This year we need to speak with one voice

With Christmas and New Year now behind us, I know many of you will use the summer to reflect on the past year and to plan for the year ahead.

For me, 2013 was a year of ups and downs. I married my wife Laura; published my first book; and was privileged to receive your support as the representative of Rankin in the Australian Parliament.

There were disappointments in 2013 as well. Like seeing the Labor government lose office, which then meant key achievements like the NBN, needs-based schools funding and tax concessions for low-income workers being abolished or watered down.

For 2014, my New Year’s resolutions aren’t personal ones, but community goals. I want to promote community cohesion in our diverse, multicultural electorate. I’ll also continue to prioritise education, to offer local kids the best chance of success in their life ahead.

Most of all, I foresee that 2014 will be a year of standing up for our community against the harsh cuts by the Abbott government.

Several key cuts have already been announced. For 14,000 eligible local families this January Schoolkids bonus payment will likely be the last one. While Labor has used its Senate numbers to delay these cuts, the new Senate in July will remove these important payments for local families.

This is just a warm-up for the raft of cuts that will be announced after Mr Abbott’s National Commission of Audit releases its preliminary report at the end of the month.

The Government has already hinted at changes to Medicare to charge an additional $6 GP fee for every doctor visit. This will hurt our community, especially elderly residents who need more regular consultations.

In the year ahead, we will need to speak loudly and with one voice if we are to prevent Mr Abbott from doing to our local area what Premier Newman has been doing to us since his own election.

First published in the Logan Reporter on January 17, 2014.

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