2008 Budget impacts
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14th May, 2008 Private health insurance surcharge threshold doubled driving a million people onto public hospital waiting lists Medicare dental benefits program axed 134,000 jobs to be lost in 2008-09 Family Tax Benefit B has a new income test affecting thousands of single income families 16,000 families to lose the baby bonus Climate change programs cut by $21.1 million Community Water Grants scrapped $1.2 billion Investing In Our Schools program axed F3 to Branxton Road construction axed Green Vouchers for Schools program axed Remote Renewable Power Generation program abolished Regional Partnerships program abolished Sustainable Regions program cancelled Growing Regions program axed $750 million support for Small Business axed including the Commercial Ready program Farm Bis training program gone Ethanol production and distribution subsidies slashed No funding provided for new drought declarations $2 billion regional Communications Fund disbanded, leaving no money for future telecommunications upgrades in regional areas Photovoltaic rebate scheme denied to 70% of users Funding for Local Catchment Management Groups slashed by 40% Australian Tourism Development Program cut by 50% Building Entrepreneurship in Small Business program axed Industries Development program abolished Entrepreneurs Tax Offset cancelled The Passenger Movement Charge rises from $38 to $47 Tax on vehicles worth more than $57,009, including people movers and 4 wheel drives increased to 33% CSIRO’s budget slashed by $63.4 million, closing regional research stations Premixed drinks hit with $3 billion tax slug Illicit Drugs in Sport program cut by $32.5 million Centrelink regional call centre upgrades cancelled Living Away From Home Allowance dropped for school based apprentices Centrelink staff cuts creating longer waiting queues |
