Fair, inclusive, a new era: Do these two words and a phrase best underline the spirit of Budget 2023?

Synopsis: Every second and fourth Monday of the month, The Straits Times takes a hard look at social issues of the day with guests.

Singapore's Parliament has passed in early March, the Government’s $123.7 billion spending plans for the coming financial year.

In this episode, ST's podcast editor Ernest Luis hosts colleague and deputy news editor Grace Ho, who monitored around 70 hours of speeches and debates in Parliament in the past few weeks. What does she make of them?

Highlights (click/tap above):

2:16 What was truly fair? Those who can pay more, will pay more; Grace highlights buyer’s stamp duties for higher-value residential and non-residential properties as a "fair move" 

2:52 Regarding those unhappy with the higher tax rates for residential property in excess of $1.5 million, these people are actually part of that top 21 per cent of Singaporeans living in private housing

5:03 Can the Government realistically please everyone? Eg: The change in Working Mother’s Child Relief from a percentage to fixed dollar relief, will better help lower-income mothers

6:19 What was truly inclusive? The announcements for public housing, initiatives for persons with disabilities, preventing lower-income families from "falling through the cracks"

10:31 New era for Government initiatives, but will it turn out to be a new era for the way Singaporean parents or employers think? 

17:08 What happens when Parliament - in its customary mid-term break now - reconvenes on April 10

Produced by: Ernest Luis ([email protected]), Hadyu Rahim and Paxton Pang

Edited by: Hadyu Rahim

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