 |
|
Berowra Enews Update Spring 2009 |
 |
|
Welcome to Spring 2009 E-News Dear constituent/supporter It is good to see the warmer weather and all the spring blooms out as I travel around the electorate. I was delighted to attend the Hills Rural Business Chamber’s Springfest last weekend - it was a truly wonderful event and one appreciated by the locals. Travelling around the electorate there is still concern about the economy and job security and although the Stimulus Package may have helped retail sales the economy may tighten in the second half of this year. When I am not busy in the electorate and also attending many Ethnic functions on behalf of the Coalition, I travel to Canberra to attend Parliament which is active and with five sitting weeks of the year left you can imagine it has been quite lively. Sitting weeks are vigorous as I sit on many parliamentary committees and attend numerous meetings and events that are held on sitting days. If you have any issues you would like to raise with me as a constituent please do not hesitate to phone the electorate office on 9980.1822. In this issue:
Local business and industry currently have the spectre of seven separate Government initiated reviews into superannuation hanging over their heads. Some for more than 18 months! The Government’s delay in releasing findings and inaction is severely debilitating the decision making of all involved in superannuation. From Australians with self managed super funds, retail funds, as well as industry super funds. The review into self managed super funds (SMSF), announced 14 February last year, is still outstanding and constituents remain in the dark. The review into the indexation of Australian Government superannuation schemes, launched 26 June last year, has yet to see the light of day. With the announcement of funding in the 2008-09 Budget, the release of a follow up discussion paper on 14 November 2008 and the closing of submissions on 19 December 2008, of a Superannuation Clearing House for Payments is a further report yet to surface. SUPPORTING POLLIES FOR SMALL BUSINESS I was pleased to join more than 80 of my state and federal colleagues across New South Wales as part of the NSW Business Chamber’s annual Pollies for Small Business program. This year I visited local business Barry Smith Holden on Pennant Hills Road, Pennant Hills. This experience of seeing the amount of effort that goes on in car yards was a great experience with much of the focus often on the big picture issues, it was good to visit and discuss concerns of small business. Pollies for Small Business puts our politicians at the coalface and gives small business operators the chance to raise their concerns directly with their local MP. Last year 102 State and Federal politicians took part from the major parties, greens and independents, including the Premier and NSW Opposition leader. This is a great program. It helps business people and MPs understand one another better and we should encourage and support any measures that can help achieve that. The NSW Business Chamber Pollies for Small Business program is run in cooperation with the local Chamber of Commerce network. LOCAL ORGANISATION – YOUTH INSEARCH FOUNDATION RECEIVES GRANT OF $265,000 The Federal government has approved funding under the Community Investment Program of $265,000 until 30th June 2010 for the Youth Support Project previously funded through Local Answers. Youth Insearch Foundation under the leadership of Matt Davidson carries out important work throughout a large area of Sydney and certainly in my own electorate and that of bordering electorate of Mitchell. Youth Insearch helps young people 12 to 18 years of age who are disadvantaged by family breakdown, substance abuse, physical or sexual abuse, or grief related issues. The project has a strong community focus derived from its many partnerships with local communities and community service organisations. The Government recognises the importance of the work being carried out through the current suite of community programs that helps enormously in the community. Youth Insearch operates a unique model of service for youth services that has achieved very notable results in its 20 year history and is working to develop a sustainable and appropriate model of service delivery. OPPOSITION LEADER MALCOLM TURNBULL MP ATTENDED JOBS FORUM I was pleased to welcome the Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP into the electorate on Thursday 30th July 2009 for a Jobs for Australia Forum with over 90 attendees. Jobs for Australia is the Coalition’s initiative to make sure we leave no stone unturned in our efforts to protect jobs and create new opportunities for Australians believing that Australians are innovative people with a "can do" attitude. Especially in these difficult times, we must look for ways to strengthen our economy and build for the future. Through the Jobs for Australia initiative the Coalition will encourage Australians to have their say about the jobs crisis and listen to their suggestions about better ways to create jobs. You can