Dear Berowra Resident,
In this newsletter, you will find information about:
- My advocacy for the Government to address the cost of living crisis
- Fighting for freedom of worship and freedom from fear in Australia and around the world
- Local Bushfire Preparedness Events
- Working with the Hills Shire Council to upgrade our community infrastructure
- Senator Jane Hume’s visit to Asquith Boys High School
- An invitation to contribute to the inquiry into insurers’ responses to the 2022 floods
- Unveiling of the Vietnam Veterans plaque at John Benyon Rotary Park
- Australia India Leadership Dialogue
- The winners of my 2023 Christmas Card competition
- Celebrating the 100th Birthday of the first Member for Berowra, Tom Hughes
- Some of my recent speeches in Parliament
|
|
|
THE GOVERNMENT MUST DO MORE TO BRING DOWN THE COST OF LIVING
I know that, throughout this year, families, households and businesses across Berowra have all experienced financial pressure.
Thirteen successive interest rate increases, and wages not keeping up with prices have put most households under pressure.
People across our community are experiencing the financial vice – with interest rates and rents going up and up.
Chemists have told me discretionary sales have dried up.
Butchers have told me about customers asking for cheaper cuts of meat.
The local dry cleaner has told me that he is taking a second job – and at night he dry-cleans using off-peak energy.
Working day and night – taking second and third jobs – is a hard way to live.
My view is that it is better that government tightens its belt rather
than households having to tighten their belts. Yet, despite this
worsening financial vice on households, the Albanese Government still
has no financial plan.
No plan to rein in inflation, bring government spending back under
control, encourage workplace productivity, or invest in skills and
productivity-enhancing infrastructure.
Australians deserve better.
As your federal MP, I want to assure you that the top issue that I’m
focused on is the economy. Productivity, workplace relations, bringing
inflation down and keeping government spending under control really
matters.
As we enter 2024, please be assured that I’ll be continuing to fight for you and your family.
|
|
|
FIGHTING FOR FREEDOM OF WORSHIP AND FREEDOM FROM FEAR IN AUSTRALIA AND AROUND THE WORLD
Australia is the most successful multicultural society in the world.
Multiculturalism is one of the great triumphs of Australia. That is why
it has been so distressing to see the fabric of Australia fraying
recently.
Regardless of a person’s faith tradition, I will always advocate for
their right to practice their religion free from persecution,
vilification, or intimidation.
Following the 2012 Christchurch mosque terrorist attack, I visited the
Annangrove mosque to show my support to our local Muslim community.
I have stood strongly against the tyranny exercised on Iranians by their
own government. I have spoken out against the persecution of Christians
in the Middle East, the Uyghurs in China and Hindus across the world.
Just last week, I spoke in the Parliament about the genocide being
perpetrated on Armenians by Azerbaijan. You can watch that speech here or read it here.
That is why it saddens me so deeply to see the rise of anti-Semitism in
Australia, particularly following the 7 October terror attacks by Hamas.
I can’t remember the level of anti-Semitism in Australia being this prominent or this public in my lifetime.
I think the weak NSW Police response to the initial demonstrations at
the Opera House, where people called for the death of their fellow
Australians, has sadly led to more of these sort of displays of hate on
our streets.
That’s why I wrote to the NSW Premier Chris Minns, calling on him to ban
the late night vehicle convoys that targeted suburbs and streets which
have large Jewish populations.
Those actions are not about protest, they are about intimidating fellow Australians.
I welcomed Premier Minns’ confirmation that police officers would be
able to stop such convoys in the future if they are deemed to be a
threat to public safety.
While we in Australia may not be able to influence events in the Middle
East, what we can do is treat each other with respect and goodwill –
recognising our shared humanity. We all have a responsibility to treat
each other with compassion and empathy during this difficult time.
As Australians, we must stand for each other’s freedoms, and we must
stand against the anti-Semitism that is being expressed in too many
places.
No matter our faith, origin, or political background, we must stand against hate, and we must stand together free of fear.
Today it is Jews, but I would be saying the same thing regardless of
which faith group we are talking about – be it Christians, Muslim,
Hindu, Sikh, or Buddhist.
If we allow hatred and fear to grow in our national character, it is
impossible to know what minority may become the next target of abuse.
Last week in Parliament, I spoke in support of the Counter-Terrorism
Legislation Amendment (Prohibited Hate Symbols and Other Measures) Bill
2023. I put forward a similar Bill during my time as Shadow
Attorney-General. The Bill will ban the display of Nazi symbols,
including the Nazi salute, across Australia.
It is a Bill that reinforces the right of every Australia to freedom of
worship and, as importantly, the freedom to live free and free of fear.
You can watch my speech here or read it here.
|
|
|
LOCAL BUSHFIRE PREPAREDNESS EVENTS
It was wonderful to have so many members of our community join us at the
two bushfire preparedness events that I held in Dural and Asquith on
Sunday 26 November.
