NOTHING BUT CUTS IN LABOR’S BUDGET FOR REGIONAL AUSTRALIA

In the Albanese Government’s last Budget, Labor has once again cut funding to regional, rural and remote Australians in the Northern Territory.

Senator Nampijinpa Price said there is absolutely nothing in this Budget for regional Australia, other than more cuts.

“Labor has no new funding for the Stronger Communities Program, Local Roads and Community Infrastructure program, Growing Regions Program and the Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program, critical to building community infrastructure in regional Australia,” Senator Nampijinpa Price said.

Senator Nampijinpa Price said Labor was obviously raiding funds that could have extended these community programs to pay for 41,000 new Canberra public servants.

“The Budget has nothing more to offer the Territory than a promise on the never-never to upgrade a couple of roads.”

“Even after being in Government for three years, the Albanese Government will spend less than one per cent of Labor’s infrastructure announcements in 2025-26. Regional Australians in the Northern Territory will not only bear the brunt of more infrastructure cuts, but have the extra burden of Labor’s cost-of-living crisis.

“Labor’s $150 energy rebate is a fraction of the cost of energy bills that have increased by up to $1,300 since Labor came to government. The proposed 70 cents a day election bribe doesn’t come in until next year, while Labor continues to run away from fixing the fundamentals of what is driving cost-of-living pressures, that the Northern Territory can be the solution to.”

“Key to this is a sensible energy policy, which in the short-term is flooding the market with Australian gas and in the long-term transitioning to nuclear energy, which is $263 billion cheaper than Labor’s all-renewables approach. Under a future Coalition Government, the Northern Territory won’t just get its fair share of funding, it will also be part of the solution to solving the nation’s cost-of-living crisis.”

Senator Nampijinpa Price said this Budget could have been an opportunity to partner with the Territory and enable its growth, yet it was absolutely left to the wayside.

“The Budget demonstrates that the federal Labor members who are supposed to represent the Territory’s interests in Canberra – Luke Gosling, Marion Scrymgour and Malarndirri McCarthy – are weak and ineffective,” said Senator Nampijinpa Price.

“It’s not only an indictment on the Albanese Government, but also on those elected members who Territorians are relying on to make their voices heard in federal Parliament.”

“Those members have failed to prove their utility in federal Parliament, and it goes to show how badly we need Coalition representatives from the Territory who will be strong advocates for the Territory and will ensure our contribution to the nation’s economy is maximised by the federal Government.”

[ENDS]

Contacts:

Senator Nampijinpa Price | Rebekah Hart: 0459 893 181