share your experiences and ideas through this online forum. The Rudd Government is wasting billions of dollars in ill-considered responses that will only make matters worse. We believe the way to a better future is through targeted tax cuts and through innovative ideas to create jobs, such as our green carbon initiative. CONCERNS ON ISSUES RELATING TO AGEING The ageing of our population is the biggest social issue facing Australia and aged care system is over-regulated, under-funded and failing to deliver a good standard of care. At a time when there is increasing demand for services and providers are walking away from the industry because of the non viability of high care and the compliance demands of the government. Senior Australians are increasingly finding they are unable to access the services and care they need. This is placing pressure on the hospital system. The Rudd Government’s 2009-10 Budget has cut critical funding to aged care and overlooked investment in aged care infrastructure. Report after report has indicated that aged care is not viable and a large percentage of providers are operating in the red. The current unsustainable capital funding arrangements for residential high care have not been addressed, despite various reports and a recent Access Economic’s report which demonstrated that investment in high care is unviable. Providers are finding it difficult to obtain finance to construct high care facilities because the subsidies fall short of covering their loan repayments. The industry is finding it difficult to recruit workers for a number of reasons – on average wages are at least 20% less than the acute sector and the large amount of paperwork also acts as a disincentive. The volume of paperwork and regulatory compliance takes care workers away from caring for seniors. Due to the non viability of the sector, providers are cutting staff numbers which affects the care that senior Australians receive. The aged care system is overly fragmented and difficult to access and navigate, reflecting the existence of multiple programs combined with the involvement of multiple government departments and agencies across different tiers of government. Because of the complexity of the system, seniors may not be accessing the care option that best suits their needs. INTERNET FILTERING – AN IMPORTANT MATTER! Constituents have contacted me regarding the Federal Labor Government’s plans for a mandatory Internet filtering system that would be implemented at Internet Service Provider (ISP) level. The Coalition fully supports guarding our children from being exposed to inappropriate Internet content, and is of the firm belief that appropriate adult supervision and guidance should be front and centre of all online safety efforts. Almost two years after coming to office with a plan to censor the Internet the Rudd Government has not even managed to release results for long overdue filtering trials, let alone come close to actually implementing its policy. The trials were supposed to start last December and take a minimum six weeks, but these were delayed by several months because of a lack of support from major Internet Service Providers. Results were then expected sometime in July, but were then further delayed until August or September. The Coalition has said from the beginning it was prepared to assess any credible trial results, but almost two years after coming to office the Government has failed to produce them, let alone put forward any formal proposal for consideration. Previous trials of filtering technology have exposed serious problems with both the over-blocking and under-blocking of content and concerns also remain about the adverse impact a national filtering regime could have on Internet speeds. Huge doubts also continue to surround the type of content Labor wants to filter and how it will compile a black-list which would form the basis of its filtering regime. The Coalition has consulted extensively in relation to Internet filtering and based on all the current evidence and advice, including the previous laboratory tests, we have real concerns about the efficacy of Labor’s proposal. Serious questions also have to be asked about how genuine the Government is when it comes to improving online safety. Last December it cancelled the practical program established by the Coalition, which saw free content filters provided to Australian families for installation on their personal computers. These filters were provided on an optional basis and would allow parents to supplement their online safety arrangements with software that would be tailored to each individual household’s needs. In relation to criminal conduct online, it is the Coalition’s firm belief that our nation’s law enforcement bodies need to be adequately resourced to monitor and investigate unlawful activity. 