$650 Million Announced For Two Upper Hunter Bypasses

BY JARROD MELMETH

Federal and State Labor has announced $350 million in joint funding for the Singleton Bypass on the New England Highway if both levels form government.

The federal opposition has committed $250 million to the project, while the NSW opposition has allocated $100 million.

Singleton town centre is considered one of the states worst traffic chokeholds where the New England Highway runs through the town.

Labor says more than 3,700 trucks travel through Singleton per day which impacts on the existing road network, road safety and on public amenity in the local community

Federal Member for the Hunter Joel Fitzgibbon said it is no secret that Singleton is a traffic nightmare.

“In my years as the local member I’ve had to fight for four big New England Highway projects: the Belford Bends Deviation, the Scone Bypass, the Muswellbrook Bypass and the Singleton Bypass.

“The first two are complete and with Federal Labor’s announcement and Michael Daley’s commitments today, we hope to start building the other two soon,” Mr Fitzgibbon said.

NSW Shadow Minister for Roads Jodi McKay said NSW Labor will still commit $100 million in the event both tiers do not form government.

Meanwhile, NSW Labor has also committed $266 million to the Muswellbrook bypass, matching the Liberal Governments announcement last week.

Ms McKay said only Labor can be trusted to deliver the projects.

"John Barilaro said just a couple of weeks ago, before the Liberal/National announcement of $266 million, that he did not see the project as a priority. 

"He has suddenly acted when he realised his job is on the line, and that is the only reason that he made that announcement," Ms McKay said.

The current situation at Muswellbrook where the New England
Highway runs through the town.

The current situation at Singleton where the New England
Highway runs through the town.

Low Income Families Squeezed out of the System: Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon

BY JESSICA ROUSE AND LAUREN FREEMANTLE

The Federal Government is changing the requirements for families to be eligible for funding assistance, and Hunter MP's aren't happy.

Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon said close to 1200 families will be losing out in his electorate with cuts to childcare assistance.

Under the government's new package families will have to satisfy a complex set of rules to qualify for government assistance including a work test and a means test. Joel Fitzgibbon says the works test will require families to satisfy minimum levels of 'approved activities' each fortnight.

He says it's outrageous.

"These new activity test rules are so complex and difficult that many low income families where one person, indeed sometimes two people working casually will be squeezed out of the system. Money funding and big tax cuts for the big end of town means low income families lose their child care."

He adds families in the lowest income bracket who earn less than $65,000 will be hit the worst by the changes, and its all on top of the 18 per cent growth in fees since the Liberal Government was elected.

"We want people in the workforce and to have them in the workforce we need flexible childcare arrangements. These new activity tests will squeeze many low income families out of the system, indeed 1200 alone in my electorate and many more across the Hunter region,"

"Well the government is out to save money to fund its multi-billion dollar tax cuts for the big end of town, and who pays? Low income families in the Hunter region," said Joel Fitzgibbon.

Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon. Image theaustralia.com.au

Hunter Post Offices continue to close

BY JARROD MELMETH

A growing trend of post office closures across the Hunter is raising concerns with the local federal opposition.

In recent years post offices in Booragul, Marmong Point, Teralba and Blackalls Park have all closed their doors, with Woodrising following suit in January 2018. 

Federal Member for the Hunter Joel Fitzgibbon says Australia Post must maintain its investment in local post offices to ensure the basic service is provided to all, regardless of where they live.

"Many constituents have raised their concerns with me in relation to the closures and the big impact it is having on the frail and elderly in the local communities who do not drive or cannot access public transport," Mr Fitzgibbon said.

Mr Fitzgibbon highlighted his concerns in Parliament on Monday by speaking about the increasing occurrence of post office closures, particularly in rural and regional towns across the nation.

"Booragul, Marmong Point, Teralba, Blackalls Park and Woodrising are all wonderful townships and communities in my electorate.

