Photo caption: Federal Member for Parkes Mark Coulton has 2023 calendars available for residents of the Parkes electorate.
Calendars now available
My 2023 calendars are now out and available for collection from my three electorate offices!
The calendar features 14 incredible photos that showcase the absolute beauty of the Parkes electorate. These photos were the finalists of my inaugural Christmas Card Photo Competition and were too good not share. The calendar is a perfect way to give these photos the spotlight they deserve.
Thank you again to the talented local photographers who entered my photo competition and allowed me to use their beautiful photographs in this calendar. I think it looks fantastic, and I hope you do too!
Constituents are welcome to pick up a free copy from my Dubbo, Moree or Broken Hill offices. If you don’t live in these towns, just call my Dubbo office on 02 6882 0999 to arrange for a free copy to be posted to you. For more details, visit my website: www.markcoulton.com.au/coultons-2023-calendars-out-now
Disaster Recovery Payment for Central Darling residents
While major flooding continues in Menindee and Wilcannia, I’m pleased residents will now be able to access some financial relief with the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment now available for the Central Darling Local Government Area.
This is a lump sum payment of $1,000 for adults and $400 for children who have been seriously impacted by the current flood event.
Eligible individuals can claim via MyGov or by calling Services Australia on 180 22 26. For more information, visit www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/new-south-wales-floods-september-2022-australian-government-disaster-recovery-payment
Call for improvements to mobile coverage
Last week I spoke out about the need for changes to the Universal Service Guarantee (USG) to improve mobile phone coverage in our regional areas.
The USG provides all Australian homes and businesses with access to broadband and voice services but with fewer and fewer people now using landlines, this needs to be reformed. More people are now relying on a mobile phone service, so it’s important that the USG reflects this, with an obligation for telecommunications providers to maintain mobile towers, not just landlines.
And while telcos need to upgrade their towers to improve capacity, I believe it’s also important for individuals and businesses to make themselves aware of the coverage options available to them, and to ensure their personal equipment is up-to-date and compatible with the new technology as towers are upgraded.
It’s a complex issue with no silver bullet solution.
That is why the former Coalition Government directed the ACCC to conduct an inquiry into towers used in the supply of mobile telecommunications and other radiocommunications services in regional areas, and into the feasibility of providing mobile roaming during natural disasters or other emergencies.
The ACCC is seeking public contributions to the Regional Mobile Infrastructure Inquiry, and I encourage people in the Parkes electorate to complete the online survey at https://consultation.accc.gov.au/accc/regional-mobile-infrastructure-inquiry/
Cuts to Medicare-subsidised mental health support
On January 1, Labor’s cuts to additional Medicare-subsidised mental health support came into effect.
This means the Better Access mental health initiative, introduced by the former Coalition Government, will be slashed from 20 Medicare-subsided psychology sessions to just 10.
At a time when cost of living and energy bills are skyrocketing and floods continue to impact the Parkes electorate, mental health support could not be more important. Serious mental health issues are often at their highest a few years after a crisis, pandemic or natural disaster, which is why it is absolutely vital that vulnerable Australians have continued access to the psychology sessions they need.
As part of our pandemic response to support Australians during tough times, the former Coalition Government doubled the number of Medicare-subsidised psychology sessions available through the Better Access initiative from 10 to 20. Now, the Labor Government’s decision to cut these in half is disappointing and thoughtless.