My Electorate Federal Members Judith Adams Electorate News
Electorate News
Albany ANZAC funding crisis – Labor must pay up - Senator Ronaldson & Senator Adams
Albany ANZAC funding crisis – Labor must pay up
The Labor Greens Government's ongoing failure to provide any funding to the ANZAC Interpretive Centre in Albany is bitterly disappointing, but not surprising, the Coalition says.
The Shadow Minister Assisting the Leader of the Opposition on the Centenary of ANZAC, Senator the Hon. Michael Ronaldson, today joined Liberal Senator for Western Australia, Judith Adams, in condemning the Gillard Brown Labor Government for its failure to provide any funding to the ANZAC Interpretive Centre in Albany.
"Warren Snowdon bought a headline in July when he promised $250,000 for a scoping study for the ANZAC Interpretive Centre, but the dollars haven't followed", Senator Ronaldson said.
"Understandably the Albany City Council is desperately worried that if the money does not arrive by the end of October, scoping work for this important project may not occur in time for the 2014 construction deadline."
"Labor seems able to find money instantly to fund carbon tax ads on television and radio and in newspapers, but they seem entirely unable or unwilling to find the money to ensure the Centenary of ANZAC is properly commemorated."
Senator Judith Adams said Labor was dragging the chain yet again on important community-based infrastructure.
"The people of Albany and Great Southern do not deserve to be left hanging while Labor and its supporters in the Parliament buy headlines instead of delivering real outcomes", Senator Adams said.
"The Federal Coalition, including Liberal candidate for O'Connor, Rick Wilson, remains committed to delivering community-based commemoration for the Centenary of ANZAC.
Senators Ronaldson and Adams said Labor had to come clean with their money before it was too late.
"The ANZAC Interpretive Centre has our support and Warren Snowdon and Labor should ensure their loud words of support are finally matched with the dollars being delivered", they said.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Robert Hardie 0418 432 909 (Senator Ronaldson)
Alana Lacy 0418 102 945 (Senator Adams)
Tony Crook provides the key vote to slug Western Australians
with a new tax!
Tony Crook, the Federal Member for O’Connor, has shown his true colours by once
again supporting Julia Gillard and Labor to help pass their new flood tax. This tax on
Western Australians will deliver not an additional cent to the seat of O’Connor.
Fellow independents Rob Oakeshott and Tony Windsor voted against this tax.
With Tony Crook delivering the critical vote this new tax in Federal Parliament it has passed 72-71.
We all know that Gillard and Labor can’t manage our money and through their mismanagement have wasted funds that could have instead been used in times of natural disaster.
Tony Abbott and the Liberals have made the hard but responsible choices and outlined more than $2 billion in further savings that the Gillard Government and Tony Crook could adopt instead of this new tax on Western Australians.
The Liberal Party has the courage to find savings can be made in the budget for reconstruction and recovery after recent disasters across Australia.
In stark contrast, Labor and now Tony Crook are stuck in their default position of responding to these challenges with a new tax on Western Australians.
Senator Judith Adams, Patron Senator for the Great Southern said “Western Australians will now be taxed for two reasons; one, because of Labor’s waste and two because of Tony Crook’s critical vote.”
Media contact : Alana Lacy 0418 102 945 / 98 416 14
School fees to rise as local school funding on the chopping block
“Details of exactly how much funding local schools in Great Southern will lose if current funding arrangements are abolished has now been revealed” Senator Judith Adams said today.
“Two schools in the Great Southern are known as ‘funding maintained’ schools, because the Howard Government didn’t want any school to lose out when the new school funding model was introduced in 2001” said Senator Adams.
“These schools are mostly smaller catholic or independent schools that cater to middle income families facing cost of living pressures, who can’t afford a hike in school fees. “
“Unfortunately, Schools Minister, Peter Garrett has confirmed that these ‘funding maintained’ schools will very likely be worse off when the funding review is completed, and for the first time we can reveal how much they stand to lose. “
“In the Great Southern two schools are set to lose, St Bernard’s in Kojonup with 80 primary school children is set to lose $19,012 annually, and St Joseph’s School in Pemberton with 57 primary school children will lose $6,484 annually.”
