Berowra - Enews Update

As you are aware, the Federal government has responsibility for many important policy areas and in my capacity as your parliamentary representative I can make representations on your behalf in areas such as: Agriculture, Centrelink, Child Support, Defence, Employment and Training, Export/Imports, Foreign Affairs, Health, Higher Education funding, Immigration, Medicare, Postal and Telephone Services, Passports, Television, Broadband and Broadcasting, Taxation, Trade; and Veterans’ Affairs.

In this issue: I have provided some of my recent press releases and statements on particular issues of interest.

A Cherrybrook family had a most unpleasant experience recently when their young daughter, travelling with a student travel group in remote Argentina, lost her luggage in which she had unwisely left her Australian Passport.

Her distressed Mother contacted local Federal Member, Philip Ruddock who made contact with Department of Foreign Affairs officials who requested Australian Consular officers in Buenos Aires to initiate action to issue a new passport.

“This young lady had worked for some four years to be able to undertake this trip which was to see her travel through Argentina, Chile and Peru. One careless moment very nearly ruined things for her.”

Mr Ruddock said it was a timely reminder for all travellers, “keep your Passport and valuables with you at all times!”

“Without her Passport, this young Australian was unable to continue with her tour group and had to remain in a remote area of Argentina while the rest of her group crossed the border into Chile.”

“Unable to speak the language, she needed to travel some twelve hours by bus to Buenos Aires. Both she and her family took comfort from receiving messages from the Department of Foreign Affairs and my own office providing advice as to what she needed to do.”

With recent official statistics showing that the number of Australians holidaying overseas soared by 20% in November 2009 compared with November 2008, Mr Ruddock said he felt it timely to remind travellers to take precautions to keep their possessions, particularly their Passports and money, safe. “ This young lady has travel insurance which will help with the replacement of her belongings and the incidental cost of additional accommodation and travel needs, but nothing can undo the upset and worry which she and her family have experienced this week.”

Many residents of the Berowra electorate breathed a collective sigh of relief when the Rudd Government finally announced its back-down on imposing extra costs for cataract surgery.

Cataract sufferers will now no longer be left with hundreds of dollars in extra costs when they undergo surgery. Opposition supported by crossbench Senators had forced the back down.

The Medicare rebates for cataract surgery were to have been reduced by a staggering 51%, but after negotiations with ophthalmologists the rebates will be reduced by just 12% with many leading doctors saying it is likely most practitioners will endeavour to absorb the cost.

The rebate reductions were first outlined in last year’s federal Budget and, despite opposition by the Coalition, pensioner groups and doctors, the rebates paid to patients dripped from just over $600 to around $300.

Many constituents contacted my office during the period of uncertainty to express their alarm about the cuts. The Coalition twice disallowed them in the Senate before the Government finally saw sense and began negotiations with specialists who carry out this valuable surgery. This is what should have happened at the outset.

One chap who lives in Hornsby told me he had already had one eye operated on but, because his costs had gone up, he would have to postpone having his second eye done. It’s a great shame that the Federal Government was prepared to add to his worries as they did.

I am awaiting a response from the Minister for the Environment, over what appears to be yet another example of possible insulation rebate rorts.

A very concerned Glenorie resident came to my office recently to show me a letter he had received from the Rudd Government under the banner headline ‘NATION BUILDING. Economic Stimulus Plan, advising him that a payment had been made to an installer for ceiling insulation in a rental property he owns.

The problem is, the owner knew nothing about the work and had given no permission for ceiling insulation to be installed.

I contacted the Minister asking for details of the installer to be provided, together with details of the actual work supposedly done.

The property owner wants to know who did the work, what licence and insurance credentials he has and what exactly was installed. The constituent is concerned that unauthorised work may or may not have been undertaken and, with all the reports we are hearing about dodgy installation work potentially causing fires and now possibly electrocution risks, he is concerned for his tenants, his property and his insurance cover.

This is yet another example of the inept manner in which this scheme has been administered. Taxpayers are footing the bill for this debacle and the Rudd Government needs to be held accountable.

If there are others in the electorate who have encountered problems with the ceiling insulation rebate scheme, or any of the Government’s other grand Nation Building programs, I encourage them to contact my Electorate Office with details.

