Firstly let me say: “Happy Mother’s Day!”
I hope you have a well-deserved day of affection and family harmony this Sunday. As local Mums, you are raising our next generation locally, along with all your other responsibilities I am sure it must seem at times very busy! Mother’s Day is an opportunity to pause and reflect, for the Mums that is! I trust your other halves and/or children will step up and give you the recognition you deserve. I’ll do a Facebook shout out on Saturday to remind them!
Now on to other topics, there is a federal election looming, and pre-poll has already started. I am committed to supporting local Mums and their families, if there’s ever anything you might need then please do get in contact.
I have three young adult children myself and know the various stresses of raising children first hand. I shared my family story with you in the last newsletter, please read it if you have the time.
Regarding this election, I ask you to consider the following important subjects before casting your vote:
- Your home value,
- Local congestion,
- Your family’s job security,
- Your family’s current and potential future tax rates,
- Health,
- Education, and
- Child care.
With L-R Emily, JA, Georgia |
With baby Georgia |
Home values
I oppose Labor’s policy of abolishing negative gearing for second hand housing, and hiking Capital Gains Tax by 50%. Our area has suffered the worst of the real estate downturn, with Ryde local government area leading the nation in house price declines. These policies will put further downward pressure on our already fragile local property market, which will be catastrophic for local families already suffering mortgage stress, and the general economy.
I also support policies that will stabilise and then transition the property market to one more dominated by homeowners, and not property speculators. I chaired a Parliamentary inquiry into home ownership and affordability, and if elected will continue to press for further reform in this area.
Local congestion
Overdevelopment has added further to our local traffic woes.
The budget has secured over $1 billion for special local congestion busting projects. I have already secured $80 million for a new bus interchange at Macquarie Park, and $4.5 million to fix up the intersection of Blaxland and Balaclava Rd. I’ve worked with Ryde State MP Victor Dominello to secure the planned widening of Victoria Rd at West Ryde.
You can access an interactive map of what I have delivered near you here: https://tinyurl.com/JADeliveringForBennelong.
I Chair the House Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Cities and Transport and we have tabled two detailed inquiries on how to address local congestion.
Read them here:
I have championed for many years the need for a national plan of settlement that will incentivise people to live in the regions. If they could commute to Sydney via fast rail, the regions would be opened up to city jobs. We now have funding to investigate the business cases for faster rail corridors from Sydney to Wollongong, Newcastle and Parkes. If elected I will continue to push hard to see this initiative proceed as fast as possible, as it will reduce local congestion in the long term.
Job security
I will always support policies that promote a strong economy, as without it we won’t get the jobs we need. I’m proud the Bennelong unemployment rate has dropped since the last election from just under 6%, to the current level of 3.9%. This is an excellent outcome. Over 55% of new jobs created are going to women.
We have reformed superannuation for Mums, who can now make concessional catch-up contributions. If elected I will push for women to be able to average out their incomes over many years during the times they have babies. Currently you get taxed at the full rate in the years you’re getting an income, and then you go for years with an extremely low income. If your income is averaged out over that time period, it’ll be more fair.
Roselea FC Celebrating a $450,000 grant to improve Carlingford Oval
Bennelong Cup Table Tennis Program: Promote social engagement between students from all cultural backgrounds through sport.
Bennelong Schools STEM Challenge: Promote the study of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Tax rates
We’re committed to minimising the tax you pay, and keeping the brackets as flat as possible so you’re not penalised when you get a pay rise. Compared to Labor, I feel we will handle your money with more efficiency and care. We will deliver better services for less tax drawn. I’m concerned Labor will waste your money. Considering their record of financial management, this concern is well founded. Labor also have plans for many new taxes, this will be a drag on the economy, endanger job security and push up prices.
By the time our tax relief plan is fully implemented, 94% of taxpayers will pay no more than 30 cents in the dollar.
Health
Please check the facts and don’t believe Labor’s lies. We are hiking health funding.
Federal funding for public hospital services under the Coalition Government has increased from Labor’s $13.3 billion in 2012–13, to $21.7 billion in 2018–19. That is more than 60% up on Labor’s last year in office.
Labor have wildly unfunded health ‘commitments’ beyond the forward estimates, and they compare spending to these future phantom levels when they say ‘cuts’, it is unconscionable deceitfulness.
Medicare is guaranteed in legislation, and I’m proud that in Bennelong we are now at a record high bulk billing rate of 89%!
The PBS is fully funded and supported. All recommended medicines in the last term of government were listed, this will not change.
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme is one of the four pillars of our health system, along with Medicare, Private Health Insurance and universal access to public hospitals.
We continue to be committed to promoting private health insurance through the premium rebate scheme, this scheme is not secure under Labor. In April 2018, Bill Shorten twice refused to rule out cutting the private health insurance rebate. Labor can’t be trusted to keep it.
Only with a strong economy can we deliver these important services without going into national debt.
Melrose Park Public School walkathon 2018!
Christian Community Aid new Mobile Play Group Van (with federal funding support)
ERNA netball season first goal
Education
I’m proud to have supported Gonski 2.0, we have delivered a fair, needs based federal funding model that supports students.
Our guaranteed funding commitment invests an additional $37 billion in schools over the next decade (to 2029).
This increases average funding per student by 62% over a decade. Funding is being hiked, not ‘cut’.
To see what long term funding is being provided to your local school, go to: www.education.gov.au/school-funding-estimator
We have replaced Labor’s multiple secret funding deals with a single, needs-based national model of schools funding.
Child care
The Government’s new Child Care Subsidy is making child care more accessible and affordable for nearly 1 million families. A typical family is around $1,300 better off a year.
Our changes have reduced child care out of pocket costs for families by more than 10% within the first 6 months of the new Child Care Subsidy.
Some examples of typical families who are better off with the new Subsidy include:
- A family on $50,000 – both parents or a single parent working, with two children under 6 in long day care three days a week at $100 a day – will be more than $3,000 a year better off.
- A family on $80,000 – both parents or a single parent working full time, with two children under 6 in long day care five days a week at $100 a day – will be over $8,000 a year better off.
- A family on $94,000 – both parents or a single parent working, with two children under 6 in long day care two days a week at $100 a day – will be around $1,500 a year better off.
- A family on $150,000 – both parents or a single parent working, with two children under 6 in long day care three days a week at $100 a day – will be around $1,000 a year better off.
Families earning $186,958 or less will no longer be limited in the amount of subsidised child care they can access. This benefits more than 80% of families using child care.
Families earning more than $186,958 but less than $351,248 will also benefit from an increased annual subsidy cap of $10,190 per child per year.
Low income families earning $66,958 or less who do not meet the activity test have access to 24 hours of subsidised care per child per fortnight.
Families can see how they will benefit at www.education.gov.au/eccc
Thank you for getting this far! This election is important, we truly are at a fork in the national road of progress. Thank you for considering your vote thoughtfully, and once again, if there’s anything I can do to support you and your family, please get in touch.
Regards – JA
