Federal budget 2023: The good, the bad and the ugly in this year’s bill
The 2023 Federal Budget has officially been released, and there’s plenty being said from both sides of the floor.
For Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Patrick Gorman, one of the most important policies as both a Federal Minister and Member for Perth is the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and Medicare, which will see major changes to bulk-billing incentives.
“[It will] make sure more GPs can see a patient without them having to pay any gap fee,” Mr Gorman told Gary Adshead on 6PR Mornings.
“For my electorate of Perth alone, about 63,000 families will be eligible for that benefit.”
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Opposition Finance spokesperson Jane Hume told Gary the amount of spending on social programs was concerning to the Liberal Party.
“We shouldn’t be surprised; it’s a typical traditional Labor big-spending, big-taxing budget,” Ms Hume said.
“There’s in fact around $185 billion increase in spending just in the last year alone.
And, of course, the problem with that is it sends a message to the RBA, because what we wanted was a budget that actually reduced inflation.”
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Greens Leader Adam Bandt expressed the party’s dissatisfaction with the federal budget, arguing it goes nowhere near improving welfare enough to support the country’s most vulnerable.
“People at the moment are skipping meals and having to decide between putting food on the table and paying rent,” Mr Bandt said.
“Instead of liftin people out of poverty, the government’s leaving them in poverty.
“This budget leaves millions behind while billionaires get a tax cut.”
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Images: Getty/Matt Jelonek/Martin Ollman