Local Government News

Justine Elliot
National News

The Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol came into force on February 16. In Federal Parliament, I called on the Federal Government to ratify the Protocol immediately for the future economic and environmental future of this country. The Kyoto Protocol is the only legally binding international agreement that addresses the problem of global climate change. It sets up a framework for global reductions in greenhouse gas emissions that can be applied for decades to come. Global warming is a real and dramatic environmental and social issue. It is appalling that the Kyoto Protocol is now in force - and Australia will be missing out on the environmental and economic opportunities available. Per capita, Australia is the highest emitter of greenhouse gases. A single person in Australia generates the same amount of greenhouse emissions as 20 people in India and 10 people in China. Yet Australia remains one of only two developed countries that have not adopted the Protocol. By not adopting the Protocol, the Federal Government has left Australian business out of an increasingly lucrative market. The world market for environmental goods and services is estimated at $515 billion US. By 2010 that market will have grown to $688 billion US and Australian businesses will be left out in the cold because the Federal Government refuses to make the Kyoto Protocol law. For the economic and environmental benefit of all Australians, the Federal Government should ratify the Kyoto Protocol immediately.

The Cornelia Rau Affair

Federal Parliament has been sitting for the past fortnight, and the Federal Government is still refusing to answer questions about why Cornelia Rau was held in a detention centre. Despite extensive questioning by the Opposition, the Prime Minister, the Attorney General and the Minister for Immigration are refusing to apologise to Ms Rau - an Australian citizen with a mental illness held in a detention centre while her family thought she was missing. The closest we have come to an official apology by the Federal Government was the Treasurer, who seemed at odds with the Prime Minister on the issue. The Opposition will continue to hold the Federal Government accountable on this issue.

Office contacts

Phone: 1300 720 675
Fax: (07) 5523 4379
Email: Justine.Elliot.mp@aph.gov.au
Mail: PO Box 6996, South Tweed Heads, 2486.

Ian Causley
Canberra Connection

Keeping our kids safe online

We have all seen the media coverage in recent months showing high numbers of people being charged with internet child pornography offences.

The positive side of this is that police are slowly, but successfully, managing to break down these paedophile rings and trace and charge the individuals who share and access inappropriate images of children. On the negative side, however, the fact that these types of offences are in the news on a regular basis means that the problem of internet child pornography continues to exist.

The Federal Government recently launched a powerful international policing initiative involving an online alliance between law enforcement agencies from Australia, the United Kingdom, the USA and Canada.

The new Virtual Global Taskforce (VGT) website will act as a gateway to information on how to use the internet safely and will provide links to a range of law enforcement and support agencies that can advise and help victims of abuse.

The Australian Government is committed to playing a leading role in the fight against on-line predators. I urge parents to visit this website for more information on how to protect their kids at www.virtualglobaltaskforce.com .

Mature age helpline launched

The Federal Government is funding a new telephone helpline for mature age job seekers and workers across New South Wales.

This new service will offer advice, referrals and support for Australians aged 45 and over who are unemployed and looking for work. As well, hotline staff will provide information and advice about employment issues to mature age Australians currently in the workforce.

The Mature Employment Line will be run by COTA (Council on the Ageing) New South Wales and, if successful, may be extended throughout Australia. This helpline is a great initiative and I encourage mature age workers and job seekers to use this free service.

Callers can find out about employment and training services in their local area as well as job search techniques and advice about options to make the transition from work to retirement.

The Federal Government recognises the importance of promoting this type of service, because as most people would know, Australia has a rapidly ageing population.

The helpline number is 1300 795 211. There is also a website for mature age Australians at www.jobwise.gov.au.

Continuing the fight for rural people

It has not taken the new leader of the Labor Party, Kim Beazley, long to show his true feelings toward Australians living in rural areas.

In Parliament this month, Mr Beazley criticised Government- funded programs that have been designed specifically for rural and regional communities. These programs include Regional Partnerships, Sustainable Regions and Roads to Recovery.

These programs provide much needed funding for rural communities, and many local businesses and organisations such as sporting groups and pre-schools have benefited greatly. When Mr Beazley refers to these programs as "white elephants", he is not only insulting the 7 million Australian people who live outside the capital cities, he is also demonstrating that Labor still has no idea about the needs of rural Australians.

These programs exist to strengthen regional economies and help fill in some of the gaps that exist between rural and metropolitan Australia, and for as long as I remain your elected representative, I will continue to fight for rural Australia.

Office contacts

Address: PO Box 1119, Lismore, NSW, 2480
Phone: 6621 9909
Fax: 6621 9959
Email: ian.causley.mp@aph.gov.au

Don Page
State Matters

Alstonville bypass

After following up on concerns that construction on the Alstonville Bypass has not yet commenced, I was disappointed to have the Federal Transport Minister's office confirm that the State Government has delayed construction until 2006.

Construction was due to commence in early 2005 with completion due by the end of 2006 with all detailed design work currently completed. In my view, Premier Carr has lost credibility on this issue by again delaying the commencement of construction.

Premier Carr promised in the week prior to the State election in March 2003 and subsequently in State Parliament that the project would be completed by the end of 2006.

Despite committing $24 million in the days leading up to the State election, (in addition to the Federal Government's $12 million for the $36 million project), the State Government have now broken their promise and delayed construction.

Premier Carr's own release announcing a commitment of funding for the project states the project, 'will be funded from the RTA's existing forward capital works program and therefore will have no impact on projected Budget surpluses.'

Premier Carr cannot have it both ways. Either the funds he promised prior to the election are available for the project, or they never were, and he has deceived the residents of Alstonville in relation to a completion date.

The need for the Alstonville bypass is as urgent as ever, with more than 15,000 excess vehicles travelling through the centre of town each day.

The State Government must commence construction immediately as was originally planned. The residents of Alstonville quite correctly want their town's amenity protected.

Lifeline Northern Rivers

Lifeline provides a vital service to our local community and unfortunately there is no current secure State Government funding commitment for the service, despite NSW Health and other state agencies practice of referring patients to the service.

Lifeline is therefore providing vital counselling services, which the State Government is unprepared to assist in funding. The NSW Coalition has guaranteed $1.5 million in annual recurrent funding for the Lifeline counselling service if elected in March 2007.

Lifeline is an organisation that deserves to be supported and I am pleased the NSW State Opposition is prepared to commit funding which will enable Lifeline to employ expert staff at each centre in NSW, to provide training and supervision of volunteers in mental health issues.

There are 16 Lifeline centres in NSW offering 24-hour telephone counselling as well as other services, many in rural areas. Lifeline has more than 2000 highly trained volunteer telephone counsellors in NSW, taking more than 180,000 calls a year.

Unlike NSW, the Victorian and Queensland Governments both contribute funding to Lifeline's operational costs in those states.u

Office contacts

Address: PO Box 1018, Ballina, NSW, 2478
Phone: 6686 7522
Fax: 6686 7470
Email: Don.Page@parliament.nsw.gov.au