Local families to be hit by cuts, says Labor candidate

Thousands of local families face financial hardship after the Federal Government voted to cut family tax benefits, according to Labor candidate for Robertson, Ms Anne Charlton.

Ms Charlton said some families would be $5000 worse off as a result of the Social Services Legislation Amendment Bill, currently going through Federal parliament.

Woy Woy mother Ms Tamara Lee Marshall said she was concerned about the cuts.

"People on the Peninsula who are working and bringing up kids should be the last people to lose a tax benefit," Ms Marshall said.

"The priorities are wrong when negatively-geared property investors keep their tax deductions, but working families are facing cuts."

Ms Charlton said Labor voted against the Liberals' cuts and will continue to oppose the measures in the Senate.

"People on the Peninsula need a strong voice to fight to support our local families.

"I want to represent the Peninsula in Canberra to make sure our community, and our kids, get the support they need," Ms Charlton said.

According to Ms Charlton, the Bill, when passed into law would result in cuts to Family Tax Benefit Supplements of $726 per child in Family Tax Benefit Part A; and Supplements of $354 per family in Family Tax Benefit Part B.

"These are harsh Tony Abbott-style policies being rammed through by Malcolm Turnbull, and Lucy Wicks voted for it despite the damage it will do to local families.

"When household budgets are cut, it's often the kids who suffer.

"A single parent family in Woy Woy or Umina with a couple of children in secondary school stands to lose around $5000 a year because of the Liberals' plan to cut family tax benefits and the Schoolkids Bonus.

"Low and middle income families with two kids in secondary school will be around $2600 a year worse off because of the same cuts," Ms Charlton said.

Media release, 2 Mar 2016

Anne Charlton, Labor candidate for Robertson