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May 29 2013
The Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, responded to the Labor and Liberal parties’ proposal for increased public funding for political parties and independents. “The proposal by the Labor and Liberal parties for all political parties, and successful independent candidates, to be paid an additional $1 for every vote is a dreadful decision entirely out of step with community expectations,” Mr Wilkie said. “Seems that one of the very few times Labor and Liberal can agree on something is when it’s in their political and financial self-interest. “So much for the public interest, and in particular the disadvantaged members of the community the Labor Party claims to represent who missed out in the recent Federal Budget including the unemployed, single parents and those relying on the age pension. So much too for the Liberal Party’s “budget emergency.” “I will not support the relevant legislation when this proposal comes before the Parliament. “And if it passes the Parliament, as it seems it will, I’ll exercise the opt-out provision which I understand will be included in the Bill to ensure none of this additional money is paid to me.” May 16 2013
The Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, joined Lyn White from Animals Australia to release new footage of cruelty to Australian livestock exported to Egypt and announce another attempt to progress legislation to ban the trade. Mr Wilkie said his Bill would phase out live exports in three years, as well as immediately impose mandatory stunning of Australian livestock slaughtered overseas. “The live export industry is systemically cruel, opposed by the vast majority of Australians and not in our economic interests,” Mr Wilkie said. “This latest evidence of horrific animal cruelty in Egypt demonstrates that this trade will never have appropriate animal welfare outcomes and must be stopped. “I have given formal notice of my intention to introduce the Live Animal Export (Restriction and Prohibition) Bill 2013 into Federal Parliament. “A similar Bill was rejected by the Government and Opposition in August 2011. Since then we have seen shocking evidence of more live export cruelty in Kuwait, Pakistan, Israel, Egypt and Indonesia. “It is my hope that the Government and Opposition will now see sense and support the end of this cruel trade.” May 14 2013
The Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, says tonight’s federal budget is disappointing. “Australia is a rich country and we can afford a better deal for the disadvantaged members of the community,” Mr Wilkie said. “So it’s disappointing that there is next to nothing in this budget for those on Newstart, Parenting Payment for single parents and the Age Pension. Newstart really should have been increased by $50 a week, eligibility for the Parenting Payment should have been relaxed and a real increase in the Age Pension implemented. “This budget is also a missed opportunity to genuinely boost health including mental health, stroke awareness and treatment and life-saving prostate cancer drugs. “The decision to go ahead with the $2.8bn cut to tertiary education is especially galling, seeing as this government has now cut funding for the tertiary sector by some $5bn since 2011 with the result that universities are now underfunded by more than $1bn a year. “The decision to further delay the increase in foreign aid to 0.5% of Gross National Income is shameful. Australia has already reneged on its year 2000 commitment to 0.7% of GNI and it’s now clear the Government isn’t much interested in achieving even a sizable fraction of that. This means money that could have gone to highly effective initiatives such as the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria will simply not be forthcoming. “This budget is not good for Tasmania in particular. An urgently needed enhancement of the Bass Strait Freight Equalisation Scheme has not been delivered. Some of the 165 staff being shed by CSIRO nationally will come from Tasmania. And of course there is no mention of funding for the Hobart Northern Suburbs Light Rail because the State Government couldn’t get its act together and get its submission in on time. “But despite these disappointments there is obviously still some very good news, in particular the plan to at least part-fund the Gonski education reforms and DisabilityCare. Regrettably though, finding the money to fully fund these commendable reforms is being left to future governments. “Good news for Denison is the confirmation that the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems CRC at UTas has had its funding extended and $29.6m has been allocated for improvements to the Brooker Highway in Hobart. Oh the joy of being an Independent seat. How different things are in Denison since the last federal election and the end of the long days of Labor taking the seat for granted.” The budget also includes $119.6m for freight rail revitalisation, $17.5m for the Huon Highway/Summerleas Road Intersection Upgrade and $102.4m for the Midland Highway Safety Package. May 14 2013
The Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, at a media conference this morning incorrectly stated that he had seconded the Australian Greens’ Minerals Resource Rent Tax Amendment (Protecting Revenue) Bill 2013. Mr Wilkie made the statement in good faith but on returning to his office learned of his mistake. In any case Mr Wilkie supports the move by the Greens to try and fix the mining tax and will support the Bill if it is put to a vote in the House of Representatives. May 14 2013
The Independent Member for Denison, Andrew Wilkie, joined the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) to condemn the $2.8 billion funding cuts for universities and university students recently announced by the Government. “This is an attack on tertiary education and our children’s future,” Mr Wilkie said. He met with NTEU president, Jeannie Rea, yesterday to discuss the effect of the cuts on Australian universities and to throw his support behind the union’s campaign. “I have told National Tertiary Education Union officials that I fully support their campaign to reinstate adequate funding to universities,” Mr Wilkie said. “In my home state of Tasmania these cuts mean 150 job losses in a sector that is underpinning a sagging economy. Regional universities will be hit the hardest. “I call on the Government to abandon its plans to make these brutal cuts. “If they do not, I call on the Opposition to show they value university education in this country and join me in opposing any legislation to enable these cuts.” |
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