Last night's federal budget, the first of the Rudd Labor Government, honoured the ALP's election commitments across the board. Crucially, substantial funding has been earmarked in the budget for infrastructure, childcare and education in the electorate of Melbourne Ports.
A centrepiece of last night's budget was the Education Revolution.
Demonstrating our commitment to delivering universal access to high-quality early education was the establishment of a national Office of Early Childhood Education and Childcare in the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. The Rudd Government is committed to working with stakeholders in Melbourne Ports to deliver the two new childcare centres promised to Melbourne Ports, with priority allocation in last night‘s budget. Mr Danby strongly campaigned for these centres at the 2007 federal election.
Mr. Danby said Budget 2008 had also put working families in Melbourne Ports at the centre of the Rudd Government's commitments to tackle inflation and lay the building blocks for a stronger, more modern Australia.
"At the centre of the Budget is a $55 billion Working Families Support Package that delivers on the tax cuts we committed to in the election and helps Australian families with childcare and education costs.
This includes lifting the Child Care Tax rebate from 30 to 50 per cent and raising the rebate cap from $4354 to $7,500 per child. We will pay the Child Care Tax Rebate quarterly." Mr. Danby said.
Mr Danby also welcomed the Federal Government's decision to extend 555 funding agreements for respite and carer support services until June 2011.
The agreements come under the National Respite for Carers Program (NRCP) and the affiliated Commonwealth Carelink Program (CCP) and were due to expire on 30 June 2008.
"Over $420.33 million, plus indexation in the order of $18 million, will be provided to respite and carer support services over the next three years through these extended funding agreements," Minister for Ageing, Justine Elliot said.
Mr Danby said, ‘In all, 4 services in Melbourne Ports will benefit from the offers of extended funding. They are Bayside Health's Southern Metro Commonwealth Carer Respite Centre, Bayside Health's Inner South Respite Care, Bayside Health's Southern Metro Commonwealth Carelink Centre, and Jewish Care's Dementia Respite service. In 2007-08, the Government allocated $3,199,517 to carer support services in Melbourne Ports through the agreements.'
"I'm also pleased to announced that $25 million will be spent in this financial year in this electorate on the upgrade of the Westgate Freeway, a crucial infrastructure project for businesses and locals in our community', Mr. Danby said.
"Through the Roads to Recovery, funding will be given to local government authorities, a total of $974,281 will be given to councils in Melbourne Ports, with $517,116 to be spent in the city of Glen Eira, $269,637 in the city of Melbourne, and $187,528 to be spent in the city of Port Phillip", said Mr. Danby.
"The Budget also contains a $40 billion investment in Australia's future to fund new and improved roads, hospitals and schools.
"We're delivering the election commitments made before last year's election because we take seriously the promises we make to Australian families."
Mr Danby said the Budget was the first step towards building a new more modern Australia with first class economic and social infrastructure.
"By making Australia's finances more sustainable we can now start investing in the schools, hospitals, roads, rail and communications projects families in Melbourne Ports rely on every day but were neglected by our predecessors for over a decade.
"This has only been made possible because we've had the courage to take the tough decisions and I have delivered for Melbourne Ports," Mr Danby said.
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