The Braddon Bottom Line December 2008
Senator Nick Sherry Federal Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law Sid Sidebottom MP Federal Member for Braddon . . . for a fair go
The Economic Security Strategy What does it mean for Braddon... Australia faces a global financial crisis. Our economy is strong, but we will not be immune from the global slow down. That’s why Kevin Rudd has taken early and decisive action. Commencing on December 8, 2008, The Rudd Government’s $10.4 billion Economic Security Strategy will ensure more than 25,000 NW pensioners and carers receive lump sum payments to help ease the financial pressure they are currently under, while also boosting the local economy. The 9905 North-West families receiving Family Tax Benefit (A) will receive $1,000 payments for each eligible child in their care. In real terms, this will help 18,659 local children, while easing the financial burden on parents in the lead up to Christmas. When you also factor in the uptake of the increase to the First Home Owners Grant, the direct injection into the Braddon economy as a result of the Economic Security Strategy will be more than $62 million.
Included in the package: $1,400 for single pensioners and $2,100 for couples $1,000 to recipients of the Carer Allowance for each person in their care $1,000 for each eligible child of families who receive Family Tax Benefit (A). Funding for 56,000 new training places First Home Owners Grants up to $21,000
“Australia is facing a global financial crisis. We have taken this immediate action to ensure continued, positive growth in the Australian economy while also providing practical help to North-West households.” Sid Sidebottom MP Federal Member for Braddon
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The Braddon Bottom Line www.sidsidebottom.com
Sid Sidebottom MP For a Fair Go in Braddon Senator Nick Sherry
$19m for NW families Sid Sidebottom MP Senator Nick Sherry
For a Fair Go in Braddon
As part of the $10.4 December billion 2008Economic Security Strategy Kevin Rudd will deliver $19m in immediate financial December 2008 support to more than 10,500 families in Braddon.
Who is eligible for what? n Families receiving Family Tax Benefit (A) will receive a one-off $1000 payment for each dependent child. n Families whose dependent children receive Youth Allowance, Abstudy or a benefit from the Veterans Children’s Education Scheme Payment will receive a one-off $1000 payment for each eligible child.
How and when will it be paid? Eligibility for either payment is determined by your circumstances on October 14, 2008. The lump sum payments will be made by Centrelink automatically in the fortnight
beginning on December 8, 2008. For the small number of recipients who claim their FTB (A) annually as a lump sum payment through Centrelink, the one-off payment will occur when their 2008-09 actual income has been received from the Tax Office and their FTB is reconciled.
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Sid Sidebottom MP Senator Nick Sherry December 2008 For a Fair Go in Braddon
$43m for Braddon pensioners and carers The Rudd Government’s Economic Security Strategy will provide $4.8 billion in lump sum payments to assist Aged Pensioners, Veterans, Disability Support Pensioners and Carers.
Who is eligible? More than four million recipients Australia wide including the following NW Coasters: n n n n n n n n
13,001 Age Pensioners 3494 Carer Payment and Carer Allowance recipients 5641 Disability Support Pensioners 887 Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) holders 113 wife and widow pensioners and Bereavement Allowance recipients 1550 Veteran Services Pensioners 638 eligible War Widows Those of pension age who receive Parenting Payment, Special Benefit, or Austudy.
HOW AND WHEN WILL IT BE PAID? Pensioners who are eligible on October 14, 2008, will be paid by Centrelink or DVA in the fortnight
beginning on December 8, 2008. Pensioners and holders of a CSHC do not need to contact Centrelink to receive a payment - it will be made automatically.
WHAT DO I GET? Depending on eligibility, the payment is $1400 for singles and $2100 for couples. Carer Allowance recipients will get $1000 for each eligible person in their care.
