Kristy McBain: How Federal Budget will help Far South Coast

She spoke with ACM following Tuesday's handing down of the Budget by Treasurer Jim Chalmers.

The 2021 Census found that Far South Coast households had lower median incomes and greater rental stress.

READ ALSO:

Ms McBain listed five cost-of-living relief measures.

"A lot of people in this area access child care and have had some of the biggest cost increases so the cheaper child care included in the budget will help.

"Many in the electorate have ongoing health issues so cutting the cost of prescriptions from $42.50 to $30 will bring a lot of relief to households."

She said the government's extension to paid parental leave will assist families getting back to work.

Other measures include the $1 per hour wage increase for those on the lowest award wage and the aged care wage case in front of the Fair Work Commission, which the government has committed to help fund.

"We have scrapped some projects because we know they were heavily politicised. We have committed $1billion over three years to two new regional programs.

"The Growing Regions Program will work with councils and not-for-profits on liveability and community projects and the regional Precincts and Partnerships Program will work with state and local government to build those place-based, region-changing projects."

Ms McBain said neither the Bega swimming pool renewal nor Pambula Sportsground redevelopment projects had received funding from the previous government.

"Council had applied but now they should apply to these new funds," she said.

The Far South Coast has disproportionately higher single-person households yet disproportionately fewer apartments and alternatives to freestanding houses, so any new housing should be tailored to electorates' specific needs.

Ms McBain said "there is some work being undertaken between the federal and state governments about social and affordable housing requirements and where those housing providers want the houses to go.

"This problem isn't owned by any one level of government. It requires all levels of government and planning that has to be fit-for-purpose in the 21^st Century."

The healthcare crisis in the region was being compounded by a lack of housing for healthcare workers.

Ms McBain said that in the budget the government committed an additional $350million to affordable housing and "under the accord it is for frontline workers to live in the areas they work in".

There is a higher incidence of long-term mental health conditions in the Far South Coast.

"We have committed $12million a year to implement a 50 per cent loading to bulk-billed telehealth psychiatry in regional areas without access to psychiatrists.

"Making sure that telehealth service is available is really important to a lot of our community."

Get our daily headlines and breaking news alerts in your email. Sign up below