2024-01-25 17:36:45
Current hour at the beginning
St. Pölten (OTS) – The state parliament of Lower Austria met today at 1 p.m. under the chairmanship of President Mag. Karl Wilfing.
At the beginning of the meeting, a current hour was held on the topic of “Security and stability in challenging times: investments by the state secure jobs and the Lower Austrian business location”.
Representative Christoph Kaufmann, MAS (VP) said that we are at the beginning of a new year and are therefore asking ourselves what can be done so that the federal state can continue on its successful path. The state of Lower Austria has therefore set up investments and funding programs. Among other things, investments are being made in housing, the health and care sector, broadband expansion and the expansion of child care. In addition, we will continue to invest in research and development, sustainability and digitalization. These investments are intended to stimulate the economy and ensure stability.
MP Franz Schnabl (SP) emphasized that the recovery is still a long way off. He believes it is necessary to invest in social welfare because this increases purchasing power. He experiences the wrong priorities being set at the federal and state levels. Poverty and unemployment are increasing, and confidence in the economy is sinking “to the bottom”. According to him, prosperity can only be secured if the economy is doing well. The country’s total debt amounts to 9.1 billion euros, which is “a disgrace for the country” and a sign of political failure. In addition to budgetary scope for action, there is also a willingness to intervene in the market in a regulatory manner – for example in electricity prices or in the areas of rent and housing. He sees the location policy of VP and FP as “visionless, discouraged, weak, non-existent”.
MP Mag. Indra Collini (Neos) spoke in the context of the current hour of a “less than sensible economic policy of the black-blue state government”, which only takes “cosmetic measures” such as subsidies and construction projects that will not solve the real problems. Many companies are up to their necks in water, the number of company bankruptcies is increasing, and big announced company relocations have failed to materialize. According to Collini, serious solutions are only possible in the following three steps: Firstly, there needs to be a correction of the image of the business location, which has been marked by corruption scandals in recent years. Secondly, the labor shortage must be eliminated, for example through labor migration, and thirdly, the tax rate needs to be reduced, because companies and people need tax relief.
MP Mag. Georg Ecker, MA (Greens) explained the topics of energy policy and the shortage of skilled workers, which are crucial for a functioning business location. Regarding energy policy, he said that around 22 billion euros would have been burned on imports of fossil fuels in 2022 alone. The Greens wanted affordable, sustainable and stable energy and that can only be achieved with renewables. As an example, he gave the company Northvolt, which had settled in eastern Germany due to the stable wind energy, and concluded: only through the availability of renewable energies would the number of companies relocating here also increase once more. Regarding the shortage of skilled workers, Ecker explained that the economy depends on skilled workers who work here and that it will not be possible to acquire them from your own country through training and further education measures alone. In the future, skilled workers from abroad will also be needed in order to make the location more attractive. However, these people will not be brought into the country with a coalition with the FP. He described the current coalition as inhumane and harmful to the business location. The security and stability of Lower Austria as a business location is only possible by ending this coalition.
MP René Pfister (SP) presented figures on increased bankruptcies and the unemployment rate in Lower Austria. This is the fifth worst in Austria. He identified a need for action not only in terms of training and further education, but also in the area of apprenticeships and long-term unemployment. Here he cited the “Project Marienthal” as a successful showcase project that SP state party leader Hergovich had launched in his former role as head of the AMS Lower Austria. You have to look at the employees, says Pfister, because they are the ones who keep the country running. In addition, corporate corruption must be put a stop to. Scandals like those involving Signa Holding or Kika-Leiner would destroy jobs and taxpayers’ money; these must be monitored and sanctioned more strictly. Finally, he commented on the topic of tax-free overtime, which the SP does not support, and calculated that in 2022 alone, 192 million additional and overtime hours would have been worked, which would create 111,400 new jobs and thus relieve the burden on the people who worked these hours and at the same time bring more people into the job market.
MP Michael Sommer (FP) looked back on the last years of Lower Austria as a business location. He then explained that the task of politics was to create the best possible framework conditions for the economy and jobs. This can be achieved through targeted investments, for example in road construction, where Lower Austria is a pioneer. He cited the “road construction package” as an example, investments of 93 million euros in the maintenance and expansion of roads and rail, without which no new companies will settle in Lower Austria, said Sommer. He also spoke of investments in housing, health, care and childcare, which are particularly helpful for the construction industry in the current difficult situation. In addition, Lower Austria is setting new standards in economic development, for example with the pub package. The MP emphasized that business-friendly policies are being implemented to preserve prosperity, jobs and the business location. Federal Minister Gewessler is “a gravedigger of the Austrian economy”. Lower Austria is taking a sensible, prosperity-preserving and patriotic path. The EU should return to peace, free trade and prosperity instead of over-regulation.
Representative Anton Erber, MBA (VP) spoke of challenging times, but many entrepreneurs still retained their employees. In companies, employers and employees are often a unit that pulls together. Lower Austria is the state with the highest purchasing power and has an obligation to those who value the land.
MP Doris Schmidl (VP) reported on a proposal regarding a redesign of the cost contribution for accompanying persons in the Lower Austrian Hospital Act (NÖ KAG).
MP Mag. Edith Kollermann (Neos) opened the debate: The motion is important and welcome. The hospital can be traumatic at a young age, and support should not fail due to financial resources.
MP Mag. Silvia Moser, MSc (Greens) also announced approval. The scale of the contribution should generally be generous; in cases of hardship, the social component should also be taken into account.
MP Mag. Karin Scheele (SP) called the motion a clear improvement and submitted an additional motion for a comprehensive abolition of the cost contribution for accompanying persons. The parents should not incur any costs.
MP Edith Mühlberghuber (FP) said it is in the nature of parents to want to be by their children’s side. If parents in the hospital might be with their children around the clock, it would also relieve the burden on the staff.
MP Silke Dammerer (VP) said that when a child has to be admitted to hospital, this is often associated with discomfort and often with fear. In this situation, the parents would like to support the child in a strange environment. Such support is possible in the Lower Austrian state clinics. A contribution of 43.40 euros per night must be paid for the accommodation of the accompanying person. In this context, the VP now wants an exception for children up to the age of three. The VP is in favor of relieving the burden on families; cases of illness would place a high emotional burden on families.
The amendment remained in the minority, the main motion was approved unanimously.
(Forts.)
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