July 2024 E-Newsletters

With our nation facing immediate and long term challenges, the Albanese Labor Government is providing cost-of-living relief, while also laying down the foundations for Australia’s long-term prosperity with a future made in Australia. This week starting on Monday 1 July, saw the roll out of multiple measures in our cost-of-living package for millions of Australians.   

The Government is delivering cheaper medicines to ease pressure on household budgets, freezing the maximum cost of a PBS medicine, making Australia a destination for clinical trials so Australians get early access to life-changing medicines, and adding an at least 200 more  medicines to the PBS.  

Freezing the maximum cost of PBS prescriptions for a year, means that no one will pay more than $31.60 for a PBS script.  For Australians with pensioner or concession cards, we are freezing the price for five years. So those Australians will not pay more than $7.70 for the medicine they need. 

More GPs are bulk billing patients in Australia and in Higgins as a direct result of the tripling of the bulk billing incentive by the Albanese Government, with over two million additional bulk billed visits across the country since
1 November 2023.

In the month before the bulk billing incentive was tripled on 1 November 2023, 59.3% of all GP visits were bulk billed in Higgins. Over the next seven months the bulk billing rate increased by 3.9 percentage points to 63.2% in May. 

Higgins residents have saved $3,894,086 on the cost of their medicines, thanks to the Albanese Government’s cheaper medicines policies, including our landmark 60-day prescriptions reforms and the largest cut to the maximum patient co-payment in the 75-year history of the PBS. 

Economic independence is our aspiration for all Australians.  That is why the Albanese Government has intentionally backed in three consecutive pay rises for lower paid workers, which has seen their pay increase by an average of $7451.60 per year and delivered a historic 15% pay rise for aged care workers. 

We are cutting $3 billion in student debt for more than 3 million Australians. This change will support 26,387 people with a HELP debt in Higgins. By linking the HELP indexation rate to the lower of either the CPI or the Wage Price Index, we will ensure that student debt never grows faster than wages and that the recent spike from high inflation never happens again. This change will also be backdated to June 2023.

According to the Australian Energy Regulator, the average price of wholesale electricity fell by between 44% and 64% and the average annual east coast gas market spot prices fell by 43% in 2023.  This was due to milder weather, lower fuel costs, our capping of coal and gas prices (voted against by the Liberals), fewer coal supply issues and an increase in cheap wind and solar supply. This will lead to lower household prices but will take time to filter through as suppliers buy most of their power in advance at set prices, accepting higher average prices for less volatility.  

According to the Grattan Institute‘s Tony Wood on 8 February 2024: 

‘As more clean energy comes into the grid, it should push wholesale prices still lower. But the energy transition isn’t as simple as substituting solar and wind for coal. Big investments in transmission and energy storage are needed to connect more renewables and maintain a reliable system. Prices could once again rise sharply if our ageing coal plants give up the ghost before there’s enough renewable generation and storage to take up the slack. 

‘These challenges and risks were inevitable given the scale of our net-zero transition. But the recent trend towards lower prices should give us confidence that more investment in renewables and storage can cover the closure of coal to deliver a reliable, low-emissions future – without threatening affordability.’ 
 

The Government will provide $350 million over four years, commencing on
1 January 2025 to fully fund Fee-free Uni Ready courses to help more students into higher education from  disadvantaged backgrounds.  

This will result in 30,000 students studying in Fee-Free Uni Ready courses each year by 2030, an increase of 40% in student numbers, and doubling the number of students by 2040. 

Prospective students should contact their preferred university to find out what Fee-free Uni Ready courses they offer. 

On 20 June, the Government welcomed the release of CHOICE’s first quarterly report into supermarket prices. The Albanese Government provided $1.1 million to CHOICE to deliver supermarket surveys every 3 months for the next 3 years.  

CHOICE’s ‘basket of goods’ report found Aldi’s basket was about 25 per cent cheaper than comparable baskets at Coles and Woolworths. Average basket cost in Victoria: 

• $62.85 (without specials) $61.30 (with specials) 

• Aldi: $51.52 

• Woolworths: $68.66 

• Coles: $68.36 

See the detailed CHOICE report here. 

Has it changed your shopping behaviour? It has for me.

This initiative is an important part of the government’s broader efforts to boost competition and put downward pressure on the price of essentials, including through our ongoing inquiry into pricing and competition in the supermarket sector run by the ACCC, the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct review, and the Competition Taskforce’s focus on cost‑of‑living initiatives.  

We have accepted recommendations from the Emerson review into the Food and Grocery code including: 

• Making the Code mandatory for all supermarkets with an annual Australian revenue of greater than $5 billion 

• Strengthening formal and informal dispute‑resolution arrangements 

• Introducing penalties for the more harmful breaches of the Code with the maximum penalty being the greatest of $10 million, three times the benefit gained from the contravening conduct or 10 per cent of turnover in the preceding 12 months

• Creating an anonymous supplier and whistle‑blower complaints mechanism within the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission 

• Placing greater emphasis on addressing fear of retribution 

• Improving outcomes for suppliers of fresh produce.

  ---

The Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) released a new statistical dashboard on intimate partner homicide on 26 June. Data will be updated quarterly in collaboration with all state and territory jurisdictions. The first release includes data from January to March 2024 and provides accurate and verified data on female victims of intimate partner homicides. 

The dashboard responds to the 2022-2032 National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children’s goal of reducing female intimate partner homicide by 25% each year and the commitment to collecting data and evidence to develop safe and appropriate responses. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, chat online via www.1800RESPECT.org.au, or text 0458 737 732. 

Ashburton United Soccer Club 

I attended the Grand Opening Day of Ashburton Park as a guest of Ashburton United Soccer Club on 25 May. It was fantastic to see the new turf installed and cheer on the senior men’s team. The day was packed with activities from kids’ mini games with prizes and a BBQ – something for the whole family. 

The club is 45 years old and has teams from Under 4 to Masters for players of all abilities. 

The Ashy Way promotes ‘Person first, player second, from first to last game’ with authentic values and a vision including a commitment to build community spirit in football and life. 

Go Ashy! 

Korowa F1 in Schools Team   

Last year Korowa students competed in the Formula 1 in Schools Competiton – a global STEM competition involving >17,000 schools in 44 countriees. The Year 10 team, Hypernova, were Victorian State Champions – so they went national. And now, four of Korowa’s students will represent Australia at the global competition later this year. 

I was delighted to meet some of team Hypernova and learn just how they did it – it took teamwork, leadership and a lot of determination. I am proud to have been one of their original sponsors. 

Team Hypernova are seeking sponsorships from interested companies and organisations as well as donations. Please email my office if you would like to contribute to their success 

Genuine political representation stems not just from decisions made in Canberra but through active engagement within our community. I welcome your thoughts, concerns, and ideas. 

Pop into my mobile offices for a chat. See you there! 

See all coming Mobile Offices here.