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May 16th, 2012 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda
What can we expect in today’s state budget? Photo: Glenn Hunt
WA Premier Colin Barnett says increased power bills will feature in today’s budget, but has also promised measures to ease the pain felt by householders.
Speaking ahead of the state government’s fourth budget, which will be handed down by Treasurer Christian Porter at 2pm, Mr Barnett said any hike in water and electricity prices would be modest.
A 5 per cent increase is widely expected today, which would take the total increase in water and power bills since the last election to 45 per cent and 62 per cent respectively.
But further electricity hikes are expected from July 1 when the carbon tax comes into effect, which could add another 9 per cent to bills.
Mr Barnett told Parliament yesterday the government had taken all the measures it could “to moderate any impact” of higher power prices announced in the budget.
Meanwhile an expected major announcement in today’s budget is a new “future fund” for a portion of royalty income or budget surpluses.
The sovereign wealth fund will be met with anger from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which this week warned it would “place the state government in a fiscal straight jacket” and leave no money to tackle demand for infrastructure.
The WA government forecast in its mid-year economic review a steady rise in total revenue in coming years despite falling GST payments from the commonwealth but net debt is expected to soar from $236 million in 2011 to $3.5 billion in 2012.
The government has already made a number of budget announcements in recent weeks, including $375 million for the new stadium, slashing public sector budgets by 2 per cent and $87 million for roads and police.
Labor leader Mark McGowan said he hoped to see tax cuts and measures to ease cost of living pressures on families.
“What we’ve seen in the last three years is no tax cuts, an increase in taxes, huge increases in revenue and also a lot of pain for families. There needs to be some relief,” he said.
He also called for assistance to small to medium businesses.
“At the moment a lot of businesses are being caught by the pay roll tax net, that were never intended to be caught. So businesses with eight or ten employees are being caught by the payroll tax net, and that’s never what was intended,” he said.
What we know so far:
– $375 million for the new stadium (and transport infrastructure)
– Efficiency dividends for public sector: To save $1 billion over four years.
– $27.5m for cyclists paths
– 15 per cent increase of funding for homelessness ($83.million for 81 not for profits.)
– WA’s biggest school (Willetton Senior High) to be rebuilt for $80 million
– Road safety funding: $87.7 million for upgrades, new concept cars (and motorbikes) increased drug testing and extra police presence on roads.
– $7.5 million for a Minerals Research Institute
What to expect:
– Budget surplus tipped to be $209 million (based on governmental mid-year review)
– Future fund, which would divert a percentage of the state’s royalties
– Electricity prices to rise, by around 5 per cent
– Tax cuts and assistance for small business
– Increase in child health nurses (The WA Council of Social Services is calling for 150)
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