"They are all around the western side of Lake Macquarie. What else do they have in common, Mr Deputy Speaker? They are all losing their local post offices. Their post offices either are already closed or are about to close, and I know that this is a common occurrence right across our great nation.

“Australia Post will say that they cannot secure people to run these licensed post offices any longer, and at first blush that seems a not unreasonable response to what is quite a crisis for many in our local communities.

“But I ask the question today: how hard are Australia Post really trying? And since when does every aspect of every government business enterprise have to turn a profit? We could all think of tens, if not thousands, of examples where governments subsidise basic community services at the federal, state and local government level.

“I know Australia Post will also say that it is already heavily subsidising the work of our licensed post offices, but I also pose the question: how much is an appropriate level of investment to keep such basic services going in our community?

“We all know that letter services are falling dramatically, we all know that email and other forms of electronic communications are now taking over very rapidly the use of the traditional letter services, but we also know that there are many older people in our communities who haven't had the same opportunity or indeed the will or the knowledge to take up those new forms of communications, and we should think of them. Those same people know that Australia Post made a profit of $146 million last financial year.”

Hunter Men's Shed receive funding boost

BY MICHAEL COOK

Five Men's Sheds in the Hunter have been granted shared funding of over $18,000 to continue the positive impact they have in the community.

The funding comes from the National Men's Shed Development Programme which offers grants to support groups invest in community projects, training and seminars as well as purchasing tools and equipment.

Those receiving a share of the funding include Wangi, Branxton-Greta, Muswellbrook and Cessnock as well as Lake Macquarie Classic Boat Association.

Federal Member for Hunter, Joel Fitzgibbon says grants like this help the Men's Sheds and the community as a whole.

"Men's Sheds have been a great success.

"They are very good for those who are active in the Sheds and are of course doing great work in the community," he said.

Muswellbrook Men's Shed
Source: http://www.muswellbrookchronicle.com.au/story/1409691/gallery-pick-of-the-pics/

"No Coal Joel" slams Government for 'Liddell Hoax'

BY MICHAEL COOK

After pushing for the life of AGL's Liddell power station to be extended by 10 years, the Turnbull Government now seems to have turned its back on the proposition.

The potential extension of the Muswellbrook  power station to 2032 was earmarked to cost around $900 million but is now off the table.

In a major energy speech on Monday by Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg, there was no mention of the power station's extension, all but confirming it is no longer on the agenda for the government.

In the speech, Frydenberg looked instead to AGL's cleaner energy investment plan as the right way forward in energy policy.

Liddell Power Station
Source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/8877002-3x2-700x467.jpg

Federal Member for Hunter, Joel Fitzgibbon, who Frydenberg referred to as "No Coal Joel" in a recent Parliament House spat, is disappointed in the way the Prime Minister has gone about this issue.

"What Malcolm Turnbull did was raise false hope, he wanted people to believe he can extend Liddell to get him through the next election campaign.

"He's been caught out, thank goodness I think he's now getting out of the way and letting us work with AGL to create the jobs of the future," Fitzgibbon said.

The move away from the extension may signal a shift in electricity regeneration in the area as well as nationwide. 

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull giving false hope to Hunter on Liddell: Fitzgibbon

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The Federal Government wants to extend the life of existing coal power plants including the Lidell Power Station in the Hunter.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg told Federal Parliament yesterday they were in talks with AGL to extend the life of the power station beyond its 2022 closure date, but AGL say they're committed to closing it.

There are reports Liddell might be sold off to another company who will keep the power station open until at least 2027.

AGL's CEO Andy Vasey tweeted overnight in response to the Prime Minister's claims in parliament, saying he and the company are committed to closing Liddell and walking away from coal fired pwoer generation.

.@TonyAbbottMHR We're getting out of coal. We committed to the closure of the Liddell power station in 2022, the end of its operating life.

