The launch of the Green Army is getting closer and the Government is now calling on councils and community groups to submit ideas for new projects in Bonner.

An application form and project guidelines for Green Army projects are now available for organisations to begin planning new projects under the Green Army Programme.

“The Government is looking for projects that will make a real difference to the environment and local communities,” Ross Vasta MP said.

The Green Army will be Australia’s largest-ever team supporting environmental action across the country, building to 15,000 young Australians by 2018.

The Green Army provides opportunities for young people in Bonner to gain training and experience in environmental and heritage conservation fields and explore careers in conservation management, while participating in projects that generate real benefits for the environment locally.

“As the Federal Member for Bonner I will be working with local community groups to fight for projects to be delivered in our community,” Ross Vasta MP said.

“Groups in Bonner will be able to bid to host a Green Army Team. Project activities could involve restoring and protecting habitat, weeding, planting, cleaning up creeks and rivers and conserving cultural heritage places,” Ross Vasta MP said.

“Under the Programme, participants will be paid an allowance and undertake accredited training.”

Applications for Project proposals will open on Monday 14 April 2014 and close Friday 9 May 2014. To be eligible for the first round of the Programme, projects must be ready to commence between 1 July 2014 and 30 June 2015.

Project guidelines and information to help groups interested in submitting Green Army Projects plan their proposals is available now at: www.environment.gov.au/green-army

The Abbott Coalition Government has delivered its election promise to 57,000 military superannuants and their families.

385 of veterans living in Bonner will benefit from the Government’s legislation which delivers fair indexation. 

Ross Vasta MP welcomed the passage of the Defence Force Retirement Benefits Legislation Amendment (Fair Indexation) Bill 2014 through the Senate, giving effect to the Government’s commitment to give veterans a fair go in Bonner and across Australia. 

“Thursday 27 March 2014 is a day for fairness.  The Government fulfilled its pledge to give veterans a fair go.  We made a promise and we have kept it to the letter”, Ross Vasta MP said.

“From 1 July 2015, Defence Forces Retirement Benefits scheme (DFRB) and Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits scheme (DFRDB) military superannuants aged 55 and over will have their pensions indexed in the same way as age and service pensions. The fair indexation provisions will also extend to reversionary (widow) pensioners aged 55 and over.” 

“This has been a long fought campaign for equity, justice and fairness, by the entire veteran community across Australia. The Coalition promised our veterans a fair go before the 2010 and 2013 elections and now we have delivered our promise.”

“The passing of this legislation today confirms this Government’s recognition of the unique nature of military service and the sacrifices military personnel and their families make on behalf of all Australians.”

“This legislation is an investment in fairness and will ensure the purchasing power of DFRB and DFRDB military superannuation pensions is maintained.”

“By passing this legislation today, veterans and their families have finally been delivered the fair go that they deserve, and that they were promised”, Ross Vasta MP said.

Registrations are now open for events during Australian Heritage Week 2014 and I encourage everyone in Bonner to get involved.

Australian Heritage Week is an annual national celebration of the places, buildings, landscapes and stories of our local communities and provides a link to our nation’s heritage.

Local groups and communities in Bonner can get involved in Australian Heritage Week by planning and hosting a range of exciting activities to showcase the unique heritage within the community.

Registering an event is open to everyone who wants to share and celebrate what makes Bonner special. I encourage everyone in the community to find the best way to showcase our local area to the rest of Australia.

Australian Heritage Week 2013 event highlights included heritage walks, concerts in the park, community fairs and festivals, tours of historic buildings and places, and hands-on activities for children. These are just some of the many activities that we can hold during Australian Heritage Week 2014 in Bonner to celebrate our local heritage.

National Heritage forms one of the key pillars under the Government’s Cleaner Environment Plan and Australian Heritage Week will be an opportunity for communities and local groups to celebrate and learn about our heritage.

Australian Heritage Week 2014 will run from Saturday 12 April to Sunday 20 April.

