Labor has also funded its commitments to housing affordability. The CFMEU welcomes, amongst other measures, the expenditure of more than $500 million on infrastructure investment to promote the building of new homes. The money has been committed, now there's the job of keeping the developers honest and ensuring the savings flow to the home buyer rather than lining their pockets.
The National Rental Affordability Scheme is also a positive and targeted intervention to counter the affordability crisis.
The CFMEU also welcomes:
• Increased funding of skills, vocational and higher education and the Education Investment Fund;
• Equity measures in relation to private health insurance, the baby bonus, luxury cars and ensuring welfare payments are targeted at those in need;
• Initiatives to combat global warming including the funding of research into Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and $90 million for the Green Building Fund aimed at energy efficiency;
• The $20 million dedicated to assisting the forestry industry in dealing with climate change and skills development;
• Assistance of nearly $20 million to review and implement proper protections of guest workers brought in on the 457 visa - it's about time.
That's some of the positives but there remains at lease one glaring negative - the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) will continue to cost taxpayers some $32 million a year. This unnecessary and draconian Howard Government agency must be closed. As well as treating building workers like terrorists by taking away their right to silence, the ABCC is also a huge waste of taxpayers' money. It's time to redirect this spending towards more socially useful ends. A good start would be more spending on enforcement and research in the field of occupational health and safety.
John Sutton, 15 May 2008
