In the News
The 2009 budget represents a lost opportunity for North West Sydney and all of the ‘infrastructure poor’ outer metropolitan growth areas of our major cities.
The Rudd Government has spent around $52 billion in total, in 2 stimulus packages. This represented a wonderful chance for vital infrastructure to be provided across the country. Obviously for our own community this manifests itself in the form of the North West rail link, which would significantly improve the economic performance of the Norwest Business Park and help sustain the long term economic future of North West Sydney, one of the fastest growth corridors in Sydney and in Australia.
Instead we see that the NSW State Government failed to even lodge an application for the North West and South West rail lines. Further, due to the poor climate in NSW for infrastructure provision and the poor quality of planning, Sydney will miss out on much of its share of any spending. Watch for more wasted money being spent on the endless studies, plans and procedures that Labor are so fond of when in Government. So much for the cooperative federalism Mr Rudd spoke about prior to the election, which was about working with the states to deliver services and infrastructure. This promise appears now to have completely fallen apart.
Last month, I joined with the Sydney Hills Business Chamber to host a local Jobs Forum with Steven Ciobo MP, Shadow Minister for Small Business, and Senator the Hon Michael Ronaldson, Shadow Special Minister for State.
Around 130 small business people and representatives from other community organisations came along to discuss the economic situation and have their say on how government policy can be improved with regard to small business and job creation.
A number of innovative and practical options were put forward by participants at the Forum. It was particularly good to see local business committed to keeping jobs in spite of an economic downturn and an increasingly difficult regulatory environment.
Much of the concern of small business focussed around reducing the wasteful duplication of tax, government and bureaucratic process. There was also great concern over a lack of access to finance and lending rates for small business.
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When: |
Monday 4 May 2009 |
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10:30am for the forum at 11:00am |
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Lunch from 1pm |
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Where: |
Crowne Plaza, Columbia Way, Norwest Business Park |
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Cost: |
Forum FREE |
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Lunch $30pp |
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RSVP: |
Essential by Friday 1 May via www.sydneyhillsbusiness.com.au |
Our special guests for the day are Steven Ciobo MP, Shadow Minister for Small Business and Senator the Hon. Michael Ronaldson, Shadow Special Minister for State. These two important Shadow Ministers will be joining me to host the Mitchell Jobs for Australia Forum. The feedback we receive from you as a local business will be taken directly to Canberra and will help build policy for the future.
Ensuring every Australian has the opportunity to work is the single most important objective of Government, and must be the top priority of economic management. The Coalition believes well paid, skilled, secure jobs depend on enterprise, along with low taxes and incentives that make it easy for businesses to invest in people.
Jobs for Australia is an initiative of the Coalition to make sure we leave no stone unturned in our efforts to protect jobs and create new opportunities for Australians. I encourage you and your colleagues to have your say about the jobs crisis at www.jobsforaustralia.com. You can share your experiences and ideas through this online forum.
I look forward to hearing from you with your ideas, and seeing you at the Mitchell Jobs for Australia Forum and at the Sydney Hills Business Chamber Lunch which follows. For more information contact Amy in my office on (02) 9899 7211 or at amy.houston@aph.gov.au. If you are unable to attend the Jobs Forum, please email me direct with your ideas on alex.hawke.mp@aph.gov.au.
It is now apparent that there are a number of sectors being overlooked in both the national discussion about our economy and the Government’s response to the downturn. Nowhere is this more dramatic than in the charity and voluntary sector. From my meetings with local charities it is clear that almost all have seen substantial drops in their income (some up to 50-60%) whilst demand for the services of charity and voluntary organisations has increased dramatically. With this trend set to continue it is important that as a community we rally to our local charities to ensure they can function and meet this increase in demand.
Much of the increase in demand for charities services relates to unemployment or strain on families from lack of employment certainty. With some 39,000 Australians losing their jobs last month, we are certain to see more difficult times ahead for many families locally and nationally. It is a fact that any Government can’t possibly solve all of the problems related to this crisis and charities will be an important part of maintaining our social cohesion while things are tighter in our economy. We as good citizens and neighbours need to play our part.
That’s why I am calling on our generous local community to think of those less fortunate with any money they may receive from the Government at this time. We are so lucky to live in a community that consistently rates amongst the best for charitable donations and giving. Our charities need us to keep helping, especially when times get tough. That’s why I will be donating my stimulus payment of $900 to one of our great local charities, Hills Community Aid.
I urge members of the community in Mitchell to continue to contribute whatever they can afford, no matter how small – whether by giving up time, or by making donations. Every bit, no matter how small or trivial it may seem to you, helps our charities continue their vital work in this difficult climate.