Australians respond to Budget 2016

SBS World News Radio: Ahead of last night's Budget, SBS World News spoke with a range of people about what they hoped it would contain. Today we asked them how satisfied they were.

Australians respond to Budget 2016

Australians respond to Budget 2016

Raj and Joti Pandya kept a keen eye on Tuesday's federal budget announcement.

The family pays more than $600 a week for four year old son Ishaan's daycare.

They receive an annual childcare rebate of $7500 a year, which usually runs out after just six months, and they were hoping the budget would bring some financial relief.

In last year's budget, the government announced one new childcare subsidy would replace the benefit and rebate in July 2017.

It also announced low income families would receive 85 per cent of their childcare costs per child.

High income earners would have the cap increased to $10,000.

The Pandyas hoped the government would push the commencement date of the changes forward.

However, the government has delayed it by another year.

Raj Pandya says it was a poor result for his family.

"First reaction is disappointment, but you know after that you try to work out how you can work with it. So in our situation we've got another one on the way, we just have to find a way to deal with it. There's not much more we can really do about it. We just have to find a way."

His wife, Joti Pandya, agrees.

"It's a pity because it would have been a really good help. Yeah, it makes it a bit difficult because I ideally wanted to put the one in the oven (in childcare) after a year or so, so I'll have to wait another year at least. And there's also there's no guarantee, so it is what it is. At least it didn't go down I suppose."

Retiree Hernan Moreno has a small, but untouched, amount in his superannuation fund.

He won't be affected by the government's crackdown on superannuation tax concessions for high income earners.

But he will benefit from a refund of up to $500 for low income earners on tax paid on their super.

Mr Moreno says he is happy with the result.

"In the budget they say there are winner people, loser people and neutral people. I think I am in the winner people. Any money, any dollar is coming over and I'm receiving is a good news."

University student Rochelle Elegado was worried about a pending change to student loans.

A plan to reduce the income level at which loan repayments would begin was floated, and the issue remains unresolved.

Ms Elegado says she is happy, but cautious.

"That means I should be still wary about my fees. Hopefully it's not in the near future while I am still studying, and it doesn't have to affect me. But if they are still thinking about changing it then of course I have to think about it more."

Apple farmer Ashley Green hoped the Budget would give his sector more support to boost exports, but that did not happen.

He says he is upset over that result, as well as the government's decision not to scrap a planned tax on backpacker workers.

"The proposed backpacker tax, we believe will really decimate that workforce. Essentially backpackers are going to be taxed at 35 per cent, with no minimum break, which is over a third of their earnings are gonna go. And we really think that is just going to discourage tourism, discourage a large section of our workforce."

But Mr Green has welcomed the Budget funding $600-million to help build an inland freight rail network from Melbourne to Brisbane, and $15million to improve biosecurity.

"That's something we applaud the government on. Protecting Australia from exotic pests is the utmost of importance. You know, other commodity producers may disagree, but for us in the tree fruit industry, I think that's very important."

 

 


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4 min read
Published 4 May 2016 6:00pm
Updated 4 May 2016 6:15pm
By Omar Dabbagh


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