having a particular impact in regional Australia as the services aren't necessarily available.
“Red tape is making it harder to build more things, to attract people, and create the housing we need.
“The best thing we can do to bring down costs is reduce the size of government."