Local MP says Singleton Drought Assistance Snub Echos the Sport Grants Scandal

BY DAKOTA TAIT

The Morrison Government has been accused of using drought assistance funds for political gain after Singleton missed out on financial assistance despite supposedly less eligible communities receiving millions in grants.

With 11 percent of the workforce employed in the agricultural sector, drought-affected Singleton falls short of the 17 percent requirement to receive government funding - yet six other local government areas that also fell short received aid through the Drought Communities Program.

State Member for Hunter, Joel Fitzgibbon has claimed the then-Regional Services Minister Bridget McKenzie - currently embroiled in a similar sports grants scandal - ignored the program's eligibility guidelines to pork-barrel electorates in the lead-up to the 2019 election.

Of 14 councils that received million dollar grants, 13 belonged to Coalition seats.

"The numbers don't stack up - clearly Singleton's agriculture and processing workforce is sufficiently high to be receiving this money, and I'm demanding the government step up."

Mr Fitzgibbon says the Singleton community was left trying to understand why they had been excluded from funding.

"The answer is that the criteria of the DCP was not evenly applied. Bridget McKenzie controlled the Drought Communities Program and ensured many drought-affected communities could not access the $1 million grants. This Government has lost the bush."

Labor Critical of Government's Liddell Taskforce

BY LILLY HAINES

The Morrison Government has announced a taskforce to study the expected closure of the Liddell Power Station near Muswellbrook.

The taskforce is reportedly leaving all options on the table including extending the life of or replacing the ageing coal plant at the expense of the taxpayer, and is looking into the effects the closure will have on our energy system.

The announcement comes after AGL revealed it would extend the life of Liddell an extra four months with closure now planned for April 2023.

Shadow Minister for Agriculture and Resources, and Federal Member for Hunter, Joel Fitzgibbon has said the move is too little too late from the Morrison Government.

"We've known for at least six years that Liddell would not last beyond her 50th birthday and yet they have left it until now to try to work out what we are going to do in response," he said.

Mr Fitzgibbon said the Hunter needs to attract new investment into new generation and storage facilities to counter the closure of the coal fired power plant.

"The government has announced a four month extension, which we welcome, but we needed an energy policy six years ago to drive investment and accelerate new facilities in the Upper Hunter".

"If the formation of a committee is the best thing the Morrison Government can do after six years we are all in trouble," Mr Fitzgibbon said.

Liddell Power Station near Muswellbrook. Image: ABC News. 

Hunter Roads need more funding: Federal MP

BY JARROD MELMETH

Four key infrastructure projects in the Hunter have been highlighted as “desperately in need of support" in the federal Parliament on Monday.

Speaking in Parliament yesterday, Federal Member for Hunter Joel Fitzgibbon highlighted the Glendale Interchange, the Singleton by-pass, the Muswellbrook by-pass and the proposed Cessnock Ring Road as being ignored by both State and Federal Governments.

The new rapid build correctional centre in Cessnock is a particular issue the Hunter MP has taken aim at as he believes there has been a lack of physical and social investment to support the growth from the centre.

Mr Fitzgibbon said a combination of population growth and lack of infrastructure in the region is causing headaches for residents.

"The Hunter is doing very well economically and our diversity continues to grow and our economy is continuing to grow as well but we have got growing pains and these projects, most of these projects have been on the books for a decade. People know of the traffic gridlock every morning and afternoon. We need to get funding back into these projects," Mr Fitzgibbon said.

AGL Commits To Meeting Energy Needs Without Liddell Power Station

BY IAN CROUCH

The head of AGL says they're committed to finding a solution to Australia's energy crisis without extending the life of the Liddell Power Station near Muswellbrook.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull met with Chief Executive, Andy Vesey in a bid to keep the coal-fired power station open beyond it's planned 2022 closure.

AGL Chief Executive Andy Vesey

Energy Minister, Josh Frydenberg says Andy Vesey agreed to ask the company's board to consider delaying the closure or selling the power station.


