Hunter MP'S Criticize Plan To Stop Scheduled Pension Pay Rise For 12 Months

BY KEELY JOHNSON

For the first time since 1997, Hunter age pensioners will not receive a scheduled increase to their payments until March next year.

In the most recent Senate inquiry it was confirmed there will be no September increase due to a period of negative inflation in the June quarter.

Shortland MP Pat Conroy says pensioners have been struggling with rises to health, energy and food expenses and it is unacceptable that they go 12 months without their payment being indexed.

"Labor and I are calling on the Prime Minister to intervene and say this is not on, there needs to be an indexation of the pension in September as everyone expects there to be... I think its very unfair for the Government to be attacking pensioners,' Pat Conroy said

The Government also confirmed several other payments would not be indexed either, including the Disability Support Pension (DSP).

"This means a further 6,000 Shortland residents will be impacted... Almost 30,000 Shortland residents on the age pension or the DSP will be affected by having their pension cut because of this very mean, half-hearted decision by the Coalition Government," Pat Conroy said.

"Pensioners aren't living a life of luxury, they are doing their best everyday to pay their bills and this means the pension will have to go a bit further because prices are rising."

Image credit: Gladstone Observer

Local MP's Calling for the Hunter to be Left Out of Nuclear Power Plans

BY ISABEL EVERETT

Local MP'S are calling for the Hunter to be left out of nuclear energy plans, following the recent appointment of Keith Pitt as the Resources and Water Minister.

Both Shortland MP, Pat Conroy and Newcastle MP, Sharon Claydon have expressed concern following the Ministers appointment, over the Hunter's role in the Federal Governments potential nuclear power plans.

"He (Keith Pitt) is on the record for being a very strong advocate for establishing a nuclear power industry in Australia," Pat Conroy said.

Mr Pitt recently encouraged a parliamentary inquiry into nuclear power. 

The Local MP'S are calling on Scott Morrison to reveal any nuclear power plans the Federal Government has and to let locals know whether the Hunter and Central Coast will be part of a nuclear future. 

Over the past 50 years, there have been 95 proposals for nuclear power stations in Australia and 42 different sites identified as possible locations for waste dumps.

"Every government study on where nuclear power plants would be placed has identified Lake Macquarie and the Hunter as ideal locations for those power stations," Pat Conroy said. 

Potential nuclear power station sites have included Glenbawn Dam, Bayswater and Liddell power stations, Cessnock, Port Stephens, Newcastle, Eraring, Vales Point and Lake Munmorah power stations.

Sites for waste dumps have included Denman, Singleton and Broke.

"It very likely that we would see a power station in our community if a nuclear power program is to go ahead, that's why I'm asking people to contact their local MP's, to contact the media, to contact the Government and say there's no way," Pat Conroy said.

Nuclear power is known to emit relatively low levels of of pollution, however the costs are known to be high.

Newcastle MP, Sharon Claydon, says Mr Pitt's promotion was a 'deeply concerning appointment' and that any pursuit of nuclear power would be 'madness'.

"On any measure - be it cost, timing, energy needs, waste, environmental & health risks, and non-proliferation - nuclear power is found to be wanting," Sharon Claydon says.

"Even if we manage to sort out all of the profound issues with nuclear power, we're still left with the unavoidable reality that it's more expensive than renewables."

Pat Conroy says it would almost double the cost of electricity in Australia and says a large majority of his local constituents have been strongly opposed to the idea of a nuclear power station in the Hunter.

"Overwhelming opposition to it, firstly from an 'I don't want this anywhere near where I live' concern, and secondly it would take ten years to build a power station, and the urgent need to combat climate change means that's way too long."

                                                   Image Credit: The University of Minnesota

Labor Promises 2.4 Million-Dollars To Secure The Hunter's Clean Energy Future

BY HOLLIE HUGHES


The University of Newcastle has been granted another funding promise from Labor should it win the next election to support its next wave of cutting-edge renewable energy projects.

Federal Member for Newcastle, Sharon Claydon alongside Federal Member for Shortland, Pat Conroy today announced a pledge of 2.4 million-dollars from Federal Labor to support work designed to look at some of the most challenging problems facing the national energy grid and find ways to get more renewable energy into the system.

Mr Conroy says the Newcastle Institute of Energy and Resources based at The University of Newcastle is a world class-research institution well-deserving of increased funding,

"These projects will look at ways to deliver stability to national electricity grid and support Labor's commitment to deliver 50 percent renewables by 2030 part of the Hunter's clean energy future...Newcastle has long been at the forefront of research to create smart energy, so it is perfectly placed to do the work and drive the breakthroughs of the future."

One of the projects established through the funding will create a 'living laboratory' for researchers and industry to demonstrate and test new technologies and applications to address challenges facing our electricity network grids,

"Researchers and industry players will have the opportunities to test solutions that will lead to a more resilient, efficient and reliable electricity network with the capacity to incorporate more distributed and renewable energy sources."

University of Newcastle Vice Chancellor, Professor Alex Zelinsky AO says the funding will provide long-term energy solutions benefiting both the environment and the economy,

"The need to find more reliable and sustainable ways to generate and store energy is vital if we are to meet our social and environmental responsibilities and our University is committed to being apart of that solution."

Image Sourced: Hollie Hughes, 2NURFM Journalist.

Labor Vows To Support Hunter Residents Facing Financial Hardship

BY CATHERINE ALLEN

The Labor Party has made an election promise to provide emergency relief funding of $166,000 to Swansea Community Cottage.

The facility was unsuccessful in the last round of Emergency Relief Funding which would amount to $190 thousand dollars over five years, instead, the service received $47,000 to provide emergency relief services until the end of this year.

"Swansea Community Cottage has been helping people in Lake Macquarie and Newcastle with emergency relief for 30 years, but last year they were advised their funding would not continue," said Shortland federal MP Pat Conroy.

"They helped 500 people last year with emergency relief, including low-income earners, single parents, people with a disability, Indigenous people, young people, and vulnerable people. As well as providing financial relief, food, clothing, and bedding, staff refer people to housing services, playgroups, out-of-school care and support groups such as AA, and help with Centrelink and TAFE."

The funding comes as part of a planned four-year and $40 million commitment to emergency relief organisations across the country that support at-risk Australians by providing food hampers, transport vouchers and financial assistance.

via Office of Pat Conroy MP