The Albanese Labor Government’s 2025 Budget provides cost of living relief for people in Blair while Building Australia’s Future.

This is a Budget for every Australian and for everyone in Ipswich, the Somerset Region and Karana Downs area.

The Budget locks in $20 million funding for the Brisbane Valley Highway Safety Upgrades project, bringing the total Australian Government commitment to $40 million.

This builds on $138.5 million for the Warrego Highway - Mt Crosby Road Interchange upgrade; $42.5 million to fix the Bremer River Bridge; $16 million towards the Cunningham Highway businesses cases on the Ipswich-Rosewood Road (Amberley) intersection and Ripley Road and Swanbank Road interchanges, part of the Australian Government’s broader $170 million investment in the Cunningham Highway; $12.5 million for planning works for the next stage of the Ipswich Motorway; and $3.4 million to complete the business case for the Ipswich to Springfield rail line.

A $20 million investment in community-led grassroots programs with $4 million for the Queensland African Communities Council’s (QACC) successful African Village project, which includes The African Youth Centre in Redbank Plains in Ipswich is also locked in.

This week’s Budget delivers new help with the cost of living for everyone, including:

• More tax cuts for every taxpayer.
• More energy bill relief for every household and small business.
• More bulk billing to help Australians see a GP for free and even cheaper medicines.
• More cuts to HECS debts and historic funding for schools.
• More help to get Australians into a home of their own.

The Budget builds on the strong foundations we have laid, helping to secure our nation’s future at a time of global uncertainty.

We know Australians have worked hard and made sacrifices, and the Albanese Labor Government remains focused on delivering for households.

The economy is turning a corner – with lower inflation, rising wages and low unemployment. We’ve achieved all this the Australian way – looking after each other and working together.

Now is the time to keep building.

We’re providing relief now and investing in the future by strengthening Medicare, investing in housing and education, advancing reforms to make our economy stronger, and building a Future Made in Australia.

This year, Australians will face a clear choice.

Labor’s plan to Build Australia’s Future or Peter Dutton’s promise to cut the things Australians rely on.

That’s the choice Australians face: build or cut.

Quotes attributable to Federal Member for Blair Shayne Neumann:

“This is a responsible Budget that helps with the cost of living, while Building Australia’s Future.

“We are delivering real cost of living relief now, while also investing in the future.

“We’re delivering this through tax cuts for every Australian, reducing the cost for energy bills for every household and strengthening Medicare through making medicines even cheaper and delivering 50 more Medicare Urgent Care Clinics.”

Quotes attributable to Treasurer Jim Chalmers:

“Cost of living is front of mind for people in Blair, and front and centre in the Budget.

“We’ve found a way to deliver responsible and meaningful cost of living help, strengthen Medicare and build a stronger economy while also building a stronger budget.”