WE are now officially on the path to the next Federal Election, following the release of the 2025-26 Federal Budget by Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers last week. The announcement has sparked debate over whether Labor or the Coalition would be better at managing the nation’s finances, as voters prepare to head to the polls on May 3, 2025.
Household cost-of-living measures were front and centre of Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ pre-election Budget, promising relief on income tax, power bills and medicine, plus a $1B investment to fix Victoria’s roads.
Opposition Peter Dutton’s Budget response, delivered the eve before Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the election, promises to halve the fuel excise for 12 months and launched the Coalition’s National Gas Plan, aiming to address shortfalls while prioritising national supplies.
Federal Member for Nicholls said that the upcoming election is critical for Australia’s future.
“We cannot afford three more years of the Albanese Government. Groceries, energy bills, rent and mortgage repayments are through the roof. Regional communities have been left behind with cuts to funding and infrastructure spending,” said Birrell.
“Labor has the wrong priorities with wasteful and reckless spending keeping inflation and interest rates higher for longer. It’s time to change course.
Birrell said the Nationals plan to get “Australia back on track,” includes lowering inflation by cutting red tape and stopping wasteful spending; immediate cost-of-living relief by halving the fuel excise immediately and delivering a 25c saving on every litre of fuel; cheaper energy by getting more gas into the energy system and affordable homes by investing in infrastructure to accelerate land releases and stopping foreign buyers.
Birrell said, “I have been honoured to be given the opportunity to represent this amazing community and over the coming weeks I will be humbly seeking your support to continue that work, there is much more we can achieve. I will also be laying out how the Nationals will deliver for the people of Nicholls.
“Fixing the fundamentals is the priority, but you don’t get anywhere by standing still and I’ve been fighting hard for commitments to priority projects in communities across my electorate.”