The Braddon Bottom Line www.sidsidebottom.com
Sid Sidebottom MP For a Fair Go in Braddon Senator Nick Sherry
Funding for E More First 56,000 new Home Buyer training places t Assistance Sid Sidebottom MP Senator Nick Sherry
For a Fair Go in Braddon
December 2008
December 2008
As part of the $10.4 billion Economic Security Strategy the Rudd Government will invest $187 million to create an additional 56,000 new training places this financial year to help keep the economy strong during the global financial crisis.
The increased funding will: n effectively double the existing Productivity Places Program; and n take the Rudd Government’s total investment in training places to more than $400 million since April 2008.
From October 14, 2008 until June 30, 2009, first home buyers who purchase an established home will receive a $14,000 boost in the First Home Owners Grant. First Home buyers who purchase a newly built home will receive a $21,000 grant.
Kevin Rudd is taking decisive and early action to protect our economy from the global financial crisis
Australian Financial Review 15.10.2008
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Sid Sidebottom MP Senator Nick Sherry December 2008 For a Fair Go in Braddon
Economic Security Strategy to help Savers Kevin Rudd and Nick Sherry, Federal Minister for Superannuation and Corporate Law, know that the global financial crisis has caused many people to worry about their savings. That’s why the Rudd Government has acted early and decisively to safeguard the Australian financial system. We have acted to guarantee bank, building society and credit union deposits and bank funding. We will also provide additional protection to policy holders in the unlikely event that a general insurer fails. There are also new measures to ensure the continuing integrity, fairness and transparency of our markets. That is why independent regulator the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) introduced a temporary ban on short selling. Transparency is vital for promoting investor confidence. Investor confidence relies on the integrity of market systems and the institutions that serve the market. While properly regulated short selling has a role in the operation of our markets, it is prudent to restrict it at a time of heightened market uncertainty. The Government is also ensuring that the regulators who act as the guardians for our financial system are properly resourced. That’s why we have approved extra funding for both the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority and the
Australian Securities and Investments Commission. ASIC’s funding in 2008-09 is budgeted at $303.3 million, which represents an increase of about 85 per cent in real terms since 2000-01. The Prime Minister recently announced that ASIC would receive additional funding of $10 million in 2008-09 and $20 million in 2009-10 to provide “front line” resources to undertake market monitoring and enforcement. These measures add to the Government’s $10.4 billion Economic Security Package which will provide much needed assistance to Australian families, pensioners and carers while underpinning growth in our economy. The Economic Security Strategy complements the Reserve Bank of Australia’s recent move to cut official interest rates and measures the Rudd Government announced in the 2008-9 Budget.
Senator Sherry’s office has moved Nick Sherry’s new Devonport office was officially opened by Senator Penny Wong, Minister for Climate Change and Water, on November 5. Minister Wong paid tribute to Nick’s 18 year service to Tasmania and particularly the NW Coast during the morning tea. About 50 guests attended the event.
Nick Sherry’s new address is: Upper Level, 69 Best Street, Devonport. Parking and entry is from the rear. (ph) 6424 8241.
Nick Sherry’s new Devonport office was officially opened last month. Senator Penny Wong was a special guest at the event. Picture: Peter Lord.
The Braddon Bottom Line
Sid Sidebottom MP For a Fair Go in Braddon Senator Nick Sherry
www.sidsidebottom.com
New TAFE Sid donates gear to training Kommunity Program facility in Burnie Sid Sidebottom MP Senator Nick Sherry
For a Fair Go in Braddon
December Sid spent2008 some time with the
Burnie Kommunity Kids in October, when he donated two cricket bats, wickets and balls to the after-school program.
The Kommunity Kids program began in May this year as an initiative of the Burnie Police Early Intervention and Youth Action Unit. It attracts about 50 children to each session.
Sid congratulates TAFE Burnie’s carpentry and joinery team leader Mark Butler on the renovated building, which Mr Butler helped build as an apprentice.