For more information on registering your event, please visit http://heritage-week.govspace.gov.au/

Ross Vasta welcomes news the Prime Minister has recommended the establishment of a Royal Commission to inquire into alleged financial irregularities associated with the affairs of trade unions.

It will inquire into the activities relating to ‘slush funds’ and other similar funds and entities established by, or related to, the affairs of these organisations.

“This will not be an inquiry into trade unionism or the day to day activities of honest trade union officials,” said Ross Vasta.

“This Royal Commission is about shining a great big spotlight on the dark corners of our community and the increasingly widespread claims of unlawful activity, corruption, kickbacks and collusion within sections of the union movement.”

“We don’t want honest workers to be ripped off by dishonest union bosses,” said Ross Vasta.

“This is a government committed to the rule of law. Honest workers and honest unionists in Bonner should not be ripped off by corrupt union officials. Honest local businesses should be able to get on with their work without fear of intimidation, corruption and standover tactics.”

The terms of reference are not limited to any particular organisations, particular allegations or particular industries. The inquiry will be able to go wherever the evidence leads it. Union officials, employers and any other persons who are involved in such conduct will be subject to equal scrutiny.

Ross Vasta says it’s time for Labor to support the establishment of this Royal Commission.

“Bill Shorten and the Labor Party should not be running a protection racket for dodgy union officials. They may owe their jobs to their union leaders, but they owe their service to the hard working Australian people.”

Older people in Bonner will get extra support and care services-such as cleaning, meals, nursing care and transport-to remain living independently at home thanks to a $1,280,052 Australian Government investment.

The Member for Bonner, Ross Vasta MP, said the funding was part of a $240 million investment under the Commonwealth Home and Community Care (HACC) program.

“This extra funding will help expand existing services or create new ones in identified priority areas of need in Bonner,” Ross Vasta MP said.

“In Bonner, we know there is a real need for domestic assistance, social support, and transport, and that’s where the majority of funding will go.

“These services are essential to older people staying safe and well, and remaining connected to their community and in control of their own lives.”

“The Australian Government believes that older Australians should have the support and care they need to continue to live at home as long as they choose.”

Assistant Minister for Social Services, Mitch Fifield said “The Commonwealth HACC program provides critical basic maintenance, care and support services where most people prefer to receive it-in their own homes and communities.

“We have made sure a large portion of the funding is going towards services that meet each region’s most pressing needs.

Ross Vasta welcomes the decision by the Australian Taxation Office to withdraw its draft ruling about the way GST is applied to moveable home sites.

The decision means there will be no change to the longstanding GST treatment of rented mobile homes.

Submissions about the draft ruling convinced the ATO that mobile home estates and caravan parks are similar enough to receive the same GST treatment – both involve letting sites separately to the home and the use of shared facilities.

“This is a sensible decision by the Tax Office to stick with its interpretation of the Howard Government’s GST legislation that puts residents of mobile home estates on the same footing as those in caravan parks,” said Ross Vasta.

Residents of mobile homes and caravan parks, like most Australians on modest incomes, are struggling with cost of living pressures.

Ross Vasta said “I’m pleased the Tax Office has given these residents an early Christmas present by announcing they won’t go ahead with a change in their interpretation of this GST law. The decision removes months of uncertainty that would have been hanging over the heads of my constituents.”

It is now over to Bill Shorten to get Labor out of the way and support the Abbott Government’s repeal of the carbon tax.

“Repealing the carbon tax will save hundreds of dollars on Australians’ electricity bills, so Labor should make a new year’s resolution to respect the outcome of the election and come back to Parliament in 2014 and support the Government’s decision to abolish the tax,” said Ross Vasta

Ross Vasta Member for Bonner said he was pleased with the progress the new Government has made in the first 100 days since the election.  Monday 16 December marks 100 days since the 7 September election.

 “We are implementing the plan that we took to the election to build a strong, prosperous economy and a safe, secure Australia. 

