Category: Media Releases

FUNDING CERTAINTY FOR BONNER SCHOOLS

 

 

Ross Vasta today announced that Government, Catholic and Independent schools throughout Bonner will have the funding certainty they need as a result of the Coalition Government investing an additional $2.8 billion over the next four years.

 

“Labor left school funding in a mess,” said Ross Vasta.

 

“Labor’s funding model was not national and it was not fair. In his last act as Education Minister, Bill Shorten ripped $1.2 billion from schools in the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia.

 

“The Coalition Government is providing every school with the funding certainty they need. We are delivering on our election commitments and delivering more funding than Labor committed. 

 

“We will put back the $1.2 billion in additional funding over the next four years that Labor took away and we will cut red tape and stop Canberra interference in schools.

 

 [Senator/Member] said the Government will also honour funding promised to non-government representative bodies for four years, including $55 million to Catholic Education Commissions and $110 million to the Association of Independent Schools.

 

“This is great news for parents and students in Bonner who were at danger of being short changed by Labor’s funding mess,” [he/she said].

 

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Upholding our promise to scrap the carbon tax

 

The Coalition Government is keeping its election promise to the Australian people, with the House of Representatives yesterday voting to scrap the carbon tax.

 

“The people of Bonner voted against the Carbon Tax and now I fulfilled my commitment to them in the Parliament,” said Ross Vasta the member for Bonner.

 

“This was an important vote for families in Bonner because repealing the Carbon Tax will create a stronger economy with more jobs, and families will on average be $550 a year better off.

 

The people of Bonner have been left with no doubt about who wants to bring down their household power bills and who doesn’t.

 

Only the Coalition Government is interested in helping Australian families with the cost of living.

 

Since the election Labor has been saying it is ‘as one with the government’ on repealing the carbon tax. Today Labor had the chance to prove it but once again confirmed that it can never be trusted to keep its word.

 

Labor is not ‘as one’ with the Government. Labor is still ‘as one’ with Julia Gillard and the Greens.

 

When parliament returns next month, the Carbon Tax repeal will be voted on in the Senate.

 

“If Labor votes against scrapping the tax, it will be clear proof that Labor has not changed under Bill Shorten,” said Ross Vasta.

 

All that stands between families and $550 is Electricity Bill Shorten.

 

All that stands between boosting local jobs and manufacturing is Electricity Bill Shorten.

 

The Government will not stop until the carbon tax is gone. It’s time for Labor to step up and help Australian families and businesses by scrapping the Carbon Tax.

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Corman – Coalition commences scoping study for sale of medibank private

The Coalition has long been committed to the sale of Medibank Private.

Medibank Private is a commercial business operating in a well functioning and competitive market with 34 competing funds.

As such there is no compelling policy reason for the Government to continue to own Medibank.

The privatisation of Medibank will also remove the current conflict where the Government is both the regulator of the private health insurance market as well as a large market participant in a competitive market.

Proceeds from a sale of Medibank would allow the Government to fund other policy priorities or pay off debt.

The Government has the authority to proceed with this sale through the Medibank Private Sale Act 2006, which the former Government chose not to repeal over the past six years.

The Coalition is committed to progress the sale of Medibank Private through a proper and methodical process provided market conditions are right for the sale.

Today we announce the first step in that process, the commencement of a scoping study into the sale of Medibank Private.

The scoping study will commence by the end of November and will be provided to Government by the end of February 2014.

This will enable proper consideration of the sale in the context of the 2014/15 Budget process.

The process will be administered by the Department of Finance, which early next week will commence a competitive tendering process to appoint advisers to conduct this scoping study.

The scoping study will provide recommendations on all relevant aspects of the sales process, including the sale method, timing, cost, relevant regulatory issues, estimated proceeds and the readiness of Medibank Private for sale.

It will be framed around the Government’s objectives for the sale, which are:

–   to contribute to an efficient, competitive and viable private health insurance industry;

–   to maintain service and quality levels for Medibank contributors, including in regional and rural Australia;

–   to ensure the sale process treats Medibank employees in a fair manner, including through the preservation of accrued entitlements;

–   to minimise any post sale residual risk and liabilities to the Government; and

–   having regard to all of the above objectives, to maximise the net sale proceeds from the sale.

The scoping study will allow the Government to make fully informed decisions on all relevant aspects of the sale.

Importantly, the Government has not made any decisions yet regarding the timing and structure of the sale.

We will await the findings and recommendations of the scoping study before making those decisions.

During this process Medibank Private will continue to operate as usual and services to policy holders will not be affected.

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Andrews – Income Boost for Pensioners as deeming rates lowered

More than 740,000 Australian pensioners will benefit from the lowering of the social security deeming rates from 4 November 2013.

The Minister for Social Services, Kevin Andrews, said the deeming rate will decrease to 2 per cent from 2.5 per cent for financial investments up to $46,600 for single pensioners and allowees, $77,400 for pensioner couples and $38,700 for each member of an allowee couple.

The upper deeming rate will decrease to 3.5 per cent from 4 per cent for balances over these amounts.

