Time to vote

4 Warrandyte Diary MAY 2019

Federal Election 2019:

Stella Yee Labor

Warrandyte is a beautiful, unique community that should never be taken for granted.

The concerns of this community are diverse, including cost of living pressures such as energy bills and childcare costs, action on climate change, traffic and transport, increased funding for schools and better support of our local hospitals.

Secure work is also a concern of many.

It is important to have a local member of parliament who is engaged with the community, who lives in the community and who is responsive to their concerns.

It is also important to have a local member of parliament who shares the values of the local community. Development needs to reflect neighbourhood character and need.

We want the unique nature of Warrandyte, the leafy trees and rural feel to be preserved, but we also want easy access to good services.

This includes a reliable NBN, especially for the more than 3,000

small businesses operating from home in the greater Warrandyte area.

A Shorten Labor Government will ensure Australian small businesses and households get a fair go by establishing NBN service standards and penalties for underperformance — increasing accountability and better protecting consumers against service downtime.

Warrandyte wants a local MP who believes in the science of climate change.

Our local community and economy are dependent on action to combat climate change and protect our river and our agricultural industries.

Last year was yet another that was the hottest on record; in an area like Warrandyte where bushfires are a concern, we must act.

It’s time for the climate change war to end and for government to show true leadership to reduce emissions and make energy cheaper.

Labor will reduce emissions by 45 per cent by 2030 and will deliver 50 per cent renewables by 2030, lowering

power prices and carbon pollution.

Childcare costs continue to grow and in response, from July next year, Labor will put more money back in working parents’ pockets for 887,000 Australian families — slashing up to $2,100 per child off their annual childcare bill.

Every single family in Australia earning up to $174,000 will get cheaper child care with Labor.

Our local primary schools have been underfunded by the Abbott-Turnbull- Morrison Government and Labor will increase funding to Warrandyte’s public schools.

Our kinders will also benefit, with Labor ensuring funding for 3 and 4-year-old kinder, reducing this cost to families, as well as increasing early childhood educators’ pay by 20 per cent.

Labor will reduce out of pocket costs for cancer treatment and hospitals like the Austin will get more support, including a new MRI machine licence and an additional $20 million for the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research

Institute.

Seniors will also benefit, with those on the Age Pension or who hold a Commonwealth Seniors Health Card allocated $1,000 of free dental care every two years.

I have heard from Warrandyte residents through my street stalls, door knocking and visits to local markets that they want a local MP who is in touch with their needs and isn’t caught up in ideological battles that don’t help put food on the table or pay their bills.

They want an MP who knows, understands and listens to their community.

I would be that MP.

Where to vote on May 18

Rachel Payne Reason Party

Robert Humphreys The Greens

The people of Warrandyte care deeply about maintaining a vibrant, peaceful and diverse community.

I personally believe the parks, wildlife and largely untouched bushland of Warrandyte, make it a fantastic place to live.

Residents are looking for fiscally responsible, progressive change this election.

Kevin Andrews has spent the last 28 years in Parliament blocking any measure that conflicts with his personal views as a Catholic.

It’s time for a real liberal to represent the community.

Infrastructure on our city’s fringe is struggling to keep up with population growth.

Residents are dealing with everincreasing commute times and would be thoroughly disillusioned with transport infrastructure investment

As a Christian minister for 45 years, I’m standing for the Greens because our policies match with the principles of the Christian faith — justice, equality, compassion and care for the environment.

Our policies include protecting the planet and humanity with real action on climate change and protecting the environment, compassionate treatment of refugees, ensuring that everyone has access to good schools, a universal healthcare system, sustainable and affordable housing and jobs that pay fair wages.

The world’s climate scientists are telling us we have a decade to tackle global warming, which means transitioning away from coal, oil and gas and into renewable energy, otherwise we’re heading for a climate catastrophe.

The Greens have a fully costed policy

being guided by political decisions and pork-barrelling.

Reason’s plan to legalise, regulate and tax adult cannabis use, will bring significant revenue to the government, allowing more investment in roads, schools and services.

If elected, I would recommend a parliamentary committee investigate a Federal framework for the States to decide their own approach to regulation.

I would also move to extend access to medicinal cannabis and implement a national driving impairment policy to keep our roads safe.

Residents know and appreciate that the area is home to many local artists who the major parties have neglected.

Reason’s policy to set aside 1 per cent of the funds that currently go to major art institutions (e.g. Australia Council, Opera Australia, Festivals

to phase out the use of all fossil fuels and transition to 100 per cent renewables by 2030, creating 180,000 plus jobs nationally in sustainable industries and bringing down skyrocketing energy prices that are putting household and businesses under pressure.

The Greens oppose the Adani coal project in Queensland and unlike Labor and Liberal parties, refuse large donations from fossil fuel companies.

The Greens believe we need to clean up politics in Australia.

Since 2012, the major parties have taken $100 million in corporate donations — they’re working for their corporate mates, not the Australian people.

