FAMILIES and farmers will ultimately be hurt by this week’s Federal Budget, according to Member for Mallee Anne Webster.
In her first term as an opposition MP, Dr Webster described the Budget’s three-year $153 million biosecurity levy as a “food tax” hitting farmers with “around two thirds of the bill for biosecurity risks imposed by foreign importers”.
“This is one of two hits on farmers and families alike, because those costs will be passed on down the line to mums’ and dads’ hip pockets through even higher food prices at the checkout,” she said.
The levy partially offsets an additional $1 billion to be spent over the next four years on strengthening Australia’s biosecurity system.
According to Budget papers, the levy recognised the benefits primary producers derive from the system, including detecting and responding to invasive pests and diseases, as well as maximising trade opportunities and access to premium overseas markets.
Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said the revamped system shared costs equitably between taxpayers, importers, parcel senders, international travellers and producers.
Dr Webster said another concern was the government’s decision to increase the availability of road-maintenance funding by a hike to the Heavy Vehicle Road User Charge.
Its rate will rise 6 per cent annually over three years, from 27.2 cents per litre of diesel to 32.4 cents in 2025-26.
“If a trucking company has to pay more, they will recover it elsewhere in the supply chain, from farmers or shoppers,” Dr Webster said.
“Consumers need to understand that every product they buy at the supermarket is brought on a truck, or maybe more than one, so their purchases will cost more.”
Dr Webster said the Budget overall had failed regional Australians.
She said there were “no plans for further funding for the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Program” and that the Stronger Communities Program had been canned.
The Local Roads program still had $849 million of spending budgeted over the next three years and was among several road-related funding streams in the Budget.
“These two cuts add to the pain from Labor’s rebranding and reduction of Building Better Regions Fund grant funding and the axing of community development grants,” Dr Webster said.
“Smaller projects like playgrounds or repairing sporting facilities will fall by the wayside.”
Regional Development Minister Catherine King said regional Australians would benefit from $3.5 billion spent over five years into tripling the bulk billing incentive and PBS changes would make common medicines cheaper.
Ms King said there was also cost-of-living relief for Jobseeker recipients, single parents and those relying on Commonwealth rent assistance.
She said the Budget contained a 10-year, $120 billion infrastructure pipeline and $500 million for the Roads to Recovery program.