“The deeming rules are a central part of the social security income test,” Mr Andrews said.

“They are used to assess income from financial investments for social security and Veterans’ Affairs pension/allowance purposes.

“This announcement means that part-rate pensioners and allowees will have less income assessed from their investments and receive a boost in Government income support.

“Returns available to pensioners and other allowees have decreased since deeming rates were last changed, in March 2013.

“This announcement brings the deeming rates in line with available financial returns,” Mr Andrews said.

Deeming rates reflect the rates of return that people receiving income support payments can earn from their financial investments. If income support recipients earn more than these rates, the extra income is not assessed.

Payments affected by the deeming rates include means tested payments such as the Age Pension, Disability Support Pension and Carer Payment, income support allowances and supplements such as the Parenting Payment and Newstart, paid by the Department of Human Services and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

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Hunt – No change in domestic emissions under the carbon tax

There is further proof that the carbon tax is a pointless burden on Australian families and businesses.

The latest Quarterly Update of Australia’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory report released today shows Australia’s emissions for the year to March 2013 are unchanged from the previous year.

We already knew that the carbon tax is a multi-billion hit on the economy, a burden on households and an unfair impost on business. Now we know that in the first year of the carbon tax there has been no change in our emissions.

To make the situation worse, projections see domestic emissions rise to 637 million tonnes in 2020 under the carbon tax.

There is a better way. 

The Government’s Direct Action Plan will actually cut emissions without an economy-wide tax. Central to the plan is the Emissions Reduction Fund – a market-based mechanism to achieve our reduction target.

Australians don’t need a carbon tax. Australians don’t want a carbon tax. It’s time for Bill Shorten to accept the outcome of the election and allow the repeal of the carbon tax.

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Labor’s Refusal to Scrap the Carbon Tax

The decision by the Labor Opposition not to support the unconditional removal of the Carbon Tax confirms that nothing has changed with Labor.

Bill Shorten has failed his first test of leadership.

Instead of supporting the repeal of the Carbon Tax, Mr Shorten and Labor now want to “amend it” and, importantly, keep in place the laws that underpin the Carbon Tax. 

Labor wants to keep the Carbon Tax, so that they can easily re-start it, if they are elected again.

A strong leader would have stood up to Labor’s left and opposed the Carbon Tax – but Bill Shorten was too weak to do so. 

Bill Shorten’ s refusal to unconditionally support the removal of the Carbon Tax threatens local jobs and will mean higher electricity prices.

Only the Coalition opposes the Carbon Tax and will remove it – no “ifs” or “buts”.

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Don’t risk the fine! Vote early: Ross Vasta

LNP Member for Bonner Ross Vasta is warning voters they risk getting a fine if they cannot get to a polling booth on Saturday and don’t vote early.

Ross Vasta reminded voters that it was compulsory to vote in this year’s Federal election regardless of whether or not they were in the local area, interstate or overseas on Saturday (September 7).

“The best way to avoid a fine this election is to vote early at the dedicated polling booths that have been set up across the electorate until Friday night (September 6),” Ross Vasta said.

“This is the most important election in a generation and it’s vital that you make your vote count if you want a strong and united Coalition government, not three more years of Labor chaos.

“If you know you will struggle to get to a polling booth on election day then please make sure you vote early rather than risk receiving a fine.

“I have a plan to boost local jobs, build the local economy and create stronger local communities.

“If you want real change then make sure you ‘Vote 1’ for the LNP in both the House of Representatives and the Senate.”

 

He said LNP how-to-vote cards were available at polling booths and encouraged voters to ask for one if they were unsure of which boxes to number.

Ross Vasta said special polling booths for the greater Brisbane region had been set up in the Brisbane CBD for city workers looking to vote early.

He said residents could also make a postal vote and encouraged anyone who needed a postal vote form to get in touch with his campaign office immediately*. Postal votes must be lodged by Thursday morning (September 5).

The fine for failing to vote is up to $170, depending on circumstances.

Ross Vasta said people could vote early in person or by post if on Election Day they:

·         are outside the electorate where you are enrolled to vote

·         are more than 8km from a polling place

·         are travelling

·         are unable to leave your workplace to vote

·         are seriously ill, infirm or due to give birth shortly (or caring for someone who is)

·         are a patient in hospital and can’t vote at the hospital

·         have religious beliefs that prevent you from attending a polling place

·         are a silent elector

·         have a reasonable fear for your safety

Any further questions please contact my office:

Office of Ross Vasta Federal Member for Bonner

Ph (07) 3893 3488

Fax (07) 3893 3422

Email: ross.vasta.mp@aph.gov.au

List of Early Vote Polling Booths for Bonner:
86 Clara Street Wynnum- St Peters Anglican Church Hall Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:30 pm

 

32 Turbo Street Coorparoo Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:30pm

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Letter to the Australian Car Industry, Employers and Employees

The Coalition understands the importance of business and consumer confidence and wants confidence to return to Australia’s car sector.

