Budget 2022 includes fuel excise, tax offset; parental leave, apprentices big winners; Russia-Ukraine war continues, Turkey hosts Russia-Ukraine peace talks, NSW COVID cases grow, Victoria COVID cases grow

After a year plagued by natural disasters and the pandemic, there’s been a lot of criticism of the federal budget unveiled by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg last night. Here’s a summary of some concerns you may have missed from the relevant sectors.

Education

The 2022-23 budget says new apprentices will receive $5000 cash payments over two years if they complete their training in areas where there are workforce shortages.

The national education union says public schools have been shortchanged in this year’s budget. The national office of the Australian Education Union says $139 million is being taken out of public schools in the 2022-23 financial year.

“Closer analysis of the budget papers shows the Morrison government has cut over half a billion dollars from public schools,” AEU boss Correna Haythorpe said in a statement.

“PM Morrison’s blatant favouritism for the private school sector comes at a great cost for public schools and their students, staff and parents.”

Environment and rural health

In light of the government’s commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, some were surprised by how little funding was allocated to mitigate climate change.

The government will spend $247 million over five years for private sector investment in hydrogen, $148 million on regional microgrid projects and $50 million on gas infrastructure.

Both retail bodies and health professionals criticised the lack of action taken to address the looming ecological disaster.

“The next big global disruptor on our doorstep is climate change, and it’s playing out before our eyes with the recent floods in central Australia, NSW and Queensland,” said Australian Retailers Association chief executive Paul Zahra.

“We have seen the business community take positive steps towards net-zero emissions, but this also needs to be supported by greater government action.”

Some funding was also announced for Commonwealth-supported rural medical school places, as well as two new university departments focusing on rural health.

But without increased funding for environmental protection, Rural Doctors Association of Victoria president Rob Phair said new rural medical boosts may fall flat.

“There is almost no health condition that will not be affected by the climate crisis we are all facing, so it’s hard to over-emphasise just how fundamental this problem is. It’s going to affect every aspect of health care,” Dr Phair said.

Aged care

In the face of staff shortages and insufficient training in the aged care sector, the government promised $49.5 million to boost training and clinical placements.

However, aged care organisations, including Catholic Health Australia (CHA), called this funding a “Band-Aid”, raising concerns over low wages for aged care staff.

“The sector is struggling to attract and retain aged care workers because they are simply not paid enough for the essential and demanding caring role they perform for the Australian community,” CHA chief executive officer Pat Garcia said.

“Last night’s budget should have been an opportunity to deliver real reform to ensure a sufficient and qualified workforce to care for the increasing number of older Australians needing care and support, but disappointingly it didn’t do that.”

Arts

This year’s federal budget avoided major cuts to chief arts funding body, the Australia Council. Funding for Indigenous arts, languages and repatriation work is also set to increase over the forward estimates.

However, regional arts funding will be reduced from roughly $18 million to $7.5 million next year.

Screen Australia’s funding will reduce from $39.5 million to $27.8 million next year and $11.6 million the year after.

“This year’s budget continues a pattern of neglect and lack of vision for the arts by the Morrison government,” the chief executive of the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, Paul Murphy, said in a statement.

“It is well documented that the arts and entertainment sectors have been devastated by the impact of COVID-19. Shows were cancelled, livelihoods lost, and countless workers have left the industry.

“Is there no limit to the contempt this government holds for arts workers?”

Refugees

The Morrison government has kept Australia’s humanitarian intake at a maximum of 13,750 people in 2022-23, down from the 2019-2020 target of 18,750.

However, an additional 16,500 humanitarian places will be offered for refugees from Afghanistan over the next four years.

Asylum seeker centres across Australia did not applaud these announcements. The Melborune-based Asylum Seeker Resource Centre labelled the budget as “another step backwards” for refugees.

“The additional humanitarian intake from Afghanistan, thanks to the tireless work of people from Afghanistan in Australia, is welcome,” said the centre’s CEO Kon Karapanagiotidis.

However, he added: “This budget will see those found to be refugees on temporary visas excluded from the cost of living assistance, not provided universal safety nets or permanent protection.

“Expenditure continues to be wasted on the chaotic, cruel and broken detention and offshore processing system.”