With many local families planning holidays, I urge caution when choosing a destination.

The Travel Advice given on the Department of Foreign Affairs’ website should be compulsory reading for anyone intending on overseas travel.

Currently, two very popular destinations for Australian travellers, Thailand and Indonesia, carry very serious warnings.

The warning for Thailand is ‘do not travel’ due to the high threat of terrorist attack and because of political instability.

In mid February 2010 the Thai Government announced increased security measures due to political unrest and possible demonstrations in Bangkok and other parts of the nation in the coming weeks.

Demonstrations can turn ugly and violent very quickly, sometimes with unforeseen consequences for innocent bystanders caught up in the disturbance. Indonesia, including Bali, has a ‘reconsider your need to travel’ listing due to the threat of terrorist attack.

The July 2009 attacks in Jakarta in which Australians were killed and injured are still very fresh in the minds of authorities.

I urge anyone planning to travel to take advantage of the comprehensive information available on the Department’s website www.smarttraveller.gov.au before deciding where to holiday.

Federal Member for Berowra Philip Ruddock again pulled on his gloves and joined neighbours and locals on Clean Up Australia Day at Pennant Hills Park on Sunday 7th March.

Mr Ruddock said “I have been involved for many years and I have always encouraged as many people as possible to take an active role.”

“With local sites registered all around the nation, there is always somewhere nearby where your help can make a difference.”

A call to my Pennant Hills Electorate Office has prompted me to issue a reminder to householders who may have added their names to the DO NOT CALL REGISTER.

In a 2006 electorate newsletter I provided details of how individual households could put a stop to receiving nuisance telemarketing phone calls by registering.

Recently I received a call from a Berowra lady who did just that, but had now started receiving unwanted telemarketing calls again.

On inquiry, I found that registration is only valid for 3 years, so she will be re-registering by calling 1300 792 958. I feel others may need to do the same, or perhaps consider registering for the first time.

Only home and private mobile telephone numbers can be registered, not business phone numbers.

Although registering will not stop all telemarketers, it certainly provides some relief.

The Do Not Call Register Act 2006 makes it illegal, in the absence of consent, for any non-exempt telemarketer in Australia or overseas to contact a number listed on the register.Some organisations, operating in the public interest are exempt, as are some market researchers.

Charities, religious organisations, educational institutions, government bodies, registered political parties, independent members of Parliament and nominated political candidates are exempt.

People can register by telephoning 1300 792 958, completing a form online at www.donotcall.gov.au or by writing to the Do Not Call Register, PO Box 42 North Melbourne Victoria 3051.

One of the pleasures of being a local Member is the invitations I receive to attend a variety of school functions throughout the electorate. This week I had an opportunity to visit the Pennant Hills Public School.

My purpose in being there was twofold. The children had participated in the UNICEF Day for Change and had raised $210 to assist children living in Mozambique. To show their gratitude, UNICEF had provided me with a soccer ball which I presented to the School.

I spoke with the children about the wonderful work which UNICEF undertakes to assist some of the poorest people in the world. I congratulated them on their generosity and we discussed the sort of assistance their contribution would make.

An amount as small as $1.42 can provide two children with a pencil and an exercise book. An amount of $157 provides double desks for classrooms which have none and just $57.44 provides a School-in-a-bag with individual supplies for 40 students and a teacher.

I also made a presentation of two new Australian Flags and was very impressed by the knowledge the children had of our Flag and its history.

They correctly answered my questions regarding the Southern Cross, the Federation Star and the Union Jack and showed a keen interest and pride in the topic.

Their lively minds and enquiring intellects made me feel confident for the future!

As I left Pennant Hills Public School I heard that a spokesman for Kmart stores had announced that they will withdraw their request for permission to trade before 1 pm on Anzac Day.

In my opinion this is an excellent move as I believe Anzac Day to be a solemn occasion for remembrance on which we show our gratitude to those who fought and died under our Flag so that we might all enjoy freedom.

Many of the young ones with whom I just met would no doubt be attending Anzac Day ceremonies and parades with their families – all proudly waving their Australian flags.

The new computer system installed at the Australian Tax Office has been experiencing ‘teething difficulties’ with many tax payers waiting lengthy periods for their assessments or refunds.