"There will be a supply shortfall in the market if Liddell closes. That is why Prime Minister Turnbull is taking responsibility to ensure that the market doesn't have that shortfall," he said

Federal Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg

Andy Vesey has promised to provide a plan on actions AGL plans to take to avoid a market shortfall once Liddell is retired in 2022.

Hunter MP, Joel Fitzgibbon says Andy Vesey has it right and the government needs to get out of the way.

"Andy Vesey shares my vision to build a new energy hub n the Upper Hunter - a mix of coal, gas, pumped hydro and large-scale renewables. That's what will keep the jobs in the future. That's what will put downward pressure on energy prices," he said.

Hunter Mp, Joel Fitzgibbon

NBN rolling out in Cessnock

BY JESSICA ROUSE

Cessnock is set to be connected to the National Broadband Network (NBN) in May, but there are concerns it could be just as problematic as a lot of other areas in the Hunter.

The Hunter was one of the first areas to be connected to the network, and while the federal government promised the NBN would deliver faster Internet speeds, it doesn't appear to have been the case.

The Cessnock CBD is first on the list to be connected and fibre-to-the-node construction rolling out over the next two months to the rest of the area.

Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon is very concerned residents won't get the internet they deserve or pay for.

"Down on the Western side of Lake Macquarie unfortunately where people have had the NBN connected, they're finding it less reliable than their old ADSL system," said Joel Fitzgibbon.

He says wants hear from residents about their experience with the NBN so he can build a case to take to the Federal Government.

"People can call my office, they can email me, write me a letter, whatever they like and whatever is easiest for people. It's important that I have a good sense of how Malcom Turnbull's NBN is performing in the Hunter so I can give that feedback in Canberra," said Joel Fitzgibbon.

How many properties do Hunter politicians own?

BY JESSICA ROUSE

It seems our Hunter politicians aren't experiencing much of an affordable housing crisis themselves, with some on the the list of the most aggressive property buyers.

A report by the ABC shows just how many properties the politicans charged with tackling the thorny issue of spiralling house prices own.

With the most in the Hunter is Lyne MP David Gillespie who has 18 properties, followed by Member for Hunter Joel Fitzgibbon who owns five.

Next on the list is Shortland MP Pat Conroy and Newcastle MP Sharon Claydon who both have two properties, as well as Paterson MP Meryl Swanson who also has two.

The data was sourced from the Parliament's registers of interests.

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.

Dispute over funding for Legal centre

BY TYLER FARDELL

The federal government has come under fire from the opposition over funding cuts to The Hunter community legal centre which come into effect July 1st this year.

Hunter Labor MP's Joel Fitzgibbon, Meryl Swanson and Sharon Claydon have criticised the funding cuts, saying the centre, which offers free legal help to those in need, "could be forced to turn away hundreds of local residents".

In addition the centre's base in Newcastle, the centre has a variety on face-to-face clinics throughout the Hunter, including ones in Cessnock, Port Stephens, Raymond Terrace and Muswellbrook.

In the last year alone, the centre provided more than 4300 people with legal assistance, however more than 13 hundred were turned away due to lack of resources.

"It's fair to say the government's proposed funding cuts will be detrimental to the centre's operation and will equate to more people in desperate need of help being turned away" said Mr Fitzgibbon.

However, the federal government has hit back at the opposition, stating funding for the centre had risen by more than 30 percent over the past six years.

Government failing Hunter on energy: MP

BY GARY-JON LYSAGHT

The federal government have no idea what the Hunter's energy providers are facing, and lack the plans to move providers into the future, Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon said.

During Thursday's parliamentary Question Time, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull told the House of Representatives that Labor had a plan to close coal-fired electricity generators across the Hunter.

However, Mr Fitzgibbon said "nothing could be further from the truth".

"The Hunter's major coal-fired power generators are reaching the end of their commercial lives, we'd known this for a long time," he said.

Mr Fitzgibbon shouting "rubbish" at Mr Turnbull in Question Time on Thursday

He has accused the federal government, especially Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, of not having a plan to transition the region away from coal-fired generators.

"It's extraordinary how Barnaby Joyce represents the upper parts of the Hunter, but doesn't seem to understand that our power generators are coming to the end of their useful life," he said.

