How is the 2024-25 Victorian budget going to impact Greater Shepparton?
Shadow Treasurer Brad Rowswell has some thoughts.
He paid a visit to the Shepparton Club last Wednesday, to discuss what the state budget means for regional Victoria.
Mr Rowswell said there was “so much to unpack” regarding the budget, describing the state’s economy as an “absolute basket case”.
“Over the last 10 years, we've seen some extraordinary things from the Andrews, now Allan, Labor government,” he said.
“I was hopeful. I was very, very hopeful that it being Labor’s 10th budget, but Premier Allan’s first budget, she wouldn’t go the way of Daniel, and that she would carve her own path forward, she’d put her own stamp on things and that things would be different.
“Far from it.”
Mr Rowswell discussed the opportunities he believed Labor missed in their budget and their implications.
“(The budget) was an opportunity for Labor to axe tax instead of increasing it,” he said.
“For frontline services to be maintained, to make housing more affordable and more available, for roads to be fixed, to keep communities safe. And finally, and perhaps most importantly, to have a fair dinkum plan to pay down debt,” he said.
“On every one of those measures, Labor failed.”
He went on to discuss the specifics of the debt outlined in the budget.
“Ten years ago, when this government was first elected, our state’s net debt was $21 billion,” Mr Rowswell said.
“After the budget (was announced), we’ve now learned that our state’s net debt is increasing to $188 billion. That’s $10 billion more than this time last year.
“This isn’t play money, this is real money. But it’s also a missed opportunity because of the way that Labor has managed the economy over the last 10 years, and Victorians are now paying the price.
“You know as well as I that life is getting harder, that it’s harder to make ends meet.
“If you’ve got a debt of $188 billion and a daily interest payment of $26 million, someone’s got to pay for that… Victorians are paying for that.”
He then went on to answer the audience’s questions about the budget.
State Member for Northern Victoria Wendy Lovell hosted the event and also spoke about the budget and its implications for regional Victoria.
“What the budget means for us, here in the city of Greater Shepparton, is you've got increased taxes,” she said.
“The fire services levy has gone up by about 75 per cent, and your waste levy has almost tripled.
“We're going to pay more, and we're going to receive less.”
Ms Lovell went on to say that she and State Member for Shepparton Kim O'Keeffe, who was also in attendance, work closely together and “have a passion for the local area”.
“We want to see the best for the area. We'll keep fighting to make sure that Shepparton is not forgotten.”