The previous system, which had operated since the mid-70’s has been replaced by a new system which incorporates income tax and higher education loan accounts.

The Tax Office has admitted it ‘may have taken longer than expected to process income tax returns and issue refunds or assessments.

The ATO website is currently stating that all stockpiled returns and returns received up until the end of February have been processed – but processing does not necessarily mean a cheque has been issued.

Unfortunately taxpayers need to be patient a little longer, which is difficult for those who may be waiting for their refund cheque to pay bills or complete some other important personal or business transaction.

Tax agents were also having difficulties using the ATO portal, ‘I understand that the Electronic Lodgement Service is not permitting access to some reports.

Finally, I draw attention to one important line on the ATO’s website which I felt may bring a smile to some faces – the line reads, ‘If we take longer than 30 days to process returns, we will pay interest.’Most taxpayers only dream of having interest paid to them by the Tax Office!

Some four hundred guests descended on a quiet property in Dural to celebrate Philip Ruddock MP becoming the third longest serving Federal MP since Federation.

Only Sir Earle Page (42 years) and William Hughes (51 years 7 months) remain ahead of him.

The lovely home of Dural residents, Helen and Peter McNamee was generously offered for the function which was organised by a team of local Liberal Party members, led by former Hornsby Councillor Felicity Findlay.

Tony Abbott MP, Federal Opposition Leader together with Federal and State MP’s including Bronwyn Bishop MP, Shadow Minister for Seniors; Senator David Johnston Shadow Minister for Defence; Senator George Brandis, Shadow Attorney General; Ray Williams, State Member for Hawkesbury and Greg Smith Member for Epping and Shadow State Attorney General, were on hand to enjoy the occasion.

Mr Abbott, whose arrival brought forth a rousing cheer from the assembled crowd, stressed the importance he places on having access to experienced people such as Philip Ruddock, indeed he acknowledged him as Australia’s best Immigration Minister and made particular mention of his work as Attorney General in the area of national security.

In a wide ranging speech, Mr Abbott criticised the present government for policy-making on the run, ill thought out schemes and huge public debt. He likened these times to the Whitlam years, amusing his audience with a comparison of Rex Garrett to Rex O’Connor.

Guests from many areas of Mr Ruddock’s political life rubbed shoulders and swapped stories of their personal association with him. Former State and Federal MP’s including Lerryn Mutton and the Hon Alan Cadman mixed with diplomatic representatives and senior religious figures.

Some folk who had been part of the by-election campaign for Parramatta when Mr Ruddock entered Parliament in 1973, swapped anecdotes with current supporters who man polling booths in the Berowra electorate.

Members from a variety of ethnic groups who had dealt with Mr Ruddock when he held Ministerial responsibility for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs attended to pay their respects. Sri Lanka, Lebanon and China were particularly well-represented.

One highly respected elder of the Queensland community made the journey south specifically to attend, and the first indigenous Australian Cabinet Minister, former WA Parliamentarian; Ernie Bridge made the trek from his home State.

The Ruddock family was equally well-represented. Four generations stepped onto the podium for photographs – Mr Ruddock’s last remaining aunt and uncle (Iona & Ken Andrews), his wife Heather and sister Jan, together with daughters Kirsty and Caitlin and their respective husbands Jay and Jeff together with grandchildren, Kiana, Kalia and Archie bringing a very youthful blend to the mix.

In his address, Philip made special mention of his wife of 39 years, Heather, who had been a supportive and involved spouse, always ready to give him her opinion on current issues, and always prepared to deal with the difficulties his political role had brought to their lives, particularly the lengthy absences when their girls were young.

Politically, Mr Ruddock said he sensed the electorate was growing disenchanted with the Rudd Government and the tide was beginning to turn.

‘With Tony Abbott bringing his strong leadership style to a Coalition brimming with policy initiatives and energy, I am delighted to be part of this team and continue to look forward to contributing to the return of a Liberal Federal Government.