2010 AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR AWARDS I call on constituents to nominate a senior for the 2010 Senior Australian of the Year who has made outstanding contributions to the nation. By showcasing and celebrating the achievements of older Australians, the Senior Australian of the Year Award encourages Australians to develop positive attitudes about older people and their contribution to society. This is a highly recognisable and increasingly popular award, with more than 1,000 nominations received nationally for last year’s award. Clearly, there is strong recognition in the community of the contribution older Australians make. They inspire us, they shape and enrich our communities and they make us proud as a nation. In many instances, older Australians are the backbone of vibrant communities around the nation. The Senior Australian of the Year Award is a chance to acknowledge their work and achievements, and through them the work and lives of all senior Australians. Nominations for the Senior Australian of the Year Award close on 31st August. Judging will take place during September and October, with state and territory finalists announced at individual functions in November and December. The Senior Australian of the Year will be announced at a national presentation in Canberra on the eve of Australia Day, 2010 and you can nominate a great Australian online now at www.awardsinfo@australiaday.org.au or call 1300 655 193 for more information. QUESTACON VISITS THE ELECTORATE I received excellent feedback after Questacon visited the electorate last month. They went to Pennant Hills High School; and to Wiseman’s Ferry Public School. The Questacon Science Squad is one of Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre’s outreach programs and operates in the Sydney Metropolitan area. The Questacon Science Squad visits primary and secondary schools, runs school holiday programs and attends suburban shopping centres presenting entertaining and educational science shows. The exciting and lively presentations and demonstrations aim to inspire and encourage a positive interest in science. CALLING FOR SECONDARY STUDENTS TO BE INVOLVED IN THE NATIONAL YOUNG LEADERS’ DAYS I call on secondary students in my electorate to take part in the National Young Leaders Day to be held in November. Each year thousands of secondary students from across Australia attend the National Young Leaders Days. These leadership training days are held annually in November and they target top young leaders, such as school captains, prefects, SRC representatives, sporting captains and other young community leaders to attend at a State and Federal level.
There are concerns regarding the Rudd Labor Government’s cuts to the cataract surgery rebate. Not only did the Rudd Government announce measures to halve the Medicare rebate that patients can claim for cataract surgery, they also capped the Medicare Safety Net – breaking a key election promise. Prior to the 2007 Federal Election, Labor gave an unambiguous commitment that they would not change the Medicare Safety Net. In a joint media release by Mr Rudd and Nicola Roxon on 22 September 2007 it was stated:
With 70 per cent of cataract surgery currently performed in the private system; these changes will drive many older Australians into already overstretched public hospitals. It’s unconscionable that a Government that has spent so recklessly should make savage cuts to such an important medical procedure. Not only does cataract surgery help restore vision, as a result, it also reduces the number of falls, fractures and associated hospitalisations. The Coalition has been working closely with the Australian Society of Ophthalmologists and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists with respect to this issue. The Coalition will continue to work with the ophthalmology associations in responding to the final regulations once they are tabled in Parliament. FEDERAL SHADOW MINISTER FOR BROADBAND AND COMMUNICATIONS VISITED THE ELECTORATE I welcomed Senator Nick Minchin, Shadow Minister for Broadband and Communications into the electorate in August. The purpose of this visit was to meet with constituents (held at the Dural Country Club) so they could express their views on broadband and Internet issues. The Roundtable Forum was most successful with constituent expressing their concerns regarding their mobile phone and Internet cover in the electorate. Many constituents have written over the years complaining about poor mobile coverage particularly in the more remote part of my electorate and also problems with the Internet and this was their chance to put their views. I cannot praise enough all the volunteers in my electorate who support and work closely with Meals on Wheels. Over three hundred volunteers locally assist with Meals on Wheels offering help to those who cannot cook for themselves and I have met many of these volunteers over the years. People with disabilities, carers and the aged all benefit from the assistance offered by Meals on Wheels. With 740 services across rural, regional and metropolitan Australia, Meals on Wheels volunteers are everywhere. The healthy, affordable home delivered meals provided by Meals on Wheels would not be possible without the generous contribution of their legion of volunteers. If you have time