The Morrison Government is delivering for the Hunter region with massive investments in skills and training to help support the next generation of local workers get into high-skill, high-wage jobs.
Minister for Employment, Workforce, Small and Family Business, Stuart Robert, is visiting the Hunter today with Liberal Candidate for Paterson, Brooke Vitnell and Liberal Candidate for Shortland, Nell McGill, where he announced there are 12,380 apprentices and trainees now in training across the Hunter Valley with more to come.
‘The Morrison Government is the best friend apprentices in the Hunter have ever had,’ Mr Robert said.
‘Together with Nell McGill and Brooke Vitnell, the Morrison Government will deliver a strong economic plan that will see more people in the Hunter get skilled and get into a job.’
Patron Senator for the Hunter Region, Hollie Hughes said the recent Budget announced by the Morrison Government will lead to more opportunities for apprentices and trainees in the Hunter with expanded wage subsidies and direct payments to apprentices of up to $5,000 to help them stay in, and complete, their apprenticeship.
‘The Morrison Government’s investment in skills has seen a surge of apprentices across the Hunter and our economic plan will mean more apprentices, more training and more jobs for our region,’ Senator Hughes said.
The Budget also recognises that small businesses are the backbone of the Australian economy with reduced taxes and new incentives to invest and grow in the Hunter.
‘Around 15,200 Hunter Valley small businesses will have access to a new 20 per cent bonus deduction for training and upskilling their employees,’ Senator Hughes said.
‘The boost will support businesses to invest in the training and upskilling of their employees while reducing their tax bill.
‘The Morrison Government is also delivering a new Technology Investment Boost to encourage local small businesses to go digital, which will benefit 58,900 businesses across the Hunter. These businesses will have access to a new bonus 20 per cent deduction on digital and technology expenses such as buying computers, online sales platforms, accounting software, cyber security and cloud computing.
Minister Robert said the Morrison Government is continuing tax incentives that will allow around 59,000 local businesses to write-off the full value of any eligible asset they purchase.
‘Additionally, around 22,100 businesses across the Hunter will be able to use the extended loss carry back measure to support cash flow and confidence,’ Mr Robert said.
‘This has already helped businesses invest more in the local economy and to create local jobs and will continue to do so.’
The new Budget measures follow the significant invest the Morrison Government made to help the Hunter fight through the pandemic.
The JobKeeper payment supported 21,100 businesses and 86,900 employees across the Hunter Valley, helping them keep connected to their place of work and setting the groundwork for the recovery. Over 18,200 small and medium businesses have also been supported by the tax-free cash flow boost which helped provide $827 million in payments.
‘Our Economic Plan is a big win for thousands of small businesses across the Hunter, small business is in our DNA which is why we’ve lowered taxes and are providing new incentives to invest in skills and digital technology,’ Mr Robert said.
‘In the coming weeks, the people of the Hunter will have a choice—that choice will be between a high-taxing economy-wrecking Labor Party with no plan and no idea, or the Morrison Government that has a plan to back the Hunter, back our apprentices and back local jobs. Don’t let Labor sneak into government.’
For more information on the Federal Budget visit: https://nswliberal.org.au/Federal-Budget-2022