The benefits stemming from Australia’s Free Trade Agreement with Japan will be felt right across regional Australia with local businesses and consumers set to reap the rewards of the deal. The landmark Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (JAEPA) entered into force last week. This means more than 97 per cent of Australia’s goods exports to Japan…
DetailsLast week the Government reaffirmed its commitment to the Green Army. This is great news for the Parkes Electorate. Not only will the Green Army have a practical, beneficial environmental outcome, it is also a part of the Government’s Economic Action Strategy. Young people will gain hands on experience and valuable training while making a…
DetailsAhead of the 2016 federal election, the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) last week released details of its proposal for changes to the federal electoral boundaries in New South Wales (NSW). Under the proposed changes, the Parkes electorate would see a rather significant increase in its geographic size. Currently this electorate covers almost one third…
DetailsThere has been a lot of heat in the discussion over funding for public broadcasters over the last week- let’s look at the facts of the situation. 1. The ABC will continue to receive $5.1 billion dollars in funding over the next 5 years. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation is a large organisation receiving more than…
DetailsThe Clontarf Foundation is making a difference in communities right across the Parkes Electorate. The Foundation operates through Academies which are associated with local schools and engages young aboriginal boys to keep them in school. Academies have been operating in Moree, Bourke, Coonamble and Brewarrina for the past couple of years and this year a…
DetailsI was very concerned to hear of Labor’s announcement that they intend to introduce an Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and use Commonwealth legislation to reinstate native vegetation laws and restrict land clearing if elected to Government at this year’s Federal election. Labor’s intention to introduce an ETS represents yet another new Labor tax on hardworking…
DetailsIn 1789, Benjamin Franklin wrote that there were only two things certain in life: death and taxes. It could be argued that there is in fact another certainty in life that we all experience every second of every day: ageing. Australia has an ever increasing ageing population and the people of the Parkes electorate are…
DetailsSmall business is not only the engine room for the national economy, it is also crucial to the long term viability of our regional communities. The Federal Coalition has announced a number of low cost measures to help small business as a part of the Abbott Government’s Australian Small Business Advisory Programme (ASBAS). The Government…
DetailsOne of the most rewarding aspects of being a Federal MP is meeting and working with inspirational people. Recently I had the privilege of becoming the first supporter to sign up to Kelly Foran’s Friendly Faces’ fundraising campaign. Kelly, who lives in Maules Creek, has faced many adversities in her life. In 2002 she was…
DetailsLast week, I was pleased to be given the opportunity to tour the northern NSW Murray Darling Basin with the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment, the Hon Bob Baldwin. Also joining us on the tour was the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder together with representatives from the Department of the Environment and…
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