In the News
Friday, 18 May 2012
Federal Member for Mitchell, Alex Hawke MP, with special guest, the Shadow Assistant Treasurer and Shadow Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation, Senator Mathias Cormann met with 35 local financial business stakeholders to discuss current and future legislation, including the Future of Financial Advice (FOFA) legislation.
“This meeting was an excellent opportunity for the key financial services business men and women to express their views and concerns directly with the Shadow Assistant Treasurer”, Alex Hawke said.
“The Gillard government has failed to consult and embrace the sector which they are seeking to regulate”.
“The government has been rather active in this area, and not for the better. Their vested interest agenda has targeted small business financial advisors,” Mathias Cormann said.
“The Coalition does not support this anti small business approach, which is an unnecessary increase of the amount of red tape that affects firstly businesses and ultimately consumers.
Senator Cormann also spoke about the Opt in measures in the FOFA legislation and said “The Coalition would remove Opt In; no ifs, no buts, gone”.
“We ought to be taking measures to enhance financial literacy and education, which should be a focus of parliament, not overregulating and overburdening this sector with unnecessarily complex proposals and regulations,” concluded Alex Hawke.
Friday, 18 May 2012
Federal Member for Mitchell, Alex Hawke MP, and the Federal Member for Berowra, the Hon Philip Ruddock MP, together with special guest, the Shadow Minister for Education, the Hon Christopher Pyne met with 35 local School Principals from North West Sydney to discuss quality education reform, including the Gonski Review and public and private schools funding.
“The discussion was quite constructive. Each school principal had the opportunity to ‘air their views and concerns’ directly with the Shadow Minister, said Federal Member for Berowra, Hon Philip Ruddock MP.
“The Coalition is committed to quality education reform for every school in Australia. I believe the best policy takes people’s views into account so it is vital we get their feedback on what we can do better, said Alex Hawke.
“After five years of promises and a two year review, the Gillard Government has only allocated $5 million over two years for further research into their school funding changes rather than $5 billion as called for in the Gonski Review, said Christopher Pyne, Shadow Minister for Education.
“Only the Coalition is offering funding certainty for schools beyond 2013, with the current funding levels, plus indexation guaranteed,” concluded Alex Hawke.
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
“National Families Week is a great opportunity to reflect on the importance of all families in Mitchell, Alex Hawke said.
National Families Week will be held from Tuesday, 15 May to Monday, 21 May 2012 and will coincide with International Families Day on Tuesday, 15 May 2012.
“Wayne Swan, in last week’s Budget did little to help Australian families who are doing it tough under the Labor government, said Alex Hawke.
“Families right across Mitchell are footing the bill for Labor’s reckless spending and financial mismanagement as Labor freezes family payments to generate savings.
“Families in Mitchell are struggling with cost of living pressures and are about to be hit hard by the world’s biggest carbon tax, Alex Hawke said.
Since 2007, on average, the price of power has increased by 51%, water is up 46%, gas has increased 30%, health costs are up 20% and grocery prices have increased by 14%.
“With these additional costs, it is no surprise Australian families are finding it hard to survive under Labor.”
“Families in Mitchell deserve better,” Alex Hawke said.
“Instead local households will get hit by the world’s biggest carbon tax.”
The Coalition is committed to a stronger Australia where families can build a better life for themselves through reducing cost of living pressures while ensuring better access to child care, education, and health services.
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
Local Federal MP Alex Hawke, said the Federal Budget offered little or nothing for small businesses in Mitchell about to be whacked by the world’s biggest carbon tax.
“The Gillard Government has shown that its got no feel for small business, offering nothing new in the budget to provide immediate relief to struggling businesses with the sector seeing a 48 per cent increase in insolvencies, Alex Hawke said.
“First the Gillard Government broke its promise not to introduce a carbon tax, now it’s broken its promise to cut the company tax rate.
“Carbon tax-related ‘sweeteners’ in the form of accelerated depreciation allowances rely on small businesses having the ready cash to spend on new capital items.
“The Gillard Government’s abolition of the Entrepreneurs Tax Offset has increased tax for nearly 370,000 of our smallest businesses, including micro, home-based, independent contractor and start-up businesses, with incomes of less than $75,000.
Alex Hawke said the Institute of Chartered Accountants rightly identifies that 80 per cent of all small businesses have no prospect of gaining any benefit from 'loss carry back' as they are not structured as corporations and fewer still could satisfy the complicated eligibility criteria under current trading conditions.
“The local corner shop in Mitchell is not only going to have to deal with an increase in costs for supplies and electricity, it’s also going to have pressure from consumers looking for a bargain as cost of living pressures increase and unemployment rises as forecasted in the Budget,” said Alex Hawke.
“The greatest insult from the Gillard Government is the toxic carbon tax. Small business will be hit the hardest because their costs will go up and up and up as the carbon price goes up and up and up, and they won’t receive a single cent in compensation.”
Alex Hawke said the Coalition had a clear road map to restore hope, reward and opportunity for small business by scrapping the carbon tax and getting out of the way of business by slashing $1 billion worth of red tape.
Monday, 14 May 2012
Federal Member for Mitchell, Alex Hawke MP, welcomed Michelle Rowland’s confirmation (Rouse Hill Times 9/5/12) that she opposes her Labor Government’s policy not to fund the North West Rail line.
“This Labor government has yet again sidelined the priorities of Sydney’s North West but there may be some good news to come off the back of this decision, Mr Hawke said.
Greenway Labor MP Michelle Rowland has stated this week she disagreed with Infrastructure Australia’s recommendations not to fund the Northwest Rail Link and supported Premier Barry O’Farrell pledge to build the line. “There is no argument that it has to be built” she said.
Mr Hawke says “I have repeatedly called on this government over the last four years to fund this important project and time upon time they have provided no funding commitment. At a minimum the Federal Government should behave responsibly and allow the NSW State Government to set the infrastructure priorities for our State.”
Mr Hawke will this week submit a motion on notice without Federal interference to Parliament calling on the government to change their position and provide the $2.1 billion directly to the NSW government without strings attached. “Given Michelle Rowland’s recent comments, I will be asking her to second the motion and commit her support to this motion calling for the Federal funding to be allocated on a proper basis”.
“If Michelle Rowland supports this motion, I am confident we can get it passed and place significant pressure on the Federal government to do the right thing by North West Sydney and her electorate. In light of her recent public comments I look forward to sitting down with her, working together to get this rail link built. I look forward to a bi-partisan approach towards fixing one of the biggest infrastructure problems in NSW,” concluded Alex Hawke.