LAST Tuesday night’s Labor Federal Budget delivered by treasurer Jim Chalmers has been an epic fail for the electorate of Parkes, Federal Member for Parkes Jamie Chaffey says.

Ahead of the Budget, Mr Chaffey called on the 20 Councils within the vast electorate of Parkes to put forward their priorities.

“There is a cost-of-living crisis, and I know this is adding to the financial sustainability struggle of local government across regional Australia,” Mr Chaffey said.

“I wanted to know exactly what the highest priorities were for these Councils so we could at least address the most urgent needs.

“Escalating costs and financial sustainability was the number one priority. The Labor Government has addressed this by actually dropping funding to Councils.

“The Financial Assistance Grant program dropped from 0.51 per cent of Commonwealth tax revenue to 0.49 per cent.

“That is a spectacular fail,” Mr Chaffey said.

“Number two priority was road maintenance, freight efficiency and road safety. I was pleased to see the Roads to Recovery Program continue, but the Local Roads Community Infrastructure program has gone. No certainty, no recognition of the roads issue. Another epic fail.

“Number three was natural disaster preparedness, recovery and resilience. $191.6 million has been cut from pest and disease, regional trade and drought funding for farmers. The Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements remain, but provisions for local government remain confusing and fail to address specific projects – it’s a fail.

Federal Member for Parkes Jamie Chaffey with Nationals Leader Matt Canavan, Senator Bridget McKenzie, Member for Riverina Michael McCormack and local government representatives following the Budget announcement.

“Number four was community infrastructure. there is no new funding for the Regional Precincts and Partnerships Program in the years to come, and the regions will receive less than 2 percent of infrastructure funding in the budget. $4.7 billion has been cut from infrastructure funding.

“Fail, fail, fail,” Mr Chaffey said.

“Number five was airport infrastructure. No regional airport capital works program included. It’s a failure to launch on this one.

“Number six was regional telecommunications infrastructure. Where is funding for the basics like rural tower infrastructure? $21.4 million has been cut from regional communications funding. Failure to resuscitate essential communications here.

“Number seven was the Inland Rail. One of the biggest losses of all in this Federal Budget, with the project dropped north of Parkes despite the significant investment already made, and 10 years of planning and disruption for families, businesses and Councils. Fail, fail, fail.

“Number eight was water infrastructure. What water infrastructure? Despite this being a huge problem for local government in the Parkes electorate, $103 million has been cut from the National Water Grid. Epic fail.

“There is no doubt this Federal Budget has totally ignored not only the 20 Councils within the Parkes electorate, but the entire electorate on all counts,” Mr Chaffey said.

“It is as if the Parkes electorate – that takes up more than half of New South Wales – does not exist, and with it, the regional Australians who live there.

“I will continue to fight the cause for both the Councils who are struggling to provide essential services for their communities and the people of the Parkes electorate.

“This is not good enough. The communities of the electorate of Parkes have not been heard and not been included in this budget.

“It is, in short, an epic fail,” he said.