We're so fortunate in the Berowra electorate to be served by 26 RFS
brigades and 2 SES units who do a wonderful job protecting our
community. I am grateful to them for helping to make the events such a
great success.
|
|
I organised these events because the RFS
told me that our community is more at risk this summer than at any time
in the past 20 years.
Regardless of whether you were able to attend on the day, it is crucial
to get your family and your property ready for what is expected to be a
very dangerous bushfire season.
The RFS told me that, above all else, they recommend you do these four things to keep you safe this summer:
- Develop a fire plan - plan what to do if a bushfire threatens your home.
- Prepare your home and get it ready for bushfire season.
- Know the bushfire alert levels.
- Keep the bushfire information numbers, websites, and download the RFS apps.
To learn more about each of those steps, please click here.
To develop your bushfire plan, please click here.
To watch the videos that I filmed with Inspector Nathan Barnden,
District Coordinator, The Hills, and the Glenorie RFS about what you
need to know this bushfire season, please click here.
|
|
|
WORKING WITH THE HILLS SHIRE COUNCIL TO UPGRADE OUR COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE
I have been working with the Hills Shire Council to secure funding to upgrade local roads and community infrastructure.
Almost $700,000 will be used to repair Chapel Hill Road in Sackville
North and River Road in Lower Portland and Leets Vale, which were
damaged during the March and July 2022 floods.
Funding has also been allocated for installing new ball stop fencing at
Kenthurst Park. It was great to visit the park with Mayor Peter Gangemi
and have a kick around!
|
|
More than $2 million has also been allocated
to improve the safety of Annangrove Road between Edwards Road and
Kenthurst Road, and Langford Road/Davey Road in Dural. That funding has
been allocated under the Federal Black Spot Program, which targets roads
where crashes have occurred or are at risk of occurring.
On Annangrove Road, works will include installing flexible barriers,
vehicle activated signs, threshold treatments and guideposts over a
number of locations. On Langford Road/Davey Road, works will include
installing flexible barriers and upgrading street lighting, edge lines
and guideposts.
This funding is being directed towards some of the busiest and most
dangerous roads in our area, so these upgrades will play a crucial role
in keeping our residents safe.
|
|
|
BRINGING SENATOR HUME TO ASQUITH BOYS HIGH SCHOOL
I recently brought Senator Jane Hume, the Shadow Minister for Finance
and Shadow Special Minister of State, to visit Asquith Boys High School.
The Shadow Minister took part in a Year 11 Business Studies class,
giving the students a chance to ask her questions about the economy and
Australia’s financial system.
I also showed the Shadow Minister the need for better facilities at
Asquith Boys High School. It is one of the few high schools in the area,
and indeed in Sydney, without a multi-purpose hall that is fit for
purpose.
I also know that many local community groups are keen to have access to
an upgraded indoor multi-purpose facility in the area. I have no doubt
that, if constructed, the hall would be well-used by both the school and
community.
I’m pleased to be advocating for Asquith Boys to get better facilities,
as I do for all schools in my electorate. I'm committed to fighting for
the best possible opportunities for every student in Berowra.
|
|
|
INVITATION TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE INQUIRY INTO INSURERS’ RESPONSES TO THE 2022 FLOODS
The Standing Committee on Economics has commenced an inquiry into
insurers' responses to claims arising from the major floods which
affected our community and so many others in 2022.
I know that some of our community who were affected by the floods are still struggling to get back on track.
If you were impacted by the floods and struggled dealing with your
insurer, I would strongly encourage you to engage with the inquiry.
You can learn more about the inquiry, and fill out a short survey about your experiences, by clicking here.
|
|
|
REMEMBRANCE DAY AND THE UNVEILING OF THE VIETNAM VETERANS PLAQUE AT KENTHURST
Kenthurst Rotary recently hosted an unveiling of a new plaque in John
Benyon Rotary Park to honour the service of those from Kenthurst and
Annangrove who fought in the Vietnam war.
The plaque lists the names of Kenthurst locals who served in Vietnam -
James Birch, Ronald Prager, and Allan Johnston. The plaque sits
alongside other plaques honouring those who fought in the World Wars,
Korea, Malaya, and Vietnam, as well as those involved in UN
Peacekeeping.
It was my honour to speak at the event and to meet the veterans and their families.
It was fitting that the ceremony was held so soon after Remembrance Day,
when people across the area observed a minute of silence to remember
all those who have fought and died in the protection of our country.
Thank you to all of the local RSLs who brought the community together to mark Remembrance Day.
|
|
|
AUSTRALIA INDIA LEADERSHIP DIALOGUE
We have a fantastic Indian community in our electorate and I am a great
believer in the importance of the relationship between Australia and
India.
That is why it was a pleasure to attend the Australia India Leadership
Dialogue recently, to discuss how we can increase our ties with India
regarding energy, skills, technology and security.
It was also good to spend time with the Indian High Commissioner to
Australia Manpreet Vohra and the Indian Consular General Manