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 Lobby groups unhappy with WA budget 

Lobby groups unhappy with WA budget

12/05/2008 11:03:00 AM
Western Australia's two farm lobby groups have labeled this year’s State Budget the 'nothing' budget.

At a time when the rural sector is reeling from increased input costs, the leaders of WAFarmers and the Pastoralists and Graziers Association said the Budget had met their expectations.

WAFarmers president Mike Norton said overall it was what he expected.

"There is nothing really in it for agriculture and all the money has gone into power, water, roads, hospitals, schools and law and order," Mr Norton said.

"Most of that spending will be in the metropolitan or coastal strip area and not in regional areas.

"It is disappointing politicians haven't yet woken up to the fact that adequate supplies of water and power are important to WA going forward, food security is just as important.

"Food security should be third on the list of their priorities but it doesn't seem it has even appeared on the radar.

"It is a sleeping dog that is going to savage consumers and politicians quite badly if it continues to go the way it is going.

"If, as tipped, the Australian dollar gets to par with the US dollar exports are going to be hurt significantly.

"Some big decisions need to be made very soon and WA's producers and consumers need leadership and policy direction from the top."

PGA president Rob Gillam said from an agricultural perspective this year's Budget was limited.

"The regional areas have been badly short changed," Mr Gillam said.

"The Agriculture Department is receiving less money and overall spending in the regional areas is very flat.

"The part of the State that is generating the boom is getting nothing and that is disappointing.

"Spending on health, education and law and order is up, but that doesn't mean we are going to see that spending spread to regional areas."

Mr Gillam said while changes to stamp duty and payroll tax would benefit rural areas, those taxed were supposed to have disappeared with the advent of GST.

"Looking ahead to a confirmed State debt that will jump from $3 billion last year to $11.4 billion by June 2014, with mining royalties winding back and infrastructures that are still failing to keep pace, the picture is not really that bright," he said.

He said expenditure on roads of $810 million was a loss in real terms and did not reflect the $20 billion plus now being collected by the Federal Government in fuel taxes - once earmarked for road repairs and development.

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