"We need a transition plan to retain jobs and to retain our reputation as the powerhouse of New South Wales, but, sadly, he and Malcolm Turnbull have no plan."

Mr Fitzgibbon's defence came after Question Time on Thursday, where Mr Turnbull, responding to a question about negative gearing from Opposition Leader Bill Shorten made the claim that Labor wanted to close down coal-fired power stations.

"The Member for Hunter represents an electorate - the jobs in which are based on energy, on affordable energy," Mr Turnbull said.

Mr Turnbull in Question Time on Thursday

"He is a member of a party that wants to shut it all down."

Mr Fitzgibbon can be clearly heard yelling "rubbish" multiple times after Mr Turnbull made the claim, prompting him to be formally warned by House Speaker Tony Smith.

The Prime Minister's meandering tangent from negative gearing to coal-fired power generators in the Hunter Valley made Mr Smith also accept Mr Shorten's point of order on relevance.

Instead of return to negative gearing, the Prime Minister continued addressing power concerns in the Hunter, turning the attention to Paterson MP Meryl Swanson.

Ms Swanson's inaudible interjections were heard in the House.

Joel Fitzgibbon Condemns Centrelink Debt Debacle

BY SARAH JAMES

Federal Member for Hunter Joel Fitzgibbon commenced the first day of Parliament for 2017 by championing the concerns of constituents affected by the Centrelink automated debt recovery before the House of Representatives.

Hundreds of Hunter residents are receiving letters from external debt collectors without being granted the opportunity to respond, appeal or have the decision reviewed.

Many of these debt notices are incorrect or date back more than seven years.

"Hundreds of... local constituents are being adversely affected...by the sheer under-resourcing of Centrelink and therefore the inability of the staff to service poeple adequately, and of course this debt recovery process which is unfairly targetting people," said Mr Fitzgibbon.

"The Turnbull Government has to start properly resourcing Centrelink again. The staff cannot continue under the current arrangements, people won't get proper service...and it needs to suspend this debt recovery process until it can be sure that people aren't being unfairly treated," he elaborated.

Joel Fitzgibbon is encouraging Hunter residents to make contact with his office if they have experienced issues with Centrelink, Medicare and NDIS.

Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon

Hunter Federal Pollies Questioned Over Expense Claims

BY IAN CROUCH

Questions over parliamentary entitlements have reached the Hunter, with former and serving MPs in the spotlight.

Fairfax reports, former Paterson Mp, Bob Baldwin spent almost $7,000 to meet with executives of a renewable energy company in Perth in the months before he retired from politics.

The company is now a client of his new lobbyist firm.

Bob Baldwin says the trips were all above board as they were related to his environment portfolio and were legitimate parliamentary business.

Hunter Mp, Joel Fitzgibbon was the region's biggest spender, running up $243,000 in travel costs, office expenses and electorate materials over the first 6 months of last year - he says too often people just look at the costs without taking into account the long hours spent traveling around the country on parliamentary business.

Meanwhile, Newcastle Mp, Sharon Claydon spent $174,000. Shortland Mp, Pat Conroy chalked up $169,000 and retired Shortland Mp, Jill Hall spent $105,000 over the same six month period.

Former Paterson Mp, Bob Baldwin

Hunter Mp, Joel Fitzgibbon

Bats Return In Big Numbers to Maitland and Cessnock

BY IAN CROUCH

 As a federal government inquiry is about to begin into the Lower Hunter's bat problems, thousands of the troublesome creatures have returned to Maitland and Cessnock.

Hundreds of bats have converged on East Cessnock and Central Maitland  in the past couple of days.

The inquiry will look into the protected status of flying foxes and whether they should be de-listed.

Hunter MP, Joel Fitzgibbon has called for the inquiry and says affected residents need a workable solution.

"Well, I'm hoping to get everyone in the room together - those who are the scientists who have legitimate concerns about biodiversity and recommend protected species status for these bats and of course communities who are adversely affected to tease out the issues. I know there are challenges but as I've said in this 21st century, surely we have the wit to find a way through these problems," he said.

Joel Fitzgibbon