“These cuts will have to result in higher school fees for parents already struggling with cost of living pressures.”
“The only way to try and stop the cuts is to make our concerns known, and I would urge all parents, teachers and principals with concerns at these schools to contact my office so that I can present their concerns to the Minister responsible.“
Senator Judith Adams
Patron Senator for the Great Southern
Media Contact : Alana Lacy 0418 102 945 / 98 416 143
Over 1,000 signatures agains the Gillard/Brown Carbon Tax collected at Wagin Woolorama
Over 1,000 signatures against the Gillard/Brown Carbon Tax collected at Wagin Woolorama
“I am very pleased with the response we had to our Petition against the Labor & Greens Carbon Tax” Senator Adams said today. “The Gillard/Brown Government’s default position is to tax first, ask questions later”.
“At our stand at the Wagin Woolorama last weekend we received a great deal of support from members of the public who are absolutely furious at the prospect of another tax” Senator Adams said.
“1,076 signatures were collected and many people provided their emails so they could send the petition on to friends and colleagues”.
“Anyone wanting to sign the Petition can drop into my office in Petterson’s Arcade in Albany or call 98 416 143 for a copy to be posted or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ”.
14 March 2011
Media Contact : Alana Lacy 0418 102 945 / 98 416 143
REMOVAL OF MEDICARE EASY CLAIM BOOTHS
REGIONAL AND RURAL AUSTRALIA
“I HAVE BEEN APPROACHED BY A NUMBER OF CONSTITUENTS IN COUNTRY WESTERN AUSTRALIA WHO ARE CONCERNED AT THE REMOVAL OF MEDICARE EASY CLAIM BOOTHS FROM THE COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTRES IN COUNTRY AREAS.
THERE ARE 49 SUCH CENTRES IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA AND I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 800 SUCH BOOTHS SCATTERED THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA.
I UNDERSTAND OF THE 49 CENTRES IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA, 38 WILL DISAPPEAR IMMEDIATELY AND THE REMAINDER WILL BE PHASED OUT OVER THE NEXT 24 MONTHS OR SO
EASY CLAIM BOOTHS ARE PROVIDED BY MEDICARE AS A FACILITY FOR REGIONAL AND RURAL AUSTRALIA AND THEY ARE WIDELY USED BY ELDERLY, DISADVANTAGED, INDIGENOUS AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO HAVE NEED OF ACCESSING MEDICARE BENEFITS. THEIR PLACEMENT IN COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTRES HAS BEEN OF ENORMOUS BENEFIT TO ALL WHO HAVE COME TO RELY OF THEM AND THE ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY THE CENTRES IN GENERAL TO THE CLIENTS.
SOME ARE LOCATED IN LOCAL PHARMACIES, AND WHILST THEIR REMOVAL IS PROBABLY OF A FINANCIAL NATURE TO THE PHARMACY, MY CONCERN IS THE SEVERE IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THE REMOVAL OF THESE BOOTHS WILL HAVE IN REGIONAL AND COUNTRY AREAS WHICH ARE ALREADY DISADVANTAGED IN RESPECT OF SERVICES, TRANSPORT, GENERAL FACILITIES AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT.
I AM AWARE THAT THE INTRODUCTORY PROGRAMME OF PROVIDING THIS SERVICE HAD A FIXED TERM OF 10 YEARS BUT I BELIEVE A DECISION MAY HAVE BEEN MADE TO TERMINATE THIS SERVICE WITHOUT COMMUNITY CONSULTATION AND LITTLE WARNING.
