Leader of the Reason Party and Member for Northern Metro, Fiona Patten MP has said a disappointing federal budget leaves plenty to do for the State Government.
“The federal budget failed women and it has failed public housing,”
“Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas must pick up the pieces otherwise our state is destined to be shaped by Morrison’s vision,” said Ms Patten.
“Women carried the country through the first stage of the pandemic – teachers, nurses, aged care professionals – and this budget has thrown them all under the bus.
“Grattan and the Banks pleaded with the Government to invest in social housing but they were ignored – Tim Pallas shouldn’t use that as an excuse not to but as a reason to invest in our public housing stock,” said Ms Patten.
“The Feds focused on homeowners and the construction industry, Victoria must support our renters and our social service industry, doubling down on Frydenberg’s gamble would be a mistake,”
The Reason Party leader announced her budget priorities last week which included $2 billion for social housing, $200m for community mental health, and a sharp increase in funding for social workers, family violence support staff, and alcohol & other drug addiction specialists.
“Every economist has said we have to go hard and we have to go early, we could have achieved this if we funded social services – it would create thousands of middle income jobs particularly for women, months before any construction project starts,” she said.
