In the News
Thursday, 28 June 2012
“The world’s biggest Carbon Tax commenced 1 July 2012 and the affects of this tax will be felt to the already ‘stretched budgets’ of all Australians, said the Federal Member for Mitchell, Alex Hawke MP.
The Carbon Tax is set at $23 at tonne, increasing each year going up to $29 by 2015-16 according to the government’s own Budget figures.
“Most people will pay the Carbon Tax in their electricity and gas bills”. Alex Hawke said.
“The government’s own modelling highlights that the tax will immediately cause electricity prices to jump 10% compared with a “no carbon tax’ world. The US, Canada, India, China and Japan have all made it clear they are not moving to a broad based Carbon Tax model like Australia’s.
In May, the Federal Member for Parramatta, Julie Owens MP, hosted the Climate Commission travelling road show at Parramatta where Professor Tim Flannery told the residents of Western Sydney that more people will die under climate change; ‘We know mortality goes up in heatwaves and mental health complaints would rise and severe weather events would, in particular, target residents of Western Sydney’.
“Tim Flannery, Climate Commissioner also told the Australian Medical Association fillings in teeth should be yanked before cremation to stop mercury getting into the ocean.
“The Gillard government are siding with these scaremongering tactics of the Climate Commission in their bid to justify the introduction of a Carbon Tax, said Alex Hawke.
“Five days before the last election, Julia Gillard promised “there will be no carbon tax under the government I lead”. She has broken her word and everyone is paying the price.
“The next election will be a referendum on the Carbon Tax. If elected, the Coalition will repeal the legislation and scrap the Carbon Tax.
“I am confident the people of North West Sydney have seen through the smoke and mirrors of this government and will get to have their say at the next election on this toxic tax based on a lie” concluded Alex Hawke.
Thursday, 28 June 2012
The 2012-13 Federal Budget stripped recreation leave travel for single ADF members aged 21 and over, and today the Coalition has moved a motion in the House of Representatives to block Labor’s mean-spirited attack on ADF personnel.
Federal Member for Mitchell, Alex Hawke MP, said ADF personnel were having their conditions of service undermined by the Labor Government and that he whole heartedly supported the motion introduced by the Shadow Minister for Defence Science, Technology and Personnel, Stuart Robert MP, to block Labor’s policy.
“Labor’s cuts will affect approximately 22,000 single ADF members aged 21 and over. These members will no longer be supported in getting home to their families at Christmas, or home to their kids for their birthday, Alex Hawke said.
“I unreservedly welcome the introduction of a disallowance motion in the House of Representatives and I call on Labor to bring the motion to a vote this week.
“The Labor Government must stop using Defence and Defence personnel as their personal piggy-bank to pay for their reckless spending in other portfolios. Enough is enough.
Alex Hawke said he would support the disallowance motion and remained determined to fight for the rights of our serving men and women to ensure single Defence personnel aged 21 and over keep their entitlement to travel home to see family.
“While Labor may not think so, it is still an expensive proposition for many young ADF personnel to travel the breadth of the country to see their families or their children, said Alex Hawke.
“I am concerned that our personnel will be forced to risk their lives taking long trips across the country on long and dark roads just to make it home to see their loved ones, particularly at Christmas.
“If the Labor Government can afford to spend close to $70m on Carbon Tax advertising, then they can certainly afford the $15m it costs to send our hard-working ADF members home to their families and children once a year.” concluded Alex Hawke.
Thursday, 26 June 2012
This Friday the latest in a long line of Labor’s self promotional hype will drive its way into Riverstone, in the Greenway electorate, this time in the form of the NBN truck.
Alex Hawke MP says “this is a desperate push to sell the most expensive project in Commonwealth history, potentially a staggering $50 billion. It is typical of this Government’s approach that they have decided to drive an expensive NBN branded semi trailer through its marginal electorates.”
The truck aims to promote the ‘exciting applications’ that can be delivered through the Network. “The fact is that the residents of Western Sydney are thoroughly unexcited by this government and it’s never ending waste” says Mr Hawke.
Despite the already exorbitant cost of the network, the NBN network last month spent an astounding $33 on advertising for every $1 it earned from fibre customers.
“The poor take up of Labor’s NBN network speaks for itself, with only 0.1% of Australians using the NBN. Put simply, if the government was providing an effective and affordable product it wouldn’t have to spend so many taxpayer dollars on these sorts of ridiculous advertising ploys’” Alex Hawke said.
In another hit to the residents of Western Sydney, whilst Riverstone where the truck is visiting is set to be connected, if you live in the neighbouring suburbs of Acacia Gardens, Glenwood, Kellyville Ridge, Parklea, Stanhope Gardens, The Ponds or Quakers Hill, you are set to miss out.
“At a time when households are streamlining their own budgets to account for the ever increasing cost of living, the residents of Western Sydney expect a government who is not so blatantly mismanaging every project they touch” Mr Hawke concluded.
Thursday, 21 June 2012
The Federal Member for Mitchell, Alex Hawke MP, is encouraging voluntary organisations in Hills community to apply for the 2012 round of Volunteer Grants.
Volunteer grants were first introduced by the Howard Government in recognition of the valuable contribution voluntary groups make to the community.
The grants provide funding of between $1,000 and $5,000 to voluntary organisations to:
- Purchase portable, tangible, small equipment items to help their volunteers
- Contribute to the reimbursement of fuel costs for their volunteers who use their own car to transport others to activities,
- Contribute to the reimbursement of transport costs incurred by volunteers with disability, who are unable to drive
- Contribute to the costs of training courses and/or undertake background screening checks for their volunteers
to deliver food, assist with medical appointments or help people in need
“Volunteers play a critical role in generating social inclusion, creating a sense of belonging and building stronger local communities,” Mr Hawke said.
“These grants will provide welcome support to voluntary organisations in the Hills community.”
Applications for the grants close at 5.00pm on Wednesday, 25 July 2012.
For further information visit www.fahcsia.gov.au or call the Volunteer Grants 2012 Hotline on 1800 183 374 or email vg2012@fahcsia.gov.au.
Thursday, 21 June 2012
In Question Time Federal Member for Mitchell, Alex Hawke MP questioned the Assistant Treasurer and Member for Lindsay David Bradbury over a phony surplus announced to his electorate of Lindsay last week.
“The Assistant Treasurer could not confirm his mistake and refused to apologise to the people in Western Sydney for telling them his Government had delivered a surplus. Assistant Treasurer Bradbury has been caught telling his electorate he has delivered a surplus “on time, as promised”. Alex Hawke said.
In response Anthony Albanese MP, as Leader of the House, chose to ignore the issue of the mystery surplus entirely and instead highlighted Labor’s disregard for the people of Mitchell. Brandishing Alex Hawke’s recent newsletter, with the article ‘Mitchell Misses Out on NBN’, Anthony Albanese read out the full list of suburbs in Mitchell that would miss out on the Stage 1 of the rollout.
“The Leader of the House confirmed to the House that Mitchell misses out on the most expensive project in Commonwealth history. At a staggering $37.3billion (at least) it is simply not good enough for Labor to ignore Mitchell in its broadband rollout.”
This government continually ducks and weaves when questioned on their mismanagement of the Australian economy and ignore the people of Northwest and Western Sydney. All Labor has delivered our community is debt, waste and broken promises” concluded Alex Hawke.