Alison Penfold (Lyne, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Tonight I rise not just to speak about the appropriation bills but to give voice to the concerns, the frustrations and the hopes of the communities that are too often left behind—communities in the electorate of Lyne. Let's call this budget what it is: a patchwork of blunders that, when woven together, form a tapestry of neglect for rural and regional Australia. And the consequences are not abstract. They are lived, felt and endured by families, workers and small-business owners right across our electorates and beyond.

Before this budget was handed down, I made a detailed prebudget submission. I spelled out, in no uncertain terms, the urgent needs of the communities and people of the Lyne electorate—for our roads, our telecommunications, our water security, our seniors and our children—and worked closely with communities and organisations across the electorate. What was the Albanese government's response? Well, we did get three things from the submission, and I'm grateful. We've got another round of the Stronger Communities Program, funding for the Growing Regions Program and funding for enabling infrastructure to unlock development-ready land for housing.

Key issues were raised with me in a housing forum I held last year. No-one raised changing the CGT or negative gearing settings. What people were talking about were things like investing in power, water and sewerage, in enabling infrastructure. All in all, just three items from Lyne's wish list were addressed, which I think most here would agree is pretty paltry in the scheme of things. It is pretty unsatisfactory for the hardworking, taxpaying people of Lyne to think that is all they are worth.

Taken as a whole, this budget lets rural and regional people down big time. It's a budget that defunds regional Australia. It's as though Labor has drawn a line around metropolitan Labor seats and said, 'The rest of you: you'll have to make do.'

Take a look at our roads. There's not a single cent for the critical upgrades and interchanges on the Pacific Highway our communities rely on for safety and growth. Telecommunications has been stripped of over $21 million in funding, making it even harder to fix mobile and internet black spots. The national water grid has been slashed by $103 million. That's money that could secure our water future with projects like the Kiwarrak off-river storage.

Let's talk about health. You know I like this topic. The Albanese government has all but abandoned regional healthcare. From a $1.8 billion commitment to urgent care clinics, Taree, despite repeated evidence based requests, gets nothing, zero, zilch. Our aged-care system, already stretched to breaking point, receives a pittance that won't even make a dent in the Support at Home waiting list or fix the workforce crisis. Worse, our older Australians—those who have worked hard all their lives—are hit with a higher tax burden as their reward for decades of contribution, punished for aspiration, for paying off their homes and for doing the right thing.

It doesn't stop with today's seniors. The door is closing on the next generation's hopes for investment and a secure retirement, thanks to the changes to capital gains and negative gearing. I've heard from constituents of all ages who are outraged, anxious and disillusioned. In my opinion, every regional Australian is a loser in this budget. For older Australians, the reduction of the private health insurance rebate has been nothing short of a stab in the back. Constituents in my electorate feel utterly betrayed by the government that has changed the rules mid-game. Joanne, who lives in Bolwarra, cannot fathom why, in a cost-of-living crisis, this government is making it harder for older Australians to access affordable health care. Lorraine said:

This country, but especially the health system, is going backwards very quickly and we need to stop this decline before it gets to the point that to live in this town, or indeed Foster/Tuncurry is a danger to your life. I thought I was doing the right thing by always having private health insurance but now feel totally betrayed and misguided by this government.

For many, private health insurance isn't a luxury. It's the only way they can get the surgery, the specialist treatment and the procedures that restore quality of life. The Howard government understood this, which is why it increased rebates for older Australians. The Albanese government's cuts mean couples over 65 could pay an extra $1,600 a year, a 21 per cent increase, and that's on top of a 4.4 per cent rise in premiums for everyone. This is the largest premium hike in eight years, and it comes as Australians face the highest out-of-pocket costs to see a GP in Medicare's history—over $50 on average. All this is in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis made worse by budget mismanagement. The result is that every Australian forced out of private health puts more strain on our already stretched public hospitals. Manning in Taree, Port Macquarie, Maitland and John Hunter hospitals—these hospitals are the lifelines for our region, and the immense pressure they are already under has just been made much worse thanks to Labor.

Labor says these cuts are about fairness, but where's the fairness in punishing those who paid taxes their whole lives and who took out private cover to ease the burden on public hospitals? Where's the fairness in driving up costs, pushing more people onto waiting lists and shifting the financial burden onto taxpayers and state governments? It is not just; it is unjust and it is deeply wrong.

Let's turn to trusts and tax changes hidden in this budget. The government says it's about fairness again, stopping trusts from distributing income to family members. For many Australians, for many families, for farmers, for small businesses in regional Australia, trusts are not a loophole. They are a legitimate way to protect assets, to plan for the future and to pass on a legacy. Many people in Lyne have spent decades building a small business, running a farm, paying off a home and saving carefully so they can leave something behind for their children and grandchildren. They've worked long hours, taken risks and gone without all in the hope that the next generation might have a better future.

