In the News
Please click on the links below to read my speeches:
Australian Education Bill 2012
National Disability Insurance Scheme Bill 2012
Media Reform "This so-called reform is a great sham. I am pleased to put on the record my strong opposition to what the government is doing".
"I rise to speak about the circus that visited Western Sydney last week on behalf of the Prime Minister and the Australian Labor Party". To read the rest of the speech click here.
Thursday, 14 February 2013
Alex Hawke MP, Federal Member for Mitchell was inundated with calls and emails from patients of the Winston Hills Family Practice who have been left in the lurch by the recent closure of the Practice by Primary Healthcare.
“My constituents, many of whom are elderly and frail and all of whom have medical conditions, have received a misleading letter which advises a substantial fee will be required to obtain access to their own medical records.”
Doctors locally will continue to operate a medical centre at Winston Hills. However following the recent closure of the Primary Healthcare Facility at Winston Hills, all patient records and office equipment have been removed. Patients who are choosing to remain with their current Doctors at Winston Hills are now in limbo with no records available on site.
Primary Healthcare is further seeking to impose a so called ‘administration fee’ to access a copy of their medical records and refuses to address the issue of the closure with local residents.
“For Primary Healthcare to be charging a $55 fee for patients aged 18 to 65 and a $27.50 fee for patients aged under 18 and over 65 to access their own records is unacceptable. An average family of two adults and two children who visit the practice could end up paying $165 to get access to the family medical records.”
“It is not fair for patients to have their medical records in effect held hostage because of a dispute between Primary Healthcare and the medical professionals at the practice. These fees are simply unnecessary. The best outcome for all is the swift transfer of records between health practitioners and Primary Healthcare’s profiteering is not assisting.”
“This administration fee, stated to cover the cost of record retrieval and forwarding of the copy on to your nominated practice, is exorbitant. I have personally contacted Primary Healthcare and have advised them of my view in this regard. I have even offered to copy and transport any records myself if they will not relent on fees”, Alex Hawke said
“I am hoping that common sense prevails and Primary Healthcare makes the best decision in the interests of our community” concluded Alex Hawke.
Motion - Iran 11.02.2013
{flv
img="/images/stories/videos/Motion_Iran_11_02_2013.jpg"
width="300" height="211"}Motion_Iran_11_02_2013{/flv}
Sky Lunchtime Agenda
{flv img="/images/stories/videos/DVD-Sky_Lunchtime_Agenda_11-2-2013.jpg" width="300" height="211"}DVD-Sky_Lunchtime_Agenda_11-2-2013{/flv}
Thursday, 7 February 2013
Alex Hawke MP, Federal Member for Mitchell said the Coalition will restore certainty in superannuation by ruling out any negative, unforeseen changes to superannuation in the next term.
“It is clear that the Gillard Government is planning superannuation tax increases in the May Budget and if Labor is re-elected, they will introduce more taxes on superannuation. When it comes to super, Wayne Swan has form having already increased super taxes by over $8 billion”, said Alex Hawke.
“Labor has a $120 billion budget black hole and has refused to rule out more superannuation tax increases after the next election. Retirees, and those approaching retirement need certainty. I believe that we should be encouraging people who save for retirement rather than penalising them.
Alex Hawke said the Coalition has made a clear commitment in its Real Solutions plan there will be no negative unexpected changes to superannuation in the next term.
“I repeat Tony Abbott’s pledge for the record and so the people of Mitchell can hold me to account – a Coalition Government will not make unexpected changes that are detrimental to superannuation in the next term.
“I call on the government to come clean about its plan for superannuation. My concern is that Labor will say one thing before the election on super, and do another after the election – just like Julia Gillard did with the carbon tax.
Alex Hawke said the government also needs to come clean about the low income superannuation contribution.
“Labor promised a low income superannuation contribution as part of ‘spreading the benefits’ of the mining tax. Instead, the mining tax has raised next to nothing and the Budget continues to languish in deficit. There is no doubt, Labor will scrap this superannuation benefit.
The Coalition would scrap the mining tax and any ‘spending’ linked to the mining tax and that includes the low income superannuation contribution – the difference between the Coalition and Labor is that we are being upfront about it.
“Mitchell residents who are approaching retirement, retirees and indeed everyone receiving employer super want certainty and confidence in superannuation and the time had come for Labor to agree to no negative changes to superannuation in the next term,” concluded Alex Hawke.