 “I want to assure the people of Bonner that we are the Government that will scrap the Carbon Tax, end the waste, get the Budget back under control, stop the boats and build the infrastructure of the 21^st century. 

 “One of my first actions as Member for Bonner was to vote to scrap the Carbon Tax.  Scrapping the Carbon Tax will benefit an average family by $550 every year and will remove a $9 billion weight from the economy – creating more jobs and opportunities.  The bill to scrap the Carbon Tax is currently before the Senate.

 “We have also scrapped Labor’s $1.8 billion tax hit on cars as well as made self-education more affordable for people who are seeking to improve their skills and get ahead.

 “These are practical measures to help families and strengthen the economy.  Jobs and families are at the heart of the Coalition Government’s Plan. 

 “Our Plan is about reducing cost-of-living pressures for families, improving job security, encouraging small business and delivering better services – and that is what I am working for every day”.

Ross Vasta said he was pleased to report that Operation Sovereign Borders was working and that illegal boat arrivals had slowed dramatically.

 “Illegal boat arrivals have slowed by about 80 per cent and there has been real progress in securing the borders”.

 Ross Vasta said that after six years of record debt and deficits, the Government is also determined to bring the Budget back under control.

 “Interest on the debt is averaging $10 billion a year.  Governments, like households, must live within their means.  The $10 billion a year we spend on interest is money that could be used to improve services, cut debt, or cut taxes.

 “The Coalition has made a strong start during its first 100 days in government.  My promise is not to let up in 2014 and to keep working for Bonner In 2014, we will build the stronger, more prosperous country that we all want.”

The launch of the Emergency+ smartphone app by the Australian Government.

When activated, the Emergency+ app provides users with their GPS reference which they can verbally provide to an emergency call taker to pinpoint their physical location.

The increase in mobile phone use by Australians means that more than 65 per cent of calls to Triple Zero are made from mobile phones.

Sometimes mobile phone users are not aware of their physical location – making it difficult for emergency call operators to accurately and quickly dispatch emergency services.

This app solves this problem by providing callers with the ability to verbally provide emergency call operators with their location information as determined by their smartphone’s GPS capability.

The app also contains the emergency contact numbers and a short explanation of when to call non-emergency numbers such as the Police Assistance Line (131 444) and the SES national number (132 500). This is to help members of the public dial the correct number and reduce the number of calls to the Triple Zero (000) service that should be directed to another service.

The Emergency+ app is available free of charge on iOS and Android devices through the Google Play store and the Apple App Store.

The development of the app was funded by the Australian Government through a National Emergency Management Project grant.

Small businesses and family enterprises in Bonner are one step closer to reduced red tape with the House of Representatives passing legislation to simplify payments under the Paid Parental Leave scheme.

“The small businesses in Bonner have been unnecessarily bearing the ‘pay clerk’ burden and costs of the extra workload, not to mention restructuring their payroll and accounting systems,” said Ross Vasta the member for Bonner.

“That’s why the Coalition is delivering on its commitment to ease administrative burdens on business by ensuring they no longer have to act as paymaster for the Commonwealth Government’s Paid Parental Leave Scheme unless they choose otherwise.

“Most employers have always been against this added and unnecessary red tape which was introduced by Labor and expressed their opposition during consultations before the scheme started.

“We have listened to the people of Bonner and are committed to getting it right and easing administrative burdens on business.

“We know how hard it can be for new parents to manage their budget after the birth of a child and will deliver a genuine scheme to give mothers six months leave based on their actual wage, rather than being limited to 18 weeks of payment at the national minimum wage.

“The Abbott Coalition Government is getting on with the job of building a stronger economy to help small business and families get ahead and this important move forms part of our commitment to reduce $1 billion of red tape by removing the carbon tax, improving productivity and growth.

“The Coalition will ensure small business has the time and resources to invest in their business success rather than doing the Government’s work,” said Ross Vasta the member for Bonner.