The federal election is just months away and the latest budget is widely seen as an election pitch for voters before Australians hit the polling booths.
Treasurer Josh Frydenberg unveiled his fourth budget, and the forecasted deficit for 2022-23 is expected to be $78 billion or 3.4 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The government has said this is a budget that will offer targeted relief to Australians most in need of a reprieve to ease the skyrocketing cost of living with groceries, fuel, and housing all putting the squeeze on Australians.
It has also slated $31.8 million to begin work to establish 35 Local and Regional Voice bodies across Australia.
A possible referendum could be on the cards with $160 million earmarked for a referendum under the government's contingency reserve fund for potential pending decisions.
Indigenous Rangers, housing funding boost
Indigenous rangers will be receiving a big investment with the government pledging $636.4 million over 6 years to expand Indigenous land and sea management on Country to provide more education and employment opportunities in remote and regional Australia.
The Northern Territory is also seeing a boost with the commonwealth allocating $408m for housing in remote communities.
The funding is aimed at combating overcrowding, homelessness and improving the homes of people living in remote communities.
The Commonwealth has also allocated almost $183m over the next three years to improve economic, social, and health outcomes for Indigenous Territorians.
Cultural heritage protection:
The government’s unveiled almost $11 million spent over six years to strengthen and modernise cultural heritage protection legislation — a stark contrast to last year which saw just half a million dollars earmarked for Indigenous cultural protection.
The government is also providing $37.5 million to support native title holders to gain greater economic benefit from their land, as well as $21.9 million for leadership initiatives.
Health
The government is estimated to provide $16.2 million for Indigenous health spending to the states and territories in 2022-23.
It says the funding aims to combat blood-borne viruses and sexually transmissible infections in the Torres Strait, improving trachoma control services.
The federal government has also pledged $12 million towards combating rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease in Indigenous communities which continue to have one of the highest rates in the developed world.
Additional funding has been unveiled towards the National Closing the Gap Agreement to improve social and mental wellbeing. Source: AAP
A greater investment in hearing and ear health for First Nations people has also been pledged with $100 million being committed through the Indigenous Australians Health Program over the next six years.
From 2021 to 2026, support for Indigenous health will total $56.9 million and $22.4 million being invested over six years to support healthcare in the Northern Territory.
Education:
$29.4 million over the next four years to extend the Indigenous Boarding School grants for the next 12 months.
It’s also planning on establishing a Commonwealth Regional Scholarship program to help families with the cost of boarding students.
Jobs and Training:
$11.5 million over the next 5 years to support the Remote Engagement Program in five communities currently holding trials after the previous Community Development Program was axed after sustained criticisms in last year’s federal budget.
A further $98 million is promised in 2022-23 to meet increased demand for the Community Development Program (CDP).
The government has also set aside undisclosed funding to respond to ongoing legal actions taken for both the remote work for the dole scheme and the class action for stolen wages in the Northern Territory.
The govt also mentioned the $21.9 million package already announced for the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME Mentoring) to expand, the Office of the Registrar of Indigenous Corporations to develop governance training materials, and the National Indigenous Australians Agency to provide scholarships for emerging Indigenous leaders to undertake company directors’ courses.
Justice investment
The government will provide $1.9 million to extend existing Commonwealth funding by one year for Custody Notification Services in Western Australia and the Northern Territory to provide health and wellbeing support for Indigenous people after being taken into police custody.
Justice reinvestment programs in Western Australia will also be targeted with $2 million being provided to expand youth engagement programs as part of the Kimberley Juvenile Justice Project in the Kimberley and Pilbara regions of the state.
The program provides case management, mentoring, court support, and advocacy services to assist young Aboriginal people to comply with bail conditions and court orders.
