Federal Member for O Connor

Transcription

1 RICK WILSON MP Federal Member for O Connor 2014/15 Federal Budget The first budget of the Abbott Government was handed down on 13 May, and it was designed to redirect taxpayer dollars from unaffordable expenditure today to productive investment for the future. It s a budget that will help us build a more prosperous nation. We have to get out of the borrow and spend mentality. To get the budget back on track we have to start living within our means. We ve had to make some tough decisions. Politically, the easiest option was to do nothing. But the former Government delivered five record deficits and gross debt heading towards $667 billion by 2023/24. That s unsustainable. We re already paying one billion dollars per month in interest payments. Think about what we could do with that money. A new Fiona Stanley Hospital every month? Imagine how many aged care beds we could provide and how much more we could invest in health and education. This budget not only tackles head-on the economic issues facing our nation, it begins a cultural change that will encourage a return to the thriftiness and self-reliance that once formed our national identity. We can t wish away the challenges we face. We all have to share the load, and that s what this budget does. It shares the load across the community spectrum, so we can all play a role in getting Australia back on track. Rick Wilson Federal Member for O Connor Manjimup office open for business It s impossible to effectively service an electorate the size of O Connor from my official offices in Kalgoorlie and Albany alone, so in February I opened my third privately funded office in Manjimup. The office is located at Rose Street and is open on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9am to 1pm. The office is there for you if you need help with a federal issue or want to provide feedback on issues that are important to you. Some of the regular services my offices provide include issuing Australian flags, assisting constituents to access Commonwealth services and helping people apply for a congratulatory message for themselves or someone else who is about to celebrate a significant birthday or wedding anniversary. Kalgoorlie Electorate Office 345 Hannan Street (PO Box 10415) Kalgoorlie WA 6430 Ph Freecall Fax Albany Electorate Office Shop 5, The Link Shopping Centre St Emilie Way (PO Box 5077) Albany WA 6330 Ph Freecall Fax Manjimup Office Unit 2, Central Plaza, Rose Street Manjimup WA 6258 Katanning Office Shop 3, 100 Clive Street Katanning WA 6317 Liberal House Esperance Shop 12, Dutton Arcade Esperance WA Rick.Wilson.MP@aph.gov.au In the Manjimup office with electorate officer Irene Bowden. Follow me on Facebook Facebook is a great way to keep up to date with what I m doing around the electorate and in Canberra. It s also a valuable way for you to provide feedback about issues in the electorate. Make sure to like

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4 rick wilson mp Great Eastern Highway upgrade In March I joined Parliamentary Secretary to the WA Minister for Transport Hon Jim Chown and Member for Eyre Dr Graham Jacobs to announce the Australian Government s commitment to upgrade the Great Eastern Highway between Walgoolan and Coolgardie. This $29.6 million commitment will see 36 kilometres of the Great Eastern Highway widened and the construction of three overtaking lanes, each approximately 1.5 kilometres in length. The highway is heavily used by mining and other freight traffic, so the upgrade will help increase regional economic productivity as well as delivering road safety benefits. The funding commitment highlights the importance of the Great Eastern Highway freight link to the broader national economy. With Shire of Coolgardie President Mal Cullen, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport Hon Jim Chown MLC and Member for Eyre Dr Graham Jacobs assessing the road. With Minister for Education Hon Christopher Pyne MP, Senator-elect Linda Reynolds, Senator Dean Smith, Principal Maxine Augustson and students from Mount Lockyer PS. Minister for Education in Albany The Minister for Education, Hon Christopher Pyne MP, visited Albany s Mount Lockyer Primary School in March to see first-hand the progress being made in implementing Independent Public Schools in our state. The Australian Government has a $70 million commitment to follow the Western Australian lead, encouraging 1,500 public schools across the nation become independent by The Minister also spoke at the Great Southern Education Forum where he told participants he was impressed and excited to see Western Australia s independent public schools in operation. I also met with school leaders, teachers, staff, parents and students to hear about issues of concern and discuss how we could help, Minister Pyne told the forum. Mount Lockyer Primary School has been operating as an Independent Public School since I understand an independent review has commended the school on the exemplary progress being made in improving student academic achievement and its success in improving non-academic achievement, such as behaviour and attendance. Local Sporting Champions I ve been involved with sport (particularly Aussie Rules) for years now, so I m very pleased to be able to help young people achieve their sporting dreams through the Australian Government s Local Sporting Champions program. The program provides $500 grants to help cover the cost of travel, accommodation, uniforms or equipment when competing, coaching or officiating at officially endorsed state, national or international sporting championships or School Sport Australia events. I know how hard it is for regional athletes and officials to participate in high level events, let alone fund their travel to training and competition. In the last round of grants, 13 young sportspeople from the O Connor electorate were successful in gaining funds. The next round (Round /15) closes on 30 June. Information on the Local Sporting Champions program can be found at gov.au/participating/schools_and_ juniors/local_sporting_champions.

