The Government estimates suggest as many as 1000 homes could be death traps due to the Rudd Government’s rushed Home Insulation Program.  I urge people who have installed foil insulation under the program or have other complaints with the Home Insulation Program to contact my office on 3205 9977.
KEVIN RUDD’S GREAT BIG NEW TAX v TONY ABBOTT’S DIRECT ACTION
The price of virtually everything we buy will rise if the Rudd Government manages to have its Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme, otherwise known as its Emissions Trading Scheme, passed by Parliament. Some estimates are that it will cost every household more than $1100 a year; Mr Rudd seems determined to impose this $120 billion big new tax on Australians. Mr Rudd re-introduced it to Federal Parliament in recent weeks despite it being rejected late last year - the Coalition is opposed to it. We’ve heard nothing from Mr Rudd about the cost of his scheme to Australian families. It certainly seems that the Labor Government doesn’t know how much it will cost.  The Treasurer recently said that he could not guarantee that no-one would be worse off under the planned scheme. The scheme is deeply flawed and our economy will be badly affected by it, not only will prices rise, but jobs will be in jeopardy. The Coalition has put forward an alternative plan for direct action to address climate change; it is incentive-based encouraging Australian families and businesses to reduce their carbon emissions through meaningful and effective direct action. It will achieve the same outcome for the environment as Mr Rudd’s scheme, but it will not hit families and small businesses. Labor’s plan will dramatically hit both sending electricity prices through the roof.
ELECTRICITY PRICES
A key impact of Labor’s scheme would be to dramatically increase the cost of electricity - hitting every home and every small business. Every time you turn on a light, a stove, television, work tools or computer you will be paying more. The Prime Minister was forced to confirm that electricity prices would rise by 19 per cent in the first two years of his scheme alone; he needs to reveal the real costs to us all. The independent NSW power industry regulator has estimated a 62 per cent electricity price rise over the next three years and estimates the Labor Emissions Trading Scheme accounts for at least a third of that cost. Don’t let Kevin Rudd do to Australia what Anna Bligh has done to Queensland.
CHRISTMAS ISLAND DETENTION CENTRE
Another Labor policy failure has occurred on border protection and immigration. Our once orderly program is now in tatters. The Rudd Government has lost control of who comes into the country. The Christmas Island detention centre is now bursting at the seams with several thousand people there. The boats are now arriving directly at the island. The Labor Government has virtually created a sea highway to Christmas Island which has become a visa factory for people smugglers.
CATARACTS
As a follow up to my last column, Cataract surgery will again be cheaper with those needing treatment no longer hit with hundreds of dollars in extra costs. The Coalition has forced the Rudd Government to back-down from imposing the extra costs with its ill-conceived decision to slash – by half – Medicare rebates for the treatment. I worked continually over the last three months to force the Health Minister to see commonsense that the decision to cut the rebates was hurting patients, often the people who could least afford to pay more for this life-changing surgery. The rebates will now only be 12 per cent lower than they were previously. The Rudd Government is following the Beattie-Bligh path in health, making a series of decisions which impact detrimentally on patients.
SWIM SAFETY
Summer sees us take to the water around Australia – the beach or the pool. This year unfortunately has been a horror time with more than 62 people drowned. Since the year 2000 more than 300 children under 5 have drowned in private swimming pools. Laurie Lawrence, well known for his “Kids Alive – Do the Five” campaign, has now produced a comprehensive water safety DVD. This free resource is for parents and carers of children under 5. We have copies of the DVD at my office and I’d encourage parents to come in and collect one.
MOBILE OFFICE
I’ll also have copies of the water safety DVD with me in the mobile office. I’ll be at numerous locations across Dickson over coming weeks, so stop by, say hello, and pick up the DVD which could help you save a life.