Federal Budget tonight....

**Olive** · May 13th, 2014, 10:09 AM

Yay.... can't wait to see the result

What are peoples feeling about this?

**Lenny** · May 13th, 2014, 10:45 AM

Hoping they don't cut their 5 hours funding for 4 yo kinder. That would be bad for all children. Considering the funding that some countries give pre school education (40 hours in some countries, 20 even in NZ).

**Cass72** · May 13th, 2014, 10:48 AM

This is the first time that I'm actually going to be glued to my seat waiting for the outcome of the budget. There are so many "possibles" that will have a directly adverse affect on my family. Mr Hockey said this morning that if people are looking at what they are getting out of the budget as an individual then they would be disappointed. He wants us to look at the bigger picture.

Well, Mr Hockey, sorry to say but my family is already on a tight budget and I'm not looking forward to tightening it anymore.

**SammyRo** · May 13th, 2014, 01:04 PM

As a parent of a child with a disability, I really don't want them to change the rollout of the NDIS. That is my main concern. Therapy is pricey, and when you are talking 2-3 therapy sessions a week, the NDIS is something we really need.

**AnyDream** · May 13th, 2014, 08:23 PM

Utter dread. So vehemently opposed to the ideology that is driving this whole process. I fear good things will be dismantled in permanent ways and the nation will be poorer as a result.

**Liviam** · May 13th, 2014, 08:31 PM

For the first time I am actually really nervous what is going to happen in this budget.

**Olive** · May 13th, 2014, 08:43 PM

For the first time I am actually really nervous what is going to happen in this budget.

Me too

**AnyDream** · May 13th, 2014, 09:03 PM

Plus our family sits in a place where we will be taking hits from many different directions (uni fees, HECS/HELP, FTB, petrol, GP fees, medication & pathology & scan copayments on top of our already huger than normal medical expenses) and that's without looking at the bigger systemic changes that will make life harder for our children when they are setting out in life.

**Amaunet** · May 13th, 2014, 09:12 PM

We will be affected by the universal things such as the GP payment and petrol prices etc. We have never been entitled to FTB or any other payments except the Child Care Rebate so no changes for us. I was very worried they would means test the CCR and we would lose that. Thank goodness they didn't!

**leckert** · May 13th, 2014, 09:18 PM

does anyone know of a simple, plain english version of what's happening? I saw part of the official budget via twitter but struggled to make sense of it. I wasn't looking forward to much of it being positive, particularly for education (and looking at getting a permanent teaching job)

ETA - does it still have to go through the senate? and take effect from July 1? or am I totally forgetting something - TV's been stuck on ABC4kids for too long and my brain's going (if it's not that it's a sports channel for DH or cooking channels for the boys after ABC4kids finishes for the day)

**wysiwyg** · May 13th, 2014, 09:21 PM

Google - "Infographic: Federal Budget at a glance - The Conversation" (is high level but at least is a starting point)

**leckert** · May 13th, 2014, 09:35 PM

thanks wysiwyg that helps as a starter. Now to find the time to actually read the paper at school tomorrow (being trying to do that for the past 2 weeks and succeeding once in that time - too much to do)

**Cass72** · May 14th, 2014, 09:42 AM

We will be affected by the universal things such as the GP payment and petrol prices etc. We have never been entitled to FTB or any other payments except the Child Care Rebate so no changes for us. I was very worried they would means test the CCR and we would lose that. Thank goodness they didn't!

This was my greatest fear too! Paying $480 per fortnight is so much more managable than $960. We don't (and never have) received FTB payments.

The Uni HELP fees do not affect existing students and DS1 will be finished his degree in 2017 in any case.

Yes, the petrol and medical will be a pain, but all in all, our family seems to have gotten off lightly.

**wysiwyg** · May 14th, 2014, 10:02 AM

We will be affected by the universal things such as the GP payment and petrol prices etc. We have never been entitled to FTB or any other payments except the Child Care Rebate so no changes for us. I was very worried they would means test the CCR and we would lose that. Thank goodness they didn't!

If they had done that would have really made no sense, I don't think was ever on the cards. The current situation currently makes working more than 3 days a week if you are both middle income earners (say 70 000) not financially beneficial. If they removed the CCR or means tested it, it would be a massive disincentive to working and that wouldn't be in line with other policies, which seem to want to increase the workforce. The fact the CCR is not increasing in line with childcare costs is enough of a problem.

I haven't seen anything about CCB so assume that it is staying the same but frozen?

**2CheekyMonkeys** · May 14th, 2014, 06:14 AM

Hmmmm... I kind of understand the idea of reducing debt but sheesh people still have to live. I'm not impressed with the gp co payment. I don't think they realise how much $7 actually means to some people!

**leckert** · May 14th, 2014, 06:17 AM

Hmmmm... I kind of understand the idea of reducing debt but sheesh people still have to live. I'm not impressed with the gp co payment. I don't think they realise how much $7 actually means to some people!

Agree on that, particularly if you get a bad run like we did last year with ds2 about 5 visits in 7 weeks for ear infections

**Floweryfields** · May 14th, 2014, 07:42 AM

Hmmmm... I kind of understand the idea of reducing debt but sheesh people still have to live. I'm not impressed with the gp co payment. I don't think they realise how much $7 actually means to some people!

I'm confused, are there still GPs who bulk bill? I've had to pay $70 every time I go to the GP for a long time - I wish it was only $7! Unless you hold a HCC or other concession card you pay $70 and claim back your medicare rebate - so it still ends up costing $35 or more.

**AnyDream** · May 14th, 2014, 08:43 AM

I'm confused, are there still GPs who bulk bill? I've had to pay $70 every time I go to the GP for a long time - I wish it was only $7! Unless you hold a HCC or other concession card you pay $70 and claim back your medicare rebate - so it still ends up costing $35 or more.

Yes, this. But apparently there are loads of bulk billing doctors around the place, and some of them are located in relatively wealthy areas too. The vast majority of consultations (numerically) are bulk billed. Often doctors charge everyone but bulk bill people with concession cards & for children. But people with concession cards (ie, elderly and those with disabilities & chronic health conditions and disabilities) are massive users of the medical system, so these people will be hit the hardest.

There was a quote in there by Joe Hockey about people needing to "take responsibility" for their health. As someone who has been through the cancer wringer, I wish I knew what kind of ****ing responsibility I needed to take to prevent all of the doctors visits involved in that.