Local Government News

Larry Anthony
National News

Boost for volunteers

I recently had the great pleasure of announcing that four volunteer groups from the north of the Ballina Shire have been successful in attaining grants under the Australian Government's Volunteer Small Equipment Grants scheme.

Lennox Head Soccer Club, Alstonville Plateau Historical Society, Western Chilcotts Creek Environmental Restorers Group and Federal Community Centre will share in over $10,000 to put towards assisting the volunteer work they achieve in the community.

These will make a big difference in helping to make their work a little bit easier and more enjoyable. The funding will go towards a wide variety of items, such as ride on lawn mowers, fridges, computers and a brush cutter.

Pensioner concessions

I was angered by the Labor Party's recent irresponsible scaremongering amongst the frail and elderly in our community over pensioner concession cards.

I want to reassure local pensioners that the Centrelink review of concession cards will in no way affect eligible pensioners from using their cards.

The Centrelink review is simply going through its records to ensure that only people eligible for concession cards have them. This is necessary to ensure people are not receiving taxpayer benefits that they are not entitled to - a reasonable expectation on our community's taxes. It is a fact that the vast majority of people no longer eligible for concession cards are people who have moved off Newstart or Youth Allowance onto employment. They are not pensioners.

The Coalition Government works hard to address the needs of pensioners and I will continue to ensure that local pensioners receive their rightful benefits.

Defence Medal

Many people will be aware that the Australian Government recently received in principle approval from the Queen to establish the Australian Defence Medal, which will for the first time recognise volunteer service, both regular and reserve, in the Australian Defence Force.

The Australian Defence Medal recognises that by serving in the Australian Defence Force individuals make a contribution to the national interest, whether they served their country in operations or remained in Australia in a support role. This will be wonderful recognition for many people across the Northern Rivers.

However, I am aware of and sympathetic to calls from some local residents who had served with the Australian Defence Force to have the Australian Defence Medal reduced from six years service to three years service.

The six-year period was provided to ensure that all requisite training and experience to be considered fully deployable would have been completed, however I can understand claims that all relevant training could have been completed in three years.

I will be making both written and personal representations to the newly appointed Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence, Fran Bailey, to ensure these concerns were given the Government's full attention and consideration.

Latham refuses to stand up for our rail

Federal Labor leader, Mark Latham, last week proved beyond doubt that the Labor Party simply couldn't care less about the scrapping of the Casino to Murwillumbah rail line.

I am very disappointed that Mr Latham continues to refuse to support our region in bringing back our trains.

If Mr Latham believes only he can influence and cooperate with the Labor states on issues such as education and health then why won't he even try to fight to reinstate our rail service.

Mark Latham is part of the Sydney-centric Labor machine that is stripping rail services from the North Coast to bolster spending on city commuter services.

Larry Anthony MP
Federal Member for Richmond
Minister for Children & Youth Affairs
PO Box 6996 Tweed Heads South 2486 ph: 07 5524 2466 fax: 07 5524 9366
www.larry.com.au Toll Free: 1800 812 125 larry.anthony.mp@aph.gov.au

Ian Causley
Canberra Connection

Nursing scholarships

I would like to remind those interested in applying for a postgraduate aged care nursing scholarship to get their applications in, as the closing date is just four weeks away.

To date, 14 Northern Rivers nurses have undertaken further studies thanks to the Coalition Government's Rural and Regional Aged Care Nursing Scholarships, which are worth up to $10,000.

The Continuing Professional Development scholarships are available for registered nurses or enrolled nurses who have a current practicing certificate, or are able to demonstrate eligibility to re-register by a nurse registration body.

Applications close Friday, August 27. Application packs can be downloaded from scholarships@rcna.org.au, or are available from my electorate office on 1300 301 735.

Kyogle timber plant

Tomorrow in Kyogle I will have the pleasure of officially opening a new, sophisticated timber treatment plant at Norply.

The Coalition Government, through its Sustainable Regions program, contributed $500,000 towards the estimated $1.5 million project.

The timber preservation industry is evolving quickly and the new plant will provide Norply with some significant advantages in the market place and create real benefits for Kyogle and for the regional economy.

Aussie of the year

It's that time of the year when residents should be thinking about who to nominate for an Australian of the Year award.

There are four categories to the Awards: Australian of the Year; Senior Australian of the Year (60 years and over); Young Australian of the Year (16-25 years); and Local Hero.

These Awards are an excellent opportunity for residents to say thank you to a local who makes them proud and who has made our community and our nation a better place to live.

Nomination forms are available from my electorate office, on-line at www.australianoftheyear.gov.au or by phoning 1300 655 193. Nominations close Friday, August 20.

Can't trust Labor

Federal Labor leader Mark Latham's evasive performance recently on Lateline has done nothing to refute the mounting independent evidence of gross financial mismanagement during his time as Mayor of Liverpool.

Mr Latham obfuscated, avoided questions and threw up a number of meaningless statistics in an attempt to defend his record. However, he has been unable to substantiate any rebuttal of the key facts in relation to his period as Mayor.

Fact 1: As Mayor, Mark Latham went on a $36 million spending spree, which he claimed would be funded through unspecified savings.

Fact 2: Liverpool Council's auditor stated publicly those "savings" never eventuated, leaving the Council with significant spending obligations and a rapidly deteriorating financial position.

Fact 3: In Mark Latham's last year as Mayor, Liverpool City Council reported a $2.7 million working capital deficit - a fact borne out by the audited financial statements for that year.

Fact 4: Mark Latham's mismanagement meant the working capital deficit was on track to blow out to $15.4 million by 1995/96 - a deficit which the auditor said was amongst the highest he had ever experienced and which led to the Council being placed on a Department of Local Government Watch List.

Fact 5: Labor Alderman Wendy Waller and former Liverpool General Manager Brian Carr both clearly attributed the Council's financial woes to Latham's policies as Mayor.

Mark Latham has been unable to refute these facts. He has been unable to substantiate his claim he left Liverpool City Council with a working capital surplus.

Unfortunately, the Labor Party appears to have adopted Mark Latham's approach to financial management. Once again we are seeing plenty of big spending promises, supposedly to be funded by unspecified, undisclosed "savings". Labor claims to have a list of these savings, but has failed to produce it - just as Mark Latham claims he has documents to support his Liverpool defence, but seems unable to produce them.

The simple reality is that Mark Latham could not run a local council, and he cannot be trusted with an $800 billion economy.

For further information please contact my electorate office on 1300 301 735, or send me an email: ian.causley.mp@aph.gov.au.