We want Australians to know that they can buy or lease a new motor vehicle with confidence, secure in the knowledge that a Coalition Government will not proceed with the Labor Government’s poorly thought through changes to Fringe Benefits Tax arrangements on cars.

The car industry and the tens of thousands of people affected directly and indirectly by Labor’s changes deserve better than policy created on the run with no consultation with industry or stakeholders.

You and your customers can rest assured that if we are elected, Labor’s FBT changes will become null and void.

In the event the Coalition is elected on 7th September, we encourage all stakeholders, including employers and employees engaged in salary sacrifice programs, to urgently and immediately return to normal trading activity in order to repair the damage done by this ill-considered Labor announcement.

In particular, we want to acknowledge the role that the leasing and salary packaging industry plays in assisting with new car sales, generating demand and, therefore, generating jobs.

Australians should know that the Coalition supports their efforts and wants them to succeed.

You have our support now and into the future.

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ROSS VASTA SAYS COALITION’S POLICY WILL RESTORE CONFIDENCE TO FISHING INDUSTRY

Nationals candidate for Bonner, Ross Vasta says a Coalition government will restore confidence in the Australian fishing industry by returning scientific and commercial rigour to decision-making about Marine Protected Areas.

 

If elected, the Coalition will suspend and review the flawed Management Plans for Marine Protected Areas that have been imposed without adequate consultation, and will support the Rural Research and Development Corporations with greater funding to deliver cutting edge technology, continued applied research, and increased emphasis on collaborative innovation and extension.  

 

“Fishing is an important industry and Australia needs a balanced and informed approach to fisheries management,” Ross Vasta said.

 

“The Nationals understand the biggest supporter of environmentally responsible fishing practices is the fishing industry – they don’t want to harm the environment that provides them with a living.

 

“Australians know that Labor’s marine park lockouts are about trying to manage the Greens, not managing the environment. They have failed the fishing industry to hold on to power.

 

“A sustainable fishing industry is an integral part of a strong food production and export sector.  

 

“The ‘lock-up’ mentality of Labor completely ignores the fact that Australia’s recreational and commercial fishers are dedicated to sustainability,” he said.

 

The Coalition will boost confidence in the Australian fishing industry. We will:

 

·         Scrap the carbon tax.

·         Immediately suspend and review the flawed Management Plans for Marine Protected Areas imposed without fair or adequate consultation.

·         Require peer reviewed scientific evidence of threats to marine diversity within the Marine Protected Areas to be made publicly available.

·         Establish a Bioregional Advisory Panel for each of the five marine bioregions.

·         Establish a National Recreational Fishing Council to improve lines of communication between recreational fishers and government.

·         Cut red tape as part of the Coalition’s policy to cut $1 billion in red and green tape.  Areas identified include streamlining of regulatory audits required under the Food Safety and Export Certification (AQIS), harmonisation of regulations and simplification of regulations around management of introduced fish species.

·         Work with the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation Indigenous Reference Group to improve engagement with indigenous communities.

·         Conduct recreational fishing surveys every five years.

·         Recognise OceanWatch as a Natural Resource Management Group with responsibility for enhancing fish habitats and improving water quality.

·         Provide $5 million to target invasive marine species with a view to the removal or eradication of these marine pests.

·         Fight illegal foreign fishing and ensure the ACV Ocean Protector and/or its replacement is provided with sufficient funding. 

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FAMILIES, RETIREES AND APPRENTICES ARE BIG WINNERS FROM COALITION LAUNCH SAYS ROSS VASTA

 

The Coalition will help retirees by indexing the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card, provide $200 million to dementia research and help young apprentices with a HECS-like apprentice loan scheme.

“We have a clear plan to build a stronger economy to provide more jobs and more support to those who need it”, said Ross Vasta, LNP, Member for Bonner.

Ross Vasta said the indexing of the Commonwealth Seniors Health Card (CSHC) will provide retirees with peace of mind.

 “When I talk to seniors they tell me their number one concern is rising cost of living pressures, particularly the rising costs for healthcare as well as rising utility bills. 

“That is why the Coalition will scrap the carbon tax, keep fortnightly pension and benefit increases, end Labor’s war on private health insurance and index the CSHC.

Ross Vasta said the Coalition will also provide an additional $200 million for dementia research.

“Most families have been impacted by this insidious disease.  Without a medical breakthrough, nearly one million Australians will be suffering from dementia by 2050.

“This is an investment in the future health of every family in Bonner”.

Ross Vasta said new $20,000 Trade Support Loans for apprentices will help young apprentices finish their apprenticeship.

 “We all know that apprentices struggle and that apprenticeship completion rates are far too low.

 “Our Trade Support Loans will be repayable at the same thresholds as FEE-HELP loans for university students, so apprentices do not have to repay any money until they are earning a sustainable income.

“This policy will help lift apprenticeship completion rates, build Australia’s skilled workforce and strengthen the economy.

Ross Vasta said the election is a choice between the Coalition and its Real Solutions Plan to build a stronger Australia or another three years of Labor chaos and confusion.

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