Kylea shares her week
Week 17: Now's the time for economic reform as cost of living bites
All across Australia, costs of living are getting higher. I've heard this from many in our community and seen it first hand on my grocery and power bills. Households are under extraordinary pressure, and Parliament will need to consider what systemic changes we need to future proof our economy.
As a society, we need to invest in our care sectors and find ways to improve the cost and affordability of childcare. We also need to address issues of housing affordability, with Sydney rents up an average of 14% last year, and mortgage repayments on the rise after six consecutive cash rate hikes.
While there is no silver bullet, I believe now is the time to explore opportunities that can improve Australia's financial position while also delivering the social and environmental progress we need.
Better fuel efficiency standards, for example, could not only bring down our overall transport emissions but also save households hundreds in petrol costs annually.
Fairer taxes for oil and gas exporters and multinational pharmaceutical companies could help raise revenue for government programs. As budgetary pressures grow, we should also look to cut spending in wasteful areas like offshore processing of asylum seekers and the $600 million Kurri Kurri power plant.
There has been much talk in the media about potentially dismantling the former government's Stage 3 income tax cuts but we should be looking further than simply taxing our workers to fix the Federal Budget. The reality is, Stage 3 cuts have already been legislated. They were backed by Labor during the election, and I believe they must stay.
As your independent representative in Federal Parliament, I remain absolutely committed to advocating for the changes we as a community want to see. Please do keep the feedback coming in, and come along to Wednesday's Politics in the Club event if you can make it. I hope to see you there!
Other relevant posts
week 23: Cutting vehicle emissions with our new Private Members Bill
Earlier this year, in the months before the election, I promised to develop and introduce a Private Member's Bill that would deliver better, cleaner fuel to Australians and reduce pollution from our cars. That Bill was tabled in Parliament this week.
North Sydney's Reducing Vehicle Pollution Bill will bring Australian fuel quality in line with European standards, reducing the levels of sulphur and aromatics that they can contain.
Week 22: The National Anti-Corruption Commission Bill Passes the House
With just one sitting week remaining for Parliament in 2022, the past week in Canberra has definitely been full of robust debate, constructive discussion and ultimately some landmark legislative developments.
Week 21: What we're doing to strengthen the Anti-Corruption Bill
Our democracy will only ever be as strong as our willingness as citizens to actively contribute to any debate, and just on six months into this role, the capacity for me to truly listen to the many voices of North Sydney as they discuss proposed or needed legislative reform at the national level is without a doubt the most rewarding thing I get to do on a daily basis.
week 20: Speaking out for our community on climate change
|
Week 19: Getting IR Reforms Right
This week, I've been looking at the Government's 'Secure Jobs, Better Pay' Bill, a package of Industrial Relations (IR) changes that was introduced in Parliament in Budget week.
Week 18: What the Budget Means for North Sydney
This week, my team and I have been hard at work determining what the newly released Federal Budget means for North Sydney's priorities, and what needs to be done to ensure government initiatives actually deliver the changes that our community wants to see.
Every Friday
Kylea's newsletter hits the inboxes of people right across our electorate of North Sydney. Stay up to date with Kylea's plans and progress as she tells us about her week speaking with people in our community. We'll also highlight the latest community events and initiatives to get involved with.