China FTA a big win for local farmers

Federal Member for Parkes, Mark Coulton has welcomed the signing of Australia’s Free Trade Agreement with China which was signed by the Minister for Trade and Investment, the Hon Andrew Robb and Chinese Commerce Minister, Gao Hucheng.   Mr Coulton said the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) provides unprecedented access to what is already the…

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COULTON’S CATCH UP 15TH JUNE

Last week, I attended the NSW Nationals Annual General Conference in the Hunter Valley. The Nationals have 24 Members in the NSW Parliament.  All of these Members attended the conference, including Deputy Premier and Leader of the NSW Nationals, the Hon Troy Grant.   The conference was also attended by some of my Federal Nationals…

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First Accelerating Commercialisation grant to boost local business

Local business, Maverick Biomaterials Pty Limited, will receive a grant to propel their bright ideas into the marketplace under the Australian Government’s Accelerating Commercialisation programme.  Federal Member for Parkes, Mark Coulton announced the grant as part of the $10.6 million Accelerating Commercialisation element of the Australian Government’s $484.2 million Entrepreneurs’ Infrastructure Programme.   “These Accelerating…

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COULTON’S CATCH UP 8TH JUNE

Renewable energy was on the agenda again in Parliament last week, with the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Amendment Bill up for debate. The proposed legislative amendments contained in the bill restore some balance in the Renewable Energy Target (RET) Scheme.  They also bring the RET back to a more achievable level.   Renewable energy plays an…

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COULTON’S CATCH UP 1 JUNE

Last week in Canberra, I had the pleasure of meeting the students from the current Indigenous Police Recruitment Our Way Delivery (IPROWD) program.  During their visit to Parliament House, the students were treated to a special meeting with Prime Minister, the Hon Tony Abbott MP.    The students also met with some of my other…

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NBN Rollout Progresses

The NBN will begin construction in areas covering an additional 3,400 premises in the Gulgong and Wellington areas in coming months as the company expands its multi-technology mix rollout. The company is expanding the rollout of its fibre to the node network, with an additional 168,000 premises due to start construction nationwide between July and…

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Depreciation for local farmers brought forward

Farmers across the Parkes electorate can now claim a tax deduction on all capital expenditure on water facilities, fodder storage assets and fencing incurred since the 2015 Budget was handed down at 7:30pm on 12 May 2015.   Farmers can fully deduct the cost of water facilities and fencing in the year they are purchased…

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Connecting job seekers and jobactive providers

The transition to the Australian Government’s new jobactive employment service took another step forward today with job seekers starting to receive advice about which local firm will help them to look for work in the future.   Federal Member for Parkes, Mark Coulton, said that the Government’s new $6.8 billion jobactive employment service, which starts…

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