In the News
When: |
Monday 4 May 2009 |
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10:30am for the forum at 11:00am |
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Lunch from 1pm |
Where: |
Crowne Plaza, Columbia Way, Norwest Business Park |
Cost: |
Forum FREE |
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Lunch $30pp |
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.
Alex Hawke’s Speech on Student Taxes
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With unemployment rapidly rising there must be no higher priority for the Commonwealth than securing jobs. It is a fact that well paid, skilled and secure jobs are dependent on innovation and enterprise, along with low taxes and incentives that make it easy for businesses to invest in people.
Through Malcolm Turnbull's Jobs for Australia initiative, all Australians can now discuss their ideas on how to create, presever and enhance jobs in an online forum at www.jobsforaustralia.com. I encourage you to visit and participate in this site.
In addition to the online Jobs for Australia forum, I will be holding a Mitchell Jobs Forum in the near future with key members of our business community to hear their ideas and suggestions. If you are interested in taking part please contact my office.
Recently, I met with local retirees, representatives from the Association of Independent Retirees and members from the Hills National Seniors Australia to hear their concerns regarding proposed changes to the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC).
Self-funded retirees who have planned prudently for their retirement with little dependence on Government support will be hit hard by the proposed changes to their eligibility for the CSHC.
I took the concerns I heard to Shadow Cabinet and am happy to announce that the Coalition will be opposing the legislation. I spoke on the Bill on Tuesday, 17 March, sharing the concerns of Mitchell residents with the Parliament. My speech is below or copies are available from my office.
Mr HAWKE (Mitchell) (12.34 pm)—I rise to speak on the Social Security and Veterans’ Entitlements Amendment (Commonwealth Seniors Health Card) Bill 2009. The government is continually reminding us that people are being stripped of their entitlements, that they are unable to claim their redundancy entitlements and that they are suffering because of the global financial downturn, so it is extraordinary that we have before us today a piece of legislation which will effectively cut the entitlement of 22,000 people to a concession card that provides them with significant benefits which allow them to continue to fund their own retirements.