IT’S been touted as a win for rural and regional Australia, but will our community see any of the money from Tuesday night’s federal budget?
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Pundits have labelled Liberal government treasurer Scott Morrison’s second budget as Labor-esque, with the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) getting the tick of approval, as well as Gonski-recommended funding plans for all schools that means elite private institutions will have to cop a financial hit to the hip pocket.
Of course, there is the 0.5 per cent hike on the Medicare levy that will help pay for the NDIS, but few taxpayers would begrudge chipping in to give our disabled population and their carers some much-needed peace of mind.
The big news for our region is the inland freight rail is finally on the agenda after years of talking about it – to the tune of $8.4 billion.
While Harden will miss out on being on the direct line, the flow-on effect of building a new line from Illabo to Stockinbingal will surely give our community an economic boost as the large-scale infrastructure plan comes to fruition.
Farmers will be the victors from this ambitious project, which promises to lower freight costs and improve shipping times. But those struggling on the land will still have to make do with low-interest rate loans as their lifeline.
Landcare groups also received a generous $1 billion in funding over the next seven years, including a one-off $100 million ($85 million to be shared among Landcare groups and $15 million to Indigenous Protected Areas).
Change the only constant
A LOT has changed in the 70 years since this publication first hit the stands.
The most significant of those changes is the rise of the internet and the challenges the media faces in remaining viable moving into the future.
Despite these challenges, the Harden Murrumburrah Express continues to grow its readership.
April’s online page views hit a healthy 89,660 according to Google Analytics, and a staggering 95,046 in the previous month.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank you, the community we serve, for continuing to support us.
We will endeavour to give you a voice for as long as you let us. If you have a story to tell, give our journalist Jody Potts a call on 0466 347 221.