The Greens also want to ban corporate donations from the coal and fossil fuel industry, the big banks, gambling and property developers.

In addition, the Greens would ban

Australia) and redirect it to small and medium institutions, would bring some diversity to the creative sector.

I know many residents are concerned about our climate emergency, for which I will say; I unequivocally support renewables and evidencebased solutions for the environment.

Others may not see this as a major issue for them, but would likely agree that the beautiful surrounds of Warrandyte make it a very special place, given its proximity to Melbourne.

I believe that voters are looking for a viable alternative for their community from a party who has a track record of getting stuff done.

It’s time for more ‘REASON’ in politics.

Please check out Reason’s full range of policies at reason.org.au.

MPs from accepting lobbying jobs after they retire from Parliament.

The Greens have also long called for a Federal Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate and prosecute politicians when they do the wrong thing.

The Greens support a new generation of environmental laws to preserve, restore and expand our green spaces; clean up our environment by banning the use of plastic bags; improving our waterways (like the Yarra River).

The Greens will establish an Environmental Protection Authority to be a new cop on the beat against those who would trash our unique environment.

Under the Greens, new deal spending on environmental protection will go from $70million to $455million.

The Greens seek to protect the rights of community groups, charities, and other non-for-profits to speak out for

The Diary has compiled a list of polling places within 10km of Warrandyte.

Warrandyte Primary School

Warranwood Primary SchoolWonga Park Primary SchoolRingwood North Primary SchoolResearch Primary SchoolPark Orchards Communtiy Centre

North Warrandyte Family Centre

Kangaroo Ground Primary School

Whitefriars College

OnemdaDoncaster Rovers Soccer Club (available for interstate voting)

and against government of the day policy.

The Greens offer voters the opportunity to express their desire for an Australia where we all live in a healthy, caring environment; where governments seek to pursue policies to benefit all and not a privileged minority.

An Australia that treats all people — whether First, or Second Peoples with dignity and respect; and where we cooperate with other nations in removing the root causes of war: injustice, poverty, disease and climate change.

(Small green ballot paper)

VOTE

KEVIN

ANDREWS MP

FEDERAL MEMBER FOR MENZIES

Start here and number every box

You must number every box.Electoral Division of Menzies

3 KELLEHER, T M

1

ANDREWS, Kevin

LIBERAL

4 YEE, S

5 PAYNE, R

2 FULLER, B S

6 HUMPHREYS, R

Authorised by Simon Frost, Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division), 104 Exhibition St Melbourne VIC 3000.

MAY 2019 Warrandyte Diary 5

meet your candidates

Kevin Andrews Liberal

The coming election presents a stark choice.

If elected, Labor would increase taxes by hundreds of billions of dollars — including on retirees, housing, incomes, investments and family businesses.

These tax hikes would not only penalise those who work hard to get ahead.

They would also hurt many Australians who have, in good faith, planned their retirement according to certain rules, only to have those rules radically changed to their detriment.

When Labor was last in government, they had inherited a $20 billion surplus.

Over six years Labor produced six deficits, totalling $240 billion. It has taken years to recover.

Budget surplus and more jobs

This year, the Morrison Government will return the Budget to surplus.

Last financial year, for the first time, over 100,000 young Australians got a job.

We need the Morrison Government to be re-elected to ensure a strong economy, and an Australia where families and small businesses can get ahead.

Better services

A strong economy means we have the ability to pay for needed services, such as our local schools.

Hence the Coalition has committed to a 55 per cent growth per student in future Commonwealth funding for state schools in Menzies.

This is good news for parents with students at Warrandyte and Andersons Creek Primary Schools and Warrandyte Secondary School.

And Catholic and independent school funding is also increasing.

Local roads

I have also secured more than $16 million in funding for local roads, to ease congestion in Menzies.

This is particularly important for traffic pinch points over the Yarra River.

Warrandyte projects

Locally, I have secured funding for many projects, including the Warrandyte RSL to upgrade facilities, the Friends of Warrandyte State Park to install a water system, as well as road safety improvements in North Warrandyte.

A new electronic scoreboard has been funded for the South Warrandyte Cricket Club.

Business assistance

16,531 small and medium businesses in Menzies are benefitting from tax relief introduced by the Government.

1,357 local businesses have taken advantage of the popular instant asset write-off scheme.

Recent changes mean that the write off will now apply to assets of up to $25,000 — helping local business and jobs.

58,924 low and middle income earners in Menzies will benefit from income tax relief this year, with many receiving the full tax offset.

And most income earners will never move into a higher tax bracket under the Coalition’s proposals.

Fighting for Warrandyte

I am also fighting for more funding for Warrandyte, including lighting improvements at the Warrandyte Football Club, funding towards resurfacing the all-weather oval at Anderson’s Creek Primary School and grants for the Middle Yarra Landcare Network and Yarra River Keepers as part of our Communities Environment Program.

This is a practical approach to improve the health of our Yarra River.