A new training facility at TAFE Tasmania’s Burnie campus will assist local businesses in meeting the continuing demand for skills in the area. Sid officially opened the upgrade to TAFE’s Block D in October. The Australian Government provided $1.52 million for the campus to refurbish teacher and student resource and accommodation areas, and upgrade heating, ventilation and fire services. Significant new features have been added, including a Program Logic Control Laboratory, electronics laboratory and instrumentation and calibration area. The facility is an excellent example of the Government, business and the community working together to meet the ongoing demand for skilled workers in the West/NorthWest region.
The program was initially designed to give children and young people something to do in the hours straight after school to try to combat a recent rise in anti-social behaviour in the area.
December 2008
Sid spends some time with the Burnie Kommunity Kids. He recently donated cricket bats, wickets and balls to the afterschool program.
Kommunity Kids is a fantastic program, providing youngsters with meaningful activities to occupy their time and mind while also allowing youngsters to There has been a recognisable drop in develop a meaningful relationship with incidents since the program’s inceplocal police. tion.
Support for budding sporting champions The Local Sporting Champions program was launched last month, allowing young North-West sports champions representing the State and country to apply for a financial boost from the Rudd Government. A total of $12,500 will be made available annually to be distributed between individuals and teams on the NW Coast.
The Braddon Local Sporting Champions Selection Committee has been established to decide where the grants will be allocated each year. Eligibility requirements and other details of the grants are available at: www.ausport.gov.au/champions.
Parents and carers can now log onto to a new website at:
www.mychild.gov.au
to get the latest health, early learning, child care and parenting support information.
Mychild also features a searchable database of local child care centres, including the services each child care centre on the North-West Coast provides, and the fees they charge.
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The Braddon Bottom Line
Sid Sidebottom MP Senator Nick Sherry December 2008
www.sidsidebottom.com
For a Fair Go in Braddon
Binge Drinking survey: education is the key
A survey conducted by Sid’s office has revealed most young people on the North-West Coast think education is the key to tackling binge drinking. Sid surveyed 5500 North-West Coasters aged 18-25, asking for their personal views on binge drinking and about their binge drinking behaviour. Sid said he really appreciated the time people took to write letters in addition to their survey to share their own personal experiences with alcohol. The majority of the 405 respondents indicated that graphic education campaigns about the risks associated with binge drinking needed to be implemented in primary schools, and then extended through to the end of high school. Sid will now take the survey results to Federal Parliament to share with Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon. Sid said he believed the alcopop tax
was largely misunderstood in the NorthWest community - mostly due to incorrect media reports. Rather than simply increasing the tax for the sake of it, the new tax actually closes a loophole to ensure that spirits in mixed drinks are now taxed at the same rate as spirits when they were sold straight. According to figures released by the Australian Tax Office there has been a 54% reduction in the sales of alcopops since the Rudd Government closed the alcopops loophole.
Other interesting results: Most popular alcoholic drinks:
Alcopo 0% ps: 23 3 : a k % Vod Beer: 29%
How the Rudd Government should tackle binge drinking? Education: 33% Drop alcopop tax: 25% Binge drinking can’t be stopped: 12.9% Harsher penalties for underage drinking: 11% Lift legal drinking age to 21: 8% Binge drinking behaviour: 77% of respondents didn’t consider themselves to be a binge drinker 16% of respondents did consider themselves a binge drinker
Device to protect elderly gains $238,677 Rudd Government boost
Innovative Wynyard-based company Assistive Technologies Pty Ltd received $283,677 from the Federal Government last month to help commercialise its fall-prevention system for the elderly and people in care. Called the Proxi-Mate system, the device allows carers to monitor the movement of those in their care through an electronic sensor. Proxi-Mate is perfect for use in aged care facilities and hospitals as it discreetly alerts carers when the person they are caring for rises from their bed or chair. The ingenious system includes bed and chair sensors, door alarms and physical alarms. Proxi-Mate uses an infra-red motion detector which is generally undetectable to the person being cared for. The Proxi-Mate system has been in the making for about 10 years, with more than 500 already sold throughout Tasmania.