IT SHOULD BE REMEMBERED THAT:
~ MOST DOCTORS DO NOT BULK BILL AND THEREFORE CLAIMS MUST BE MADE
TO MEDICARE DIRECT
~ MANY CLIENTS WHO ARE FREQUENT VISITORS TO THEIR DOCTOR THROUGH ILL HEALTH OR AGE, RELY ON THEIR REBATE TO BE MADE PROMPTLY AS THEY CAN NOT AFFORD TO CARRY THAT COST FOR AN EXTENDED PERIOD
~ MANY CLIENTS USING THIS SERVICE LIVE IN REMOTE AREAS WITH NO PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND THEREFORE GOING TO A MEDICARE OFFICE IS IMPOSSIBLE
~ MANY CLIENTS REQUIRE THIS SERVICE AS THEY ARE UNWELL AND UNABLE TO TRAVEL FAR
~ CLIENTS ARE OFTEN ELDERLY OR DISADVANTAGED AND DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO TELEPHONE AND OR COMPUTER
~ MANY CLIENTS WHO DO HAVE A TELEPHONE ARE UNABLE TO MAKE A CALL TO ARRANGE A REFUND SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS TOO COMPLICATED FOR THEM OR THEY CAN NOT HEAR WELL OR ARE INTIMIDATED BY THE PROSPECT OF DOING SO
~ EASY CLAIM BOOTHS IN CENTRES HAVE THE ADVANTAGE OF HAVING A STAFF MEMBER OR VOLUNTEER TO ASSIST THOSE NEEDING HELP
THE REMOVAL OF THESE BOOTHS WITHOUT CONSIDERATION OF THE CONSEQUENCES TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THEM IS MADE EVEN WORSE BY THE FACT THAT THE COST OF PROVIDING THE SERVICE RELATIVELY LOW AT $500 (approximately) PER BOOTH.
SENATOR JUDITH ADAMS
PATRON SENATOR FOR THE GREAT SOUTHERN
Media Contact : Alana Lacy 0418 102 945 / 98 416 143
“Funding needs to be secured for the ANZAC 100th Anniversary Commemorative Events”
– Senator Judith Adams
“I welcome the announcement today that the National Commission on the Commemoration of the Anzac Centenary has recommended the Australian Government fund the proposed Anzac Interpretive Centre in Albany, as well as the restaging of the first major convoy carrying ANZAC troops to the Middle East in WW1” Senator Judith Adams said today. “As Patron Senator for the Great Southern I call on the Gillard Labor Government to provide financial support for the commemorative projects and events for the ANZAC Centenary. At this stage no commitment has been made and this is a cause for concern” Senator Adams said.
“The Albany project will have a long lead-time to develop and financial support is needed now to give the community certainty and to enable development to begin immediately” Senator Adams said.
“On a recent visit to Albany, together with Senators Michael Ronaldson, Senator David Johnston, we had the opportunity to receive a comprehensive briefing on these proposals.” Senator Adams said. “I would like to personally congratulate the Albany Alliance on their excellent work so far. They put together a detailed brief which obviously impressed the Commission” Senator Adams said.
Media Contact : Alana Lacy 0418 102 945 / 98 416 143
Looking for a positive solution – Senator Judith Adams
$9m cut in services to rural Australia
Yesterday in Senate Estimates Senator Judith Adams raised her concerns regarding the closure of the 49 regional Medicare Easy Booths at Community Resource Centres in WA. The Senator's primary cause for concern was the fact that 13 of those locations will not have a Centrelink office located nearby where the local community can continue to access Medicare services.
“The amalgamation of Centrelink and Medicare Services into the same location under the Department of Human Services will not create difficulties for some communities, but I am aware that 13 of these locations will not have a Centrelink office located nearby where the local community can continue to access Medicare services” Senator Adams said today.
“I have received information from Community Resource Centres for which I am Patron Senator. Some of the issues causing concern are the profiles of the customers for this service; this includes the elderly, people with hearing difficulties, people with literacy difficulties and people who simply cannot cope with the paperwork involved. Many of these people do not have home computers and are not familiar with operating a computer. Some of them do not have home phone lines and would have to use public phone booths to process their claims” Senator Adams said.
“Community Resource Centres will not turn away people asking for help and this will effectively mean a cost shifting away from the Commonwealth on to local Resource Centres who will no longer receive funding for this purpose.”
“I have approached the Minister for Human Services Tanya Plibersek to achieve an positive outcome for those centres who are experiencing difficulty and the people who use them” Senator Adams said.
Media Contact : Alana Lacy 0418 102 945 / 98 416 143
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