4.7 million Australians to benefit from September pension indexation 4.7 million pensioners and allowance recipients will receive an increase to their welfare payments from 20 September 2017. As a result of the regular twice-yearly indexation, pension payments including Age Pension and Disability Support Pension will rise by $6.10 a fortnight to $894.40 for singles and…
Reducing the pressure on housing affordability The introduction of legislation into Parliament will help to reduce pressure on housing affordability for first home buyers and downsizers. The First Home Super Saver Scheme (FHSSS), announced in this year’s Budget, will give first home savers the ability to accelerate their savings by at least 30 per cent. First…
Last week Members of Parliament had the opportunity to engage in discussion and provide feedback to Professor John Halsey, who has been charged with overseeing the Independent Review into Regional, Rural and Remote Education. Regional, Rural and Remote Australia is well represented in the Electorate of Parkes. The problems faced by young people from this…
Celebrating National Science Week It is important to note the 20th anniversary of National Science Week to be held from 12 to 20 August. The school theme for this year’s National Science Week is Future Earth. It is very fitting that students and teachers from schools across Australia are this morning presenting a national plan…
More than $3 million in Building Better Regions’ Fund grants It has been another terrific week of announcements with the declaration of more than $3 million in grants under the Building Better Regions’ Fund [BBRF]. After a competitive merit-based selection process, Australian Government funding has approved four projects in the Electorate of Parkes under the…
IT has been a great week for funding announcements in the Electorate of Parkes. $1.5m to address family violence in Bourke In Bourke up to $1.5 million is being allocated for a tailored project to address family violence experienced by Indigenous women and children. The funding forms part of the $25 million Indigenous-focused package under…
Calls for submissions to regional education review Members of the Electorate of Parkes community are invited to have their say in a landmark review into regional, rural and remote education initiated by the Nationals/Liberal Government. This marks an important milestone of the independent review with the release of a discussion paper and launch of an…
Grants boosting general practice in Cobar and Broken Hill Patients in Broken Hill and Cobar will soon feel the benefits of improved facilities with almost $250,000 of Federal Government grants going to the Broken Hill Occupational Health and Therapy Rehab Solutions and Cobar Primary Health Care practices. The practices are amongst 67 that were offered…
Continued Federal Government support for Merriman Shearing School There are many very worthwhile employment and mentoring programmes which operate in the electorate of Parkes that achieve great outcomes for Indigenous students and young people. Recently, I was fortunate to accompany the Minister for Indigenous Affairs Senator Nigel Scullion to witness the positive results of one…
The decision by the Nationals/Liberal Government to invest more than $2.1 million in a Moree Academy will be a defining moment for the community. I was delighted to receive notification from the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Nigel Scullion, advising that the Government will support the establishment of the Moree Academy by providing funding for capital…