Assistive Technologies Managing Director Michael Parsons shows Sid how the Proxi-mate system works in a bed.
The funding came from the final round of the Federal Government’s Intelligent Island Market Access and Partnership Program (MAPP).
The Braddon Bottom Line
Sid Sidebottom MP For a Fair Go in Braddon Senator Nick Sherry
www.sidsidebottom.com
Industry lining up for new service
Business is already lining up to take advantage of the new $12 million Enterprise Connect Centre opened recently in Burnie. Sid was thrilled to see the new centre launched on November 6 by Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, Senator Kim Carr.
Sid saw the project as an important opportunity for Braddon and Tasmania as a whole during the election campaign, and lobbied hard to see it come to the region. The centre is vital, particularly during these uncertain times, to help
Sid Sidebottom MP Senator Nick Sherry
improve the long-term security of local manufacturers and assist them to grow their businesses. Sid said it was a vote of conDecember 2008 fidence from businesses, like Australian Weaving Mills at Devonport where the launch was held, that the service could offer something to all types of business. Sid said it was also important for Tasmania that it was part of the national network. “Enterprise Connect offers some real expertise in so many areas, and through the new centre
For a Fair Go in Braddon
December 2008
Sid and Minister Kim Carr speak to staff at Australian Weaving Mills about the $12m manufacturing centre project.
Tasmanian businesses can tap into that knowledge wherever it is in the country.
Braddon projects report card
Projects delivered ;;
$12m Enterprise Connect Centre - Burnie.
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$700,000 King Island Freight Equalisation.
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$12m TT-Line subsidy.
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$60,000 Penguin Medical Centre.
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$1.25m for Sisters of Charity, Devonport.
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$180m for the Mersey Community Hospital.
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$1.8m Ulverstone Wharf and Show ground - tenders called.
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$500,000 for BEC Devonport.
Projects underway ;;
$10m for better patient transport with a focus on the NW Coast – negotiations underway.
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$7.5m GP Super Clinics - Devonport and Burnie.
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$3m Burnie Waterfront precinct.
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$1m Mersey Bluff redevelopment, Devonport.
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$200,000 Port Sorell Surf Life Saving Club extension.
Senator Nick Sherry Labor Senator for Tasmania Upper Level, 69 Best St, Devonport, Tas, 7310 ( 64 248241 7 6424 8555 8 minister.sherry@treasury.gov.au
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$300,000 King Island television reception.
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$750,000 Ulverstone to Turners Beach pathway.
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$750,000 Stage 2 Circular Head Community Recreation Centre.
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$120,000 Somerset Soccer Club.
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$30,000 Circular Head Little Athletics Centre.
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Autism specific child care centre.
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$185,000 Table Cape Lighthouse tourist project.
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$7.7m new cancer treatment unit with a preference for the NW Coast - under negotiation.
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$500,000 Oakleigh Park Rail Overpass - under negotiation.
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Medicare licence for MRI machine at NW Regional Hospital - under negotiation.
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$200,000 St Brigids Hall, Wynyard.
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$175,000 King Island Food and Recreation Trail.
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$30,000 CH Little Athletics Centre.
Sid Sidebottom MP Federal Member for Braddon Shop 2/32 Wilmot St, Burnie, Tas, 7320 P.O. Box 908, Burnie, Tas, 7320 ( 1300 135 547 (toll free), 64 311 333 7 64 31 5680 8 sid.sidebottom.MP@aph.gov.au
Sid, Nick and their staff wish all North-West Coasters a Merry Christmas and safe and happy 2009. Authorised by Sid Sidebottom, 684 Forth Rd, TAS 7310. Printed by Nova Design & Print Centre, 129 Rooke St, Devonport.
6431 5680
sid.sidebottom.MP@aph.gov.au