DEAR News Of The Area,

NEIL Mercer (NOTA 26 May) claims that middle income earners were forgotten in the 2023 Federal Budget, but is that claim true?

Many middle income earners will benefit from improved access to bulk billing doctors, thanks to a key budget measure.

Many more will benefit from the effective halving of the cost of prescriptions.

Childcare costs will be reduced, thanks to increased subsidies and a higher cap on parental incomes.

The requirement that employers pay superannuation each payday will provide security of retirement savings and every middle income earner with a parent in aged care should breathe a sigh of relief at increased funding for aged care staff salaries.

There are many more measures in the budget that will benefit middle income earners, but none more than the Albanese Government’s commitment to support an increase in real wages.

After nearly a decade of governments with a stated aim of ensuring low wages, many middle income earners are suffering a loss of purchasing power.

The 2023 Budget embeds a policy of supporting real wage growth to address the damage of successive Liberal and National Party governments.

That will make a huge difference to people on moderate incomes, along with the responsible economic management that allowed the Treasurer to deliver the surplus that eluded every Liberal Treasurer for almost a decade.

Mr Mercer’s claim does not withstand scrutiny.

The 2023 Budget did have a focus on looking after our most disadvantaged people, but middle income earners were also very well catered for.

You just have to look past the political spin in certain sections of the media to see the full picture.

Regards,
Pam SOROCZYNSKI,
Sawtell.