Hunter hit hard Fitzgibbon blasts tough federal budget's impact on local families • AMELIA PARROTT
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n his maiden budget speech, Treasurer Joe Hockey called an end to what he called "the age of entitlement," asking every Australia to make a shared contribution to decreasing the country's nearly $50 billion deficit. But the tough changes laid out in the 2014-15 Federal budget will leave many Hunter residents giving more than they are getting, with amendments to the Family Tax Benefits A and B, increasing fuel prices and a levy on visits to the doctor and prescriptions to hit families particularly hard. Member for Hunter, Joel Fitzgibbon said families in his electorate would be hardest hit by the Liberal Party's broken promises. "This Federal budget represents a number of clear broken promises by Tony Abbott to the people of the Hunter," he said. "Families in the Hunter who are already struggling to make ends meet cannot afford to pay to take their sick child or elderly parent to the doctor. "Tony Abbott has broken his promise that there will be no new taxes, with a $7 GP tax - a tax that will cost Hunter families $5,682,173 in out of pocket costs to visit the doctor next year alone." The introduction of the $7 Medicare co-contribution, capped at 10 payments a year for children under 16 and concession card holders, will go towards funding one of the budget's good news stories, a new $20 billion medical research fund. Story continues on )) p. 5
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Treasurer Joe Hockey has come under fire for the Government's tough budget changes
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