A stark choice

The choice at this election is stark.

It is between a Coalition Government that will grow the economy and jobs, increase services, and reduce taxes — and a Bill Shorten government that will increase taxes on retirees, housing, investments and family businesses.

Teresa Kelleher Democratic Labour Party

Terri is a lawyer and is the National spokesperson for the Australian Family Association.

Terri has worked for the Director of Public Prosecutions and for one of the largest Australian Unions.

Terri has been involved in numerous campaigns supporting family rights and opposing the anti-life policies of full-term abortion and euthanasia.

Terri grew up in country Victoria and is married with four children.

She has dedicated herself to stand for those family principles that governments seem to discard so readily in recent years.

The thought of the Socialist ALP winning government alongside their extremist allies the Greens brought Terri to the decision that she had to stand as a candidate, not only of genuine traditional Labour policies but of a decent and principled MP who she could support.

As the Democratic Labour Party (Labour DLP) is not standing a candidate in her own electorate Terri has chosen to stand in the neighbouring seat of Menzies in support of Kevin Andrews and his fight against the socially and economically dangerous policies of the ALP and Greens.

As a Labour DLP candidate Terri is campaigning on traditional Labour policies.

Every policy the DLP propose is determined on three questions. Is it good for the family? Is it good for the worker? Is it good for the community? Terri believes one of the most basic of Labour policies that is being ignored by the ALP is the policy of Income Splitting, which allows a couple to split their income between them for taxation purposes, thereby increasing the families annual disposable income

and reducing the necessity for both parents to work full time and place their children in long term child care.

An equally important policy is the National Student Credit scheme in which funding for students is given to the parents in the form of a credit rather than directly to the schools. This credit can then be allocated to the school that meets the parents requirements upon the enrolment of their child.

The policy also allows for a pro-rata payment for home-schooling families.

Negative gearing would also stay for the first property but would reduce on a sliding scale by 10 per cent for the second property, 25 per cent for the third, 50 per cent for the fourth, 75 per cent for the fifth and be eliminated for the sixth and further properties.

This would protect the small investor and self-funded retirees while granting a reduced benefit to larger investors.

Terri is also campaigning on the Labour DLP policy, first introduced in the 1970’s, of free dental care for children under 16 and all pensioners.

Nationally Terri and Labour DLP are calling for a National Development Bank to fund major infrastructure projects through voluntary Australian Superannuation investments instead of overseas borrowings.

Fuel security is also a vital concern for most Australians and Labour DLP is calling for a National Fuel reserve to guarantee 12 months supply for emergency services, defence and public transport requirements and a six month supply for the public.

Terri believes that all government policies should be based on the three questions Labour DLP asks and displays on its website

www.dlp.org.au

Brett Fuller United Australia Party

There are obviously many varied issues that are of importance to the people and community of Warrandyte, the UAP and myself.

Different issues for different stages in people’s lives and different areas within Warrandyte.

Rising costs of amenities

Creating reliable, sustainable and affordable energy for all Australians for now and into the future.

Electricity prices have gone up 50 per cent in the past 10 years.

Every household and every business is paying for excessive and unnecessary over-investment in our electricity network by the power companies.

Australian consumers are being ripped off by the power companies.

Emergency services

Managing bushfires effectively by consulting the communities and the fire authorities.

Tax breaks for small business.

Change how provisional tax is paid. Many Small businesses are crippled by provisional tax.

Allowing them to pay provisional tax at the end of the year after they have earned their money, instead of quarterly in advance, the United Australia Party will release $70 billion into the economy.

Aged services

An increase in pensions of $150 per week.

Protecting, supporting and helping Elderly Residents in their homes, with maintenance, meals and company.

Supporting the RSL and our wonderful Veterans.

Local heritage and facilities

Maintaining and protecting Warrandyte’s heritage.

Supporting Sporting Clubs by lobbying local government on their

behalf to upgrade and maintain rundown facilities.

Supporting farmers

Promoting, protecting and supporting Australian Farmers and Australian Industry.

We are behind our farmers and we will introduce the Australia Fund to support our primary producers in times of natural disaster or economic hardship.

What Australia grows, grows Australia.

Government must allocate greater funds to assist our farmers and protect our national food security.

Political entitlements

Outgoing members of parliament should not be entitled to ongoing taxpayer funded entitlements.

Politicians do not make a greater contribution to the nation than anyone else.

Everyday Australians should not have to support the retirement lifestyle of former politicians.

Everybody should be treated equally in Australia.

On a personal level, Aged Care is something I am very passionate about.

Having worked in the industry for over 13 years, I am aware of many things that need to be changed to create a better environment for residents and staff.

Carer-to-patient ratios, is a key area which needs to have a standard set.

This is also the case in nurse-topatient ratio’s in the medical field.

If elected I would consult with the people of Warrandyte, so that together we can prioritize what needs to be actioned first and together we can “Make Australia Great”. “Put Australia First”.