5 rick wilson mp Communications forum with Hon Paul Fletcher MP The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Communications Hon Paul Fletcher MP visited Manjimup in April to hear first-hand about the mobile phone black-spot issues we face. NBN update The National Broadband Network (NBN) is of great importance to most of us in O Connor. It certainly is for me personally the broadband access at our farm, just a few kilometres outside Katanning, has been abysmally slow! Since the Coalition was elected last September, we ve made significant progress in rolling out the NBN and improving current NBN services. In March we announced an $18.4 million expansion of the Interim Satellite Service which will provide users of this service with speeds they were promised when the NBN was first announced. Also announced was a new, stringent fair use policy to ensure a minority of very heavy users cannot crowd out the majority. Before this commitment most of the users who will have access to the interim satellite service had been putting up with speeds that were often worse than dial-up. And it s good news for farmers, small business owners and families who have struggled to perform basic functions like internet banking because of the slow speeds. I know that plenty of farmers have had trouble accessing CBH Loadnet to transfer grain which is a service that s for business, not for pleasure. I will keep updating the electorate on the NBN rollout and services. I invited Mr Fletcher to visit the region because improved mobile communications is a key issue I want resolved for the people of O Connor. About 30 stakeholders and users attended a forum at the Manjimup Shire Council offices where problem areas in the Warren-Blackwood region were highlighted. The Australian Government s Mobile Coverage Programme initiative has two components: $80 million to improve mobile phone coverage along major transport routes, in small communities and in locations prone to experiencing natural disasters; and $20 million to address unique mobile coverage problems, such as black spots. The Department of Communications will continue to accept location nominations to be included in a database of areas reported to have poor or no mobile coverage until 30 June These can be ed to mobilecoverage@communications.gov.au. Standing on the newly opened Twilight Beach Road Bridge looking at Harbour Road below. Better access for Esperance Port On 2 April I officially opened the Esperance Port Access Corridor Project on behalf of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure and Regional Development the Hon Warren Truss. The $120 million project has redefined access to Esperance Port and will help increase its productivity. By removing two level crossings and building new access roads, two bridges and a rail tunnel, the project has safely separated heavy vehicles and rail freight activities. The Esperance Port is now ready to support the expanding mining and agricultural industries of the O Connor region. This is just one example of the Australian Government upgrading our vital freight networks and delivering on our promise to put the Western Australian economy in the fast lane.

6 HACC funding Older Australians and younger people with a disability in the electorate received extra support to stay in their own homes thanks to a $1.977 million boost from the Federal and State Governments which jointly fund the Home and Community Care (HACC) Program. The program presents Western Australians with better aged care options and support services and the funding allows for new care activities to be made available. When I announced this funding I had the opportunity to meet Tracey Boyle and her parents, Phil and Shirley Astill, who were assisted by the Regional Assessment Service in accessing HACC services. It was great to hear about how Tracey is receiving joint support from her parents and guidance through HACC to eventually live in her own home. With HACC assessor Francesa Anne, Tracey Boyle and her parents, Phil and Shirley Astill This is a great example of how important it is for governments to support this sector and the positive benefits for the people involved, and the rest of the community. Out and about Upgrades to health services I m particularly passionate about making sure regional Western Australians are able to access quality health services close to home, so I m pleased that Federal Health Minister, Hon Peter Dutton MP has announced significant new health services in Kalgoorlie, Esperance and Narrogin which will help achieve that goal. Under the $45 million Bringing Renal Dialysis and Support Services Closer to Home project, Kalgoorlie will get seven additional renal dialysis chairs, a 19-bed hostel and clinical offices for regional renal support teams. Esperance will get two additional renal dialysis chairs. In Narrogin a new $2.8 million public dental clinic will include four new dental chairs and patient and staff amenities. The pathology laboratory will also be relocated closer to the Emergency Department and expanded to meet modern laboratory requirements. Out and about With Warakurna Primary School students At the Wagin Woolorama At Hopetoun Men s Shed Laying ANZAC wreath with Albany Primary School students Authorised by Rick Wilson MP, 345 Hannan Street Kalgoorlie WA Printed by Cambridge Print, 10 Walters Drive Osborne Park WA With Denmark Scout Group