Before the election, Labor promised it wouldn't touch key tax settings like negative gearing and capital gains. Now those promises are gone. There is no fundamental difference between the challenges that existed at the last election just 12 months ago and the challenges that exist today that are barriers to young people getting into housing. So Labor's argument that you had to change your position is a big fraud. You said, 'For the 50th time, we won't make changes.' These were just words of convenience at election time. I'm going to have to say that this broken promise has done immense damage to the trust that Australians have in our democratic institutions and their processes, at a time when they need to be able to trust government more than ever before. I say that most sincerely. Labor, you have done immense damage to the trust that Australians have in our democratic institutions and processes at a time when the Australian people need to be able to trust government more than ever before.

This budget is a warning: when the government run out of money, they come after yours. They're chasing you down the street for the last $2 in your back pocket. Regional Australians deserve better. You cannot keep treating working people, small-business owners and farmers as cash cows for Canberra. I've heard from local business owners, constituents, who have contacted me about the impacts on their business of high taxing governments who break promises. One is in autoelectrics and air conditioning. He is closing his business after 21 years because Labor's taxes have made it too difficult to operate. He's closing shop to take his skills and resources to Canada.

Owen and Lyn in my electorate emailed me to share this:

The Labour Party continues to target and destroy small businesses ... Our son, who now runs our joinery company, after our retirement is disillusioned and considering moving his business and family to a place where they can thrive and are appreciated. Our business has been operating for some 49 years and contributing to our community with quality products and services and this would be a great 1oss. We are so frustrated by the constant attacks on small businesses and young entrepreneurs. The budget was the last straw for many people and the defining factor that has led to this decision. We sit here and ponder how, we the people, can revolt against this evil government and cause an early election to rid ourselves of such a corrupt regime!

This is not just a fiscal issue; it's a question of values. Do we want a country that rewards hard work and aspiration or one that penalises it?

And, while we're talking about hardship, let me remind this House that it's been a year since the devastating floods on the Mid North Coast, especially in the Manning Valley. The scars are still visible. Recovery is far from over. Roads, homes and businesses are still being rebuilt. People are still carrying the emotional and financial toll. We've heard a lot from government about resilience. It's popular among agency officials and bureaucracies, but locals just roll their eyes when the word 'resilience' is used, as they are sick of being told that resilience is the government's objective. In June last year, the PM said:

Whether it's helping families get back into safe housing, or supporting local businesses and farmers to clean up and keep going, we're standing with communities every step of the way.

Well, here's the news: no, you aren't. Where is the funding for house raising and buybacks? Where is the funding for community infrastructure, like Wingham pool? Where is the revitalisation for our Taree and Wingham CBDs, smashed by the floods; for road repairs; and for just simply being there and helping people? This week I heard that, potentially, the recently announced package is not going to be fully fulfilled.

I was with people only this weekend who were in the communities of Croki and Bohnock, people who lost everything. I was with them in the mud. I was with them in their homes when they were trying to find those family heirlooms, those photos that were their connection to the life they once had. Then they hear the words from the Prime Minister but don't see the follow through. Can you imagine what it feels like to be those people? These are the things that we need the government to remember when they make grandiose commitments to the people of Australia—that there are real people that listen and expect delivery when they need it most. Governments make promises when the TV cameras are rolling, but when the spotlight fades the support disappears, and we are left fighting tooth and nail for every scrap of assistance.

Right now, Australians are seeing a clear choice. Labor's vision is to tax more, spend more and hope the numbers add up. They talk of intergenerational fairness, but the reality is uncertainty, higher taxes and less incentive to invest or innovate. Business leaders warn these policies will stifle ambition and investment, especially among the young. Contrast this with the coalition's approach: growth, lower taxes, rewarding work and aspiration. We will tackle bracket creep, index tax brackets to inflation and repeal Labor's changes to negative gearing, capital gains and trusts. We'll link migration to housing supply and infrastructure, and we will invest in regional Australia. Communities like mine are feeling the strain on roads, health, aged care, water, telecommunications and housing. For too long, governments have failed to plan for population growth and failed to deliver the infrastructure and services that make growth sustainable. And abolishing the Mobile Black Spot Program and reducing funding for the Regional Tech Hub is proof positive that Labor couldn't care less about regional needs.

Families in Lyne are at breaking point, with rising energy and fuel bills, soaring insurance, expensive groceries and mounting pressure on household budgets. Small businesses and farms need certainty, not the constant threat of new taxes or spending blowouts. This year's budget debate is about more than numbers. It's about the kind of country we want to be—a country that backs the people who grow our food, build our homes, care for our sick and educate our children; a country that rewards effort, supports resilience and honours the regions as the wealth creation centre of this nation. This year's budget debate showed Australians that there is now a very clear choice about the direction of the economy and about what kind of country we want Australia to become.

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