Support for businesses, patients and CFA vols
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Support for businesses, patients and CFA vols

Small businesses, country patients and CFA volunteers will be better off under policies announced by the Liberal Nationals this week. The Nationals Member for Gippsland East Tim Bull said a Liberal Nationals Government would cut payroll tax paid by qualifying East Gippsland businesses to just 1% and, if elected in November, introduce a Presumptive Legislation Bill in the first sitting week of State Parliament in 2019. The policies follow the announcement the Liberal Nationals would boost the Victorian Transport Patient Assistance Scheme (VPTAS), which provides subsidies and reimbursements to those travelling more than 100 kilometres one-way, or 500km a week, for treatment. “These three policies will have real effect here in East Gippsland and support a lot of local people,” Mr Bull said. “Our small businesses, just like our CFA volunteers, are the backbone of our local community and a cut to payroll tax will provide further assistance to them while creating more job opportunities for people in our region,” he said. Mr Bull said a Liberal Nationals Government would cut the current payroll tax rate of 2.425% for qualifying businesses in regional Victoria to just 1%. The new rate under a Liberal Nationals Government will be less than one-quarter of the standard 4.85% rate. “Across Victoria, the tax cut is expected to save around 4000 businesses an average of $11,633 a year,” he said. The qualifications include that at least 85% of the payroll must be comprised of Victorian wages associated with regional employees and that the employer is based in regional Victoria. Mr Bull said like small businesses, volunteer firefighters were also being forgotten by the Andrews Labor Government. “The Presumptive Legislation Bill will ensure all career and volunteer firefighters have fair and timely access to cancer compensation,” he said. “The Liberal Nationals’ presumptive legislation will cover the 12 specified diseases consistent with the legislation previously introduced in Parliament.” Mr Bull said the VPTAS expansion would mean less East Gippsland residents travelling for medical treatment would be out of pocket, with the accommodation subsidy to be increased from $45 to $60 per night and the kilometre reimbursement from 21 cents to 25 cents, while there would also be a review of the 100km threshold. Monday, October 29, 2018