— Andy Vesey (@AndyVesey_AGL) September 5, 2017

But Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon says the Prime Minister is misleading the Hunter community in saying the power station could stay open in the future, when it really isn't the case.

"I think he's perpetrating a cruel hope for Hunter's communities, and AGL has made it clear that they have no interest in expanding the plant which is a shame No one would welcome it more than me. But I just don't see it happening."

A report is warning an extra 1,000 mega watts of electricity will be needed this summer to meet the electricity needs and amid fears of lengthy blackouts in Victoria and South Australia.

"Malcolm Turnbull has perpetrated a cruel hope on both the Hunter's community and certainly the nation. He's suddenly talking about Liddell but he could've been doing that three or four years ago. And of course at 3pm he said one thing and by 7pm last night he was saying something else," said Joel Fitzgibbon.

Image theaustralian.com.au

Government backflip on legal centre funding

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The Federal Government's backdown on cuts to community legal centres this week is a welcome relief in the Hunter.

The Hunter Community Legal Centre has provided thousands of people with free legal assistance, who can't access it otherwise, for 26 years.

The funding cuts would have seen the Hunter centre, as well as many centres across the country, close their doors and turn desperate clients away.

Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon couldn't be happier.

"I welcome the backdown from George Brandis and the government. Too many people rely on these services particularly the outreach services that go right up throughout my electorate. It's so important to so many people."

Many people across the Hunter find themselves in need of a lawyer through no fault of their own, particularly victims of domestic violence, who can't afford legal services on their own.

"While many people without the ability to pay find themselves needing a lawyer for all sorts of reasons, it's usually no fault of their own and this is important to social support and to just pull the rug out from under so many people in the Hunter was a bad decision and I welcome the backdown," said Joel Fitzgibbon.

Newcastle could be gas leader: MP

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Federal Member for the Hunter Joel Fitzgibbon says four years of policy confusion has put Australia on the brink of an energy crisis; but Newcastle could turn this future around.

The principal trade of the Port of Newcastle is coal and it is the world's largest coal export port.

Joel Fitzgibbon says Newcastle is the perfect place to deliver affordable and reliable energy to the manufacturing sector with land, transmission lines and a workforce already abundant in the area.

"Well sadly our coal generators are coming to the end of their commercial lives and we are well placed to replace them with gas based generators. Our future is in renewable and storage technology, but they are some way off yet and we need a transition fuel to get us to a heavier reliance on renewables and there's no better place to do this than the Hunter region," he said.

The precarious energy crisis needs to be resolved sooner rather than later, and Joel Fitzgibbon thinks the government should provide the policy guidance needed to bring gas to the market, and to Newcastle.

"It's a plan for jobs, a plan for economic growth and a plan for a cleaner future. Let's get on with it."

Flying Fox Committee Reports to Parliament

BY RACHEL STORER

The flying fox crisis continues. Image: theherald.com.au

Residents in the Hunter have long suffered the severe impacts caused by colonies of flying foxes.

Yesterday the Parliamentary Committee into the impact of flying foxes on urban communities tabled its report in Federal Parliament.

The inquiry was established last year by Hunter Federal MP, Joel Fitzgibbon in response to the ongoing issue of flying foxes throughout the Hunter.

The Committee put forward a number of recommendations to government including ways to address complexities associated with multiple levels of government and the confusing web of regulations and the call for more funding to aid research.

"The Committee has recommended that a working group be set up in the COAG framework and talk about how we help councils work their way through the web of dual responsibilities between the Commonwealth and the State," said Joel Fitzgibbon.

Mr Fitzgibbon says it is a balancing act to protect the endangered species and also correct the problem faced by local communities.

"The committee has done two things; it's recognised that flying foxes do play an important in our ecology and they are in decline and need protecting but it's also recognised that communities are being adversely affected", said Mr Fitzgibbon.

Mr Fitzgibbon says he hopes the government will take on board the recommendations for funding and better communication and gives local councils the tools to respond when communities come under siege.