The Albanese Government has delivered their 2024 Budget and has delivered for Macarthur, says Dr Mike Freelander MP, Federal Member for Macarthur.

With rising cost of living pressures, mainly due to conflicts abroad and global economic stress due to inflation, affecting local households and businesses, Dr Freelander welcomes the pragmatic, yet crucial relief outlined in the 2024 Budget.

Specifically, Macarthur has benefited from the following announcements:

Tax Cuts

Our reformed tax policy will provide larger & fairer tax cuts to more Australian households – meaning that you get more back from your tax return.

The Albanese Government’s new tax cuts are designed to provide cost-of-living relief whilst making our tax system fairer.

These tax cuts will benefit every single taxpayer in Macarthur, all 90,000, with our electorates average tax cut being $1,500.

For example, the average Australian wage earner on $73,000 per annum will now receive a tax cut of $1,504 which is $800 extra in their pocket each year than they would have received under the former Liberal Government’s proposal.

This means more of your money in your pocket for your needs.

To find out how much you will benefit from Labor’s tax cuts, use the calculator on the Treasury website: www.treasury.gov.au/tax-cuts/calculator

“These tax cuts will help local families with managing cost of living pressures and help ensure that they keep more of their hard-earned money.” Dr Freelander said.

Energy Rebate

Last night, our government announced that every Australian household will receive a $300 rebate on their power bills from 1 July and eligible small businesses will receive a $325 rebate.

This is part of the $3.5 billion energy bill relief for all Australian households and one million eligible small businesses.

The Government's current Energy Bill Relief Plan has moderated electricity price increases. Prices increased by just 2 per cent through the year to the March quarter this year and if this relief had not been provided, energy prices would have increased by 14.9 per cent.

“By taking action and providing relief where it matters, we are saving households and small businesses with important energy bill relief, whilst also stepping in and fighting the rise of energy prices.” Dr Freelander said.

Local Infrastructure

In a big win for local infrastructure, the Albanese Government is investing over $72.5 million into upgrading Appin Road, which will benefit both motorists and wildlife, and help ensure that this notoriously dangerous road receives the upgrades it has needed for so long.

Further, $120 million will be spent in funding better public transport access to the new Western Sydney Airport, along with $7.5 million into Spring Farm Parkway and $5 million into the Hume Highway.

In addition to these important investments, local Councils in Macarthur will also receive over $17.4 million over five years to fund Road to Recovery programs, which will improve motorist and pedestrian safety in our suburbs.

“I strongly welcome these investments, particularly Appin Road, as I have long campaigned for these improvements to both Federal & NSW Governments, and now, we have a Government that is delivering and I am proud to be part of it in ensuring this happens.” Dr Freelander said.

Healthcare

There will now be 5 MRI machines in Macarthur with Medicare coverage, which will help expand affordable access to imaging services in Macarthur, and we are also making sure pathology tests stay bulk billed by indexing the Medicare rebates for common medical tests – reducing waiting times and catching health problems sooner. This will benefit over 71,000 Macarthur residents.

We are also expanding our Cheaper Medicines initiative, to add more medicines onto the PBS and freezing the PBS co-payment.

So far, Macarthur residents have saved over $2.1 million thanks to our government’s policies and now, pensioners and concession card holders won’t pay more than $7.70 for PBS medications for the next 5 years.

Other measures

We are also increasing the maximum rate of Commonwealth Rent Assistance, by investing $1.9 billion to help Australian households with the cost of rent, which will benefit 8,935 Macarthur households.

Our changes to the HECS-HELP system will support 23,450 people in Macarthur as we are cutting $3 billion in student debt

Overall, Dr Freelander welcomes the Albanese Government’s 2024-25 Budget as a pragmatic, effective Budget that is for all Australians and will deliver real improvements & benefits to the Macarthur region.