to volunteer please go to the website.www.mealsonwheels.org.au. Changes to Youth Allowance have concerned locals and the Government is giving with one hand, while taking away with the other. This is changing the goal posts where the Federal Government pulls the rug from 2009 gap year students because the legislation will have a start date of 1 January 2010, that means that all students currently undertaking a gap year (in order to earn the required threshold to demonstrate independence) will no longer be eligible as this criteria has been axed. Many of these students undertook a gap year based on advice from their schools and Centrelink. Also the Coalition and other minor parties have been inundated with hundreds of contacts from distraught students who feel like the Government has pulled the rug out from under their feet. They feel like their dreams of going to Uni, studying the course of their choosing, and being able to pursue their career has been crushed. In effect this legislation is retrospective – these students have made their decisions about their study future based on what the rules were at the beginning of the year, only to find that they will miss out. They now feel like they’ve wasted a year of their lives. The Coalition’s solutions are: to deal with the issue of retrospectivity and the Coalition has announced that it will move amendments in the Senate to move the start date from 1 January 2010 to 1 January 2011 for the new workforce participation criteria (at a cost of approx $573 million over four years). To assist rural and regional students who do not qualify for Youth Allowance, but who are unable to afford the cost of moving to attend University, the Coalition has announced that we would support a new Rural and Regional Scholarship program, at a cost of $120 million, to encourage and enable more rural and regional students to attend higher education – whether or not they fulfil the criteria to gain Youth Allowance. We will pay for this by moving to reduce the rate of the Student Start‐Up Scholarship from $2254 per year to $1000 per year – a saving of $696 million over four years. We have announced a Senate Inquiry into both this legislation (which is yet to be introduced) and the general issue of support for rural and regional students. Its recommendations will inform how we would run our $120 million scholarship program. COALITION LAUNCHES ‘ENGAGING WITH SENIOR AUSTRALIANS’ INITIATIVE The Federal Coalition has launched its ‘Engaging with Senior Australians’ initiative to hear from seniors on what is important. This is an exciting initiative that will provide senior Australians with a real opportunity to have their voices heard on the issues that matter to them. Tapping into the wisdom, knowledge and experience of local seniors is the key to ensuring seniors policy best reflects the needs of this important age group. Senior Australians have made our great nation what it is today and continue to have a range of ideas on how to best move forward and there are over 15,000 seniors in my electorate of Berowra. We particularly encourage input from seniors on how to best deliver world-class aged care services, aged pensions, social inclusion, health services and retirement incomes. The Coalition has also launched a webpage inviting senior Australians to submit their ideas on how we can continue to best move forward http://www.liberal.org.au/seniors. NEW PENALTIES TO DRIVE CHILDCARE STAFF AWAY Severe new penalties being imposed by the Rudd Government could drive away childcare staff and make childcare more expensive. The new regulations are draconian and show just how out of touch the Rudd Government is with the childcare industry. Imposing fines of up to $22,000 on individuals who may input a figure incorrectly on the computer is unacceptable. The industry is already struggling to find and retain staff – this can only drive them away. For businesses the fine can be $44,000 for a simple clerical mistake and childcare providers already have to deal with uncertainty as a result of the Rudd Government’s shake-up on staff ratios and qualifications – these harsh penalties could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. The Government must:
There are many ways the Government can deal with providers who are found to be guilty of fraud – including the withdrawal of government-provided Child Care Benefits. These fines are very heavy-handed and the last thing the industry needs at this time. Any increase in fees at this time when we have rising unemployment and economic uncertainty will be a burden on working families. ENDS Footnote: Part of my e-news reports are taken from information provided by my parliamentary and shadow cabinet/ministry colleagues. Visit Philip Ruddock's website at www.philipruddockmp.com |
| You can contact Philip Ruddock's office at: | ||
| PO Box 743 Pennant Hills NSW 1715 |
Phone: Fax: |
02 9980 1822 02 9980 1833 |
| website: www.philipruddockmp.com © 2008 authorised by P.M. Ruddock MP, Level 3, 20 George Street, Hornsby To unsubscribe from this newsletter click #unsubscribe# | ||
|
|