Issue 15 (Winter 2014) John Gardner MP Morialta Matters A local who gets results Basket Range Oval In this issue: What the State Budget means for you and your family Millions of printer cartridges reach the end of their life in Australia every year and, if Dear Resident they are sent to landfill, they It is an honour to have been re-elected as the Member for Morialta to represent can take between 450 to our community in the State Parliament and I am most grateful to have retained 1000 years to break down. your confidence for the coming term. To help support this Liberal Leader Steven Marshall has appointed me to the Shadow Cabinet as program and recycle printer Shadow Minister for Police, Correctional Services and Justice. These are critical cartridges find your nearest drop-off location by visiting portfolios and I am looking forward to these extra challenges. http://cartridges.planetark. I remain convinced that Jay Weatherill’s Labor org or call the Recycling Government has the wrong approach for South Hotline on 1300 733 712. Australia’s future. However, although little more nder than one third of SA voted Labor, the fact is they USA have formed Government with a majority in the law it is an House, supported by Independents Ministers offence Brock and Hamilton-Smith (even though he was for a sales elected as a Liberal) and my focus is on the person to future. try and make a I recently visited my god-daughter Ava’s school sale if one of these signs open day (pictured). Events like this are a good are displayed. reminder of what is most important – in politics Please contact my office if and in life. you’d like one of these Do While Chelsey and I don’t have children yet, we Not Knock stickers sent out look forward to raising a family in this wonderful area. Everything we do in politics to you. is to help our community to keep getting stronger, our state more prosperous and SA Power Networks fair, so that our family and yours will have the best possible opportunities here in South Australia. Have you lost power for excessive period of time or As always, I hope you will let me know if I may ever be able to assist you or your frequently over a one year family. period. You may be eligible for a Guaranteed Service Level payment. Find out more here: www.sapowernetworks.com.au Office: 163 St Bernards Rd Web: www.JohnGardnerMP.com.au Contact Rostrevor 5073 Email: [email protected] Phone: 8365 4224 Facebook: www.facebook.com/JohnAWGardner John: Fax: 8365 4225 Twitter: www.twitter.com/JohnGardnerMP 2014-2015 BUDGET FACTS DEBT AND DEFICIT BROKEN PROMISES The 2014-15 State Budget has saddled South Australians South Australian families and businesses will be hurt by with the biggest debt in our State’s history. Debt will key measures in the budget. Worst of all, however, is that reach $14.3 billion in two years and the State’s deficit has the Government has not kept its word and has broken key hit $1.2 billion this year. election commitments. The Government has delivered six budget deficits in One of the fundamental principles of governing is to be seven years after repeatedly promising that each one trustworthy and honest with constituents but many projects would be in surplus. Spending is out of control, and it will promised in the lead up to the election have now been be left to our children and grandchildren to pick up the scrapped. tab. In health alone, the Government pledged to invest: Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis has handed down a budget that was meant to be about building a better South • $27.8 million to upgrade Modbury Hospital; Australia, but instead it is full of cuts and taxes. The • $100 million to upgrade the Flinders Medical Centre; Government has no plan to create jobs and grow the • $125 million to upgrade the Queen Elizabeth Hospital; economy. • $31.3 million to upgrade the Noarlunga Hospital None of these commitments will go ahead and South Australians have a right to feel deceived by Jay Weatherill. COST OF LIVING INCREASES STATE DEBT UNDER LABOR FAMILIES HURT HEALTH CUTS Families are the real losers in this budget. The Premier Jay Weatherill and his Government have failed to Government has delivered more pain and increased cost deliver on promises to provide better health services for of living pressures for all families. South Australians. The Government will inflict a spike in most household The Government has scrapped plans to redevelop the bills as they increase the Emergency Services Levy Modbury Hospital, Noarlunga Hospital, Flinders Medical by $150 per year. Pensioners and low income earners, Centre and Queen Elizabeth Hospital. who are already vulnerable to any increase in general expenses, will lose council rate concessions from next This is a major blow to all South Australians, especially year. for the staff and patients of these important facilities. Households will also feel the full impact of the budget Despite the Jay Weatherill trying to blame the Federal with all fees, charges and fines to increase. Families are Government for these drastic health cuts, it is the long already struggling with soaring electricity, gas and water term mismanagement of the health department by the prices and the budget will only add to these pressures. Government that has left our health system in turmoil. Even prior to the Federal Budget, Health Minister Jack Families will also be hit with a lack of job opportunities Snelling needed to cut $1 billion from the health budget to with the Government breaking its promise to create meet the State Government’s own savings target. 