Gippsland › Latest news › One Gippsland

One Gippsland expresses approval for federal budget 2023/24 as it lowers living costs and transitions to new energy economy

One Gippsland has expressed its approval of the 2023-2024 Budget from the Albanese government, which includes provisions aimed at reducing living expenses and facilitating the shift to a new energy economy.

By news@gippsland - 10th May 2023 - Back to News

One Gippsland has welcomed the release of the Albanese government's 2023-2024 Budget, with measures that target both the cost of living and the transition to a new energy economy. East Gippsland Shire Council Mayor and Chair of One Gippsland Cr Mark Reeves said he was pleased to see the government target regional communities with health and welfare support as well as measured funding for regional infrastructure priorities.

Key initiatives announced that are important to the Gippsland region include energy, regional funding and other programs to boost Gippsland economy

Budget supports community

Cr Reeves said, "We know there are many in our community who are struggling with increases to their cost of living, this budget will work to address some of those pressures,"

"One Gippsland is also pleased to see measures to support the growth of renewable energy and regional infrastructure investment which is a big focus for our region," Cr Reeves said.

Key initiatives

ey initiatives announced that are important to the Gippsland region include:

Energy

$12 billion from the $20 billion investment in Rewiring the Nation for transformational transmission projects, including $1.5 billion towards Renewable Energy Zones and offshore wind in Victoria

$1.4 billion as part of the Powering the Regions Fund including:

• $400 million over 4 years from 2023-24 to establish the Industrial Transformation Stream for reduction of emissions at industrial facilities or clean energy development in regional Australia
• $89 million to support the energy transition investments in regional Australia
• $12 million over 3 years from 2023-24 for a review of environmental management and consultation requirements for offshore energy developments

Regional funding programs

• New Regional Investment Framework to establish a regional development forum for Australian government agencies to better inform government decisions across 4 key areas: investing in services, people, places and industry
• $600 million for the Growing Regions Program (Round 1) (announced in the 2022-23 Budget - funding available in July 2023)

Roads

• $250 million for the Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Fund (totalling $500 million for Phase 4 announced on 3 May 2023 - funding available from July 2023)
• $85 million per annum for the Bridges Renewal Program
• $500 million for the Roads to Recovery Program
• $110 million per year to maintain the Black Spot Program to improve road safety
• $976.7 million to continue delivery of the Road Safety Program across 2023-24 and 2024-25

Skills and training

• $26.3 million over 5 years from 2022-23 to boost employment services and trial a new regional employment service

Disaster and Resilience

• $200 million per year to support disaster risk reduction projects in regional Australia, under the Disaster Ready Fund
• $236 million over 10 years to improve flood forecasting and warnings
• Creating a new National Messaging Service to provide real-time information to mobile phones during an emergency

Regional health (specific to the regions)

$79.5 million over 4 years to double the Regional Pharmacy Maintenance Allowance to assist community pharmacies in regional Australia
Tripling the bulk billing incentive for GP consultations for children under 16 and concession card holders

Regional housing

Expanding the Regional First Home Buyer Guarantee to any two eligible borrowers such as friends and siblings and making it available to non-first home buyers if they haven't owned a property in Australia in the last 10 years

Education

• $146 million over 4 years to increase Commonwealth Grant Scheme funding for regional university campuses by 3.5 per cent a year
• $48.8 million over 4 years to establish new partnerships between regional universities and other higher education providers and industry for research
• $17.1 million over 4 years to provide demand-driven Commonwealth Supported Places to eligible higher education providers for First Nations students from a regional area

"One Gippsland welcomes the federal government's 2023-24 budget, and we look forward to working with our national leaders to identify opportunities from this funding to invest in the future of Gippsland," Cr Reeves concluded.

Pictures from Latrobe Valley Authority Facebook page.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com