Pensioners are likely to be worse off after the Government announced it would revise pension deeming rates upwards because of Australia’s strengthening economy. The Rudd Government is engaged in a spending spree, placing pressure on interest rates

Pensioners have a pension increase on the one hand and, in effect, a pension cut on the other hand (as a result of the deeming rate increase)

We will see cuts to the pension payments to part-pensioners who are already doing it tough due to the values of their investments falling as a result of the global financial crisis. Aged-care advocacy groups are outraged by the Government’s plans to revise the pension deeming rate

Anne-Marie Elias from the Council of the Ageing in NSW says “Some of these people lost up to 50 per cent of their investments, and the reality is, due to their age, they will never see it regained during their lifetime”. Pensioners will lose out, based on the fact that financial institutions will reduce the interest rates paid on deeming accounts to reflect the new rates. This had the effect of reducing the pension for those who are assessed under the income test, and many pensioners found their net benefit hardly changed as the increase in one hand was cancelled out by a reduction in pension on the other. These rates apply irrespective of the amount actually earned on investments, so pensioners can gain an advantage if they can get safe returns that are higher than the deeming rates

Under the deeming rules, Centrelink ignores the actual income from financial investments and only applies the deeming rates to assess income earned for pension income test purposes. On this basis, lower deeming rates are excellent news for pensioners subject to the social security and veteran's affairs income tests. The new rates for a couple are 3% on the first $70,000, and 4.5% on the balance.

For a single pensioner the first $42,000 is assessed at 3%, and the balance at 4.5%. The assets that are subject to deeming include bank accounts, shares and managed funds, debentures, superannuation when the owner has reached pensionable age, and deprived assets such as excess gifts. (For example, if a couple of pensionable age had financial assets totalling $350,000, the income from these would be deemed by Centrelink to be $14,700 made up of 3% on the first $70,000 ($2,100) and 4.5% on $280,000 ($12,600).

The recent National Housing Supply Council’s report showed an additional 78,800 Australians were unable to buy a home last financial year because the demand for homes greatly outstripped supply. This takes to 178,400 the number of Australian households that are seeking, but cannot find, a home. Further to the report, industry stakeholders have predicted that if current trends persist, Australia’s housing shortage would reach 466,000 dwellings by 2020. This could mean more than a million Australians will be without their own home by 2020.
One of the primary issues that has forced up house and rental prices in our community is a lack of real action on bottlenecks at state and local government level, such as a failure to release new land for housing, slowing planning processes and excessive development charges.
Before the 2007 election, Kevin Rudd promised to improve housing affordability for all Australians. However, the Housing Supply Council report shows that housing affordability has in fact been sliding backwards in the last 2 years. House prices in Australia have risen by 8.9% and rental prices by 9.9%. Labor yet again has been all talk and no action when it comes to this issue that affects so many Australians.

The Rudd Government and State Labor governments around the country have stoked the fires of housing shortage by overseeing complex and slow planning processes and by holding back the release of land for housing to maximise returns to government coffers.

Kevin Rudd’s Government has presided over 6 interest rate rises over the last seven months, further dashing the hopes of those Australians trying to break into the housing market. Labor’s 2 years of posturing on this issue has failed to make an impression where it really matters.
If the Government fails to heed the warnings offered by the housing industry itself, we will see housing and rental affordability become unachievable for many in our local community.

A Coalition Government will set target bands for future population growth informed by an expanded Productivity Commission. Since the Rudd Government came to office, net overseas migration has averaged over 300,000 a year. By contrast, in the last seven quarters of the Howard Government, net overseas migration was just over 200,000 a year.

Despite the economic slowdown and the Global Financial Crisis, Prime Minister Rudd has presided over immigration numbers that have increased nearly 50 per cent even on the boom times associated with the former government.

Without any stated rationale, the Prime Minister has repeatedly endorsed a projected 50 per cent plus population increase to 36 million by 2050 based on a net immigration rate of 180,000 newcomers every year.

However, if immigration continues at Mr Rudd’s current rate of 300,000 newcomers every year, Australia’s population should reach 32 million within just 20 years and no fewer than 42 million by 2050. Plainly, State governments are not adding to our housing, health, educational or transport infrastructure, an equivalent population of the city of Canberra every year.

The Coalition will seek to restore public confidence in the integrity of our migration program, by ensuring that it is consistent with a sustainable population growth path.

Decisions about immigration numbers should take into account regularly updated expert advice about projected future population numbers and whether planned infrastructure is likely to be able to cope.

Within three months of taking office, a Coalition government would re-constitute the Productivity Commission as the Productivity and Sustainability Commission and task it with an annual review of Australia’s infrastructure needs for short, medium and long term projected population numbers.

The key elements of the Coalition policy directions statement, released recently, are to:

Establish a credible and independent source of advice on population growth – through the extension of the role of the Productivity Commission to advise on population sustainability issues. Decisions about the annual migration intake would be informed by this work. A future Coalition government would be guided by Productivity and Sustainability Commission recommendations about whether future infrastructure bottlenecks and environmental pressures were being addressed.

Listen to Australians – through an independent inquiry to be undertaken by the Commission to establish a new benchmark of community attitudes on where to go from here on future population growth.

Establish a population growth band target – developed on the basis of Commission advice to inform migration planning that takes into account our capacity to handle growth in areas such as infrastructure delivery, water, energy and food security and environmental sustainability.

Increase transparency in decision making – by introducing population planning into the Budget Process.

Support Australian business – by ensuring skilled migration remains the primary focus of our migration intake.

Australians are already feeling the growing pains of increased population pressures. We simply cannot sign up Australia blind, as Kevin Rudd has done, to a population of 36 million by 2050. Australia’s population is already growing at one of the highest rates in the developed world, with one person being added to our population every seventy seconds.

A “big Australia” is not necessarily the same as a stronger and more prosperous Australia. Congestion in our cities, limitations on our energy supply, threats to food and water security, unaffordable housing and eroding standards in our hospitals and schools are all causing Australians to ask questions about how current needs will be met, let alone the needs of Kevin Rudd’s “big Australia”.

Australians can have no confidence that Kevin Rudd will deliver the infrastructure required to support his “big Australia”. A Prime Minister who breaks his election promises, who can’t safely put insulation into roofs, who can’t build school halls and who flip-flops on major policy issues cannot be trusted to get this right.

The Coalition welcomes migrants and supports a non-discriminatory immigration policy based firmly on Australia’s national interest and informed by changing economic conditions. Largely because the former Government boosted economic migration over family reunion migration and virtually stopped the arrival of boat people, public concerns about immigration were halved. By contrast, the Rudd Government has shattered public confidence in our immigration program by dramatically boosting immigration numbers and losing control of our borders.

Pensioners who sell extra electricity generated by their solar panels back to their electricity company will have the credit or rebate classified as income, and have their pensions reduced for doing the right thing by the environment.

Mr Rudd has wasted billions of dollars on the bungled home insulation program, on the failed ‘computers in schools’ program, on the bungled Julia Gillard memorial halls program.

Now, he’s targeting pensioners in order to recoup a few dollars.
Rudd Government Minister Penny Wong showed her ignorance when she recently said in Adelaide:

“The Federal Government’s view is that assistance should be delivered for installation, which is where there is the largest capital cost. That’s how we’re delivering our assistance. That shouldn’t affect people’s pension because it shouldn’t be classed as income.”

“No, the feed-in tariff issue from state governments is an issue where, as I understand it, it can be classed as income. But that is not the way in which the Federal Government is structuring it.”

This move is not surprising from a government in crisis. Panic has descended on the Labor government as bungled, failures and broken-promises begin to emerge.

First Labor announced their child-care centre election promise back-flip, buried in a media release from a junior minister. Then Greg Combet announced the insulation program was being scrapped, after four deaths and after many thousands of houses were potentially electrified and rendered unsafe. This was followed by another announcement from a junior minister, this time Assistant Treasurer Nick Sherry that the foreign investment rules that have been detrimental to Australian mums and dads, young couples and families trying to buy a house, would be “tightened”, following months of Coalition calls for a reversal.

This government is only good at two things, spin and reckless spending. They’ve got no plan and they’ve got no policy for how to take our nation forward. The Coalition’s pension policy is based on respect for pensioners and the contributions they have made to our nation. We are committed to maintaining and boosting the value of pensions and improving life for seniors in contrast to the Government’s spin and hypocrisy.

Footnote: Part of my e-news reports are taken from information provided by my parliamentary and shadow cabinet/ministry colleagues.