Dominic Perrottet is spruiking his ambitious superannuation-style plan to create a future fund for NSW children, with the government kicking off the nest egg with $400 for every newborn.
Less than two weeks out from the March 25 election the major parties are campaigning hard on platforms of economic relief.
The premier unveiled the splashy centrepiece of his plan to secure a historic fourth term of government at the Liberal Party campaign launch on Sunday.
Costing about $850 million, the policy means a child born today could end up with $28,000 by the time they turn 18 – or as much as $49,000 with annual contributions of up to $1000 from parents.
The government would deposit $400 in an account for children 10 and younger, and parents would have the option of matching annual government payments of $400 until the child is 18, when it could be spent on their education or housing.
“This is all about making sure our children have greater opportunities than we do,” Mr Perrottet told Seven’s Sunrise on Monday.
“By the time the child is 18 years old and leave school, they will have up to $49,000 which they can draw on for education and housing.”
Labor says the policy is an admission the government doesn’t have a plan to tackle the cost of living crisis, the underinvestment in schools, or problems in the health system.
Shadow Treasurer Daniel Mookhey says with the cost of living biting, most families simply can’t afford the future fund scheme.
“Mr Perrottet wants to solve the problems of today using the bank of mum and dad,” he said.
“This is a thought bubble that won’t fix the teachers and nurses shortage or the underinvestment in our education and health systems.”
Meanwhile, the NSW Greens will push to make abortions available in all public hospitals under a reproductive health reform package.
Greens MP Jenny Leong said there were vocal anti-choice tendencies inside both the NSW Liberal-National coalition and Labor.
“It is critical we make sure our public health care system is able to deliver reproductive health care and abortions without political interference,” she said.
The plan involves improved access to contraception, fertility treatment, abortion, menopause care and gender-affirming care through the public health system, including access to abortions at every public hospital in NSW.
Also on Sunday, Labor announced energy bill rebates for small businesses and households, which it said would balance the need for immediate relief with longer-term reform of the energy system.
Under Labor’s plan, eligible NSW small businesses would receive a $315 rebate on their energy bill, which when combined with the Commonwealth government’s scheme would reduce costs for about 320,000 small businesses by $630 a year.
Households receiving income support would receive a $250 deduction on their energy bills which, when matched with $250 from the Commonwealth’s Energy Bill Relief Fund, would mean they paid $500 less a year.
– AAP