100,000 new jobs by 2016. The Government’s so called Jobs Plan has been scaled back from $393 million to just After 12 years of neglect, our health system is in $60 million even though South Australia has lost almost desperate need of revitalisation. Unfortunately, Jay 20,000 jobs in the last 12 months. Weatherill and Jack Snelling have left nothing in the bank to fix our public hospitals. South Australia is in the midst of a dangerous jobs crisis recording the highest unemployment on the mainland. The State Government has left patients waiting. SMALL BUSINESS After the election Premier Jay Weatherill promised to reconnect with the business community. But in the State Budget, Jay Weatherill has done the opposite. Instead of providing much needed relief to businesses, like Land Tax or Payroll Tax reductions, the Government is increasing taxes by 10% from 1 July 2014. Businesses are already struggling with the highest taxes in the nation and burdensome red tape. Businesses in South Australia are the backbone of the economy and the creators of employment. They have been let down by this budget. In addition, new taxes are being introduced like the Car Park Tax that will hurt all South Australians wishing to travel into the CBD and park their car. Shopping in Rundle Mall, dining in Adelaide’s fantastic restaurants or simply travelling to work, will now become more expensive as a result of the budget. 2014-15 STATE BUDGET AT A GLANCE... fact South Australians will be paying $2.2 fact The Government has taken the knife million interest every day on Labor’s to the health sector and has broken a debt which rises to $14.3 billion. number of key election commitments. fact Emergency Services Levy increase will fact Fees, charges and fines will increase cost the average household $150 per by 2.7 per cent. year and $8 per year for motor vehicles. Small business continues to suffer fact Payroll tax concessions from next year fact with taxes remaining the highest in are being removed and the Car Park the nation and rising by 10 per cent Tax introduced this year. from 1 July 2014. fact Council rate concessions for pensioners fact The budget has no plan to create and concession card holders will be cut jobs or grow the economy. In fact, the costing $190 per annum from next year. Government has broken its promise to create 100,000 new jobs by 2016. Say ‘NO’ to hospital cuts... For every South Australian to get the quality healthcare they deserve, our hard-working doctors and nurses need first class facilities. Prior to the State Election, the Government committed to redeveloping four hospitals. However, in the State Budget, these commitments were abandoned. Stand up for SA’s hospitals, doctors and nurses – say no to hospital cuts! THE STATE GOVERNMENT HAS: CUT $100 million from Flinders Medical Centre CUT $125 million from Queen Elizabeth Hospital CUT $31.3 million from Noarlunga Hospital CUT $27.8 million from Modbury Hospital John Gardner MP - Around Morialta Cutting the ribbon on the Basket Range Cricket Club John opening the Thorndon Park solar panels with Club President Don Cranwell Primary School Sports Day John with State Liberal Leader Steven Marshall at Carnevale 2014 Magill Sunrise Rotary Club Changeover Lunch, With Michelle Black and Heather Margrison at the John speaking at the Campbelltown City Council “Take Back Control of Your Life” Law Week with Councillor John Kennedy who received a citizenship ceremony Domestic Violence Forum Paul Harris Fellowship Morialta Resident’s National Win Festa Della Repubblica Mass, with Cav John di Fede, Consul Orietta Borgia, and Vincent Tarzia MP Congratulations to local constituent Kirandeep Kaur Birdi who recently won With Federal Education Minister Christopher Pyne the title of Ms Photogenic 2014 in the at the flag presentation ceremony at Miss India Australia Contest St Francis of Assisi School John Gardner MP - Supporting our Community Grants Birthdays and Anniversaries A variety of grants become available throughout the Are you or is someone you know reaching a milestone year to assist organisations and individuals who birthday or wedding anniversary? provide services and support to the community.