Costs effective

I refer to letters in the previous weeks about the cost of living.
The Napthine Coalition has introduced a number of measures to reduce cost of living pressures since coming in to government.
The Napthine government has:
– Boosted concessions to assist low income households with electricity, gas, water and municipal rate concessions. Concessions now apply for 12 months a year (as opposed to six months under Labor). The Napthine Government has stepped in to cover the shortfall left by the Commonwealth Government changes, easing the pressure for pensioners;
– Halved the cost of ambulance subscriptions;
– Cut Stamp Duty for first home buyers by 50 per cent from 1 September 2014, providing a saving of up to $15,535 on the purchase of a $600,000 property;
– Introduced the Fairer Water Bills initiative, ensuring Melbourne households see a bill reduction of $100 a year for the next four years;
– Reduced the Fire Services Property Levy rates for all property owners. Eligible concession holders will continue to receive a $50 a year concession on the FSL;
– Cut payroll tax for around 39,000 Victorian employers and their 1.6 million employees to 4.85 per cent saving businesses more than $234 million over four years;
– Abolished Stamp Duty on life insurance policies, saving consumers $4 million annually;
– Reduced the average Victorian WorkCover premium for 2014/15 by 2 per cent, representing a saving of $40 million for employers.
Thanks to good economic management, the Napthine government is able to reduce public transport costs in this year’s budget, with free tram travel in the CBD and Docklands and Zone 1 and 2 travel to be capped at the price of a Zone 1 fare.
Only a Coalition government can be trusted to deliver responsible economic management –
Labor’s budget blow-outs, like the desalination plant and Myki, are still fresh in the mind of many Victorians.
Brad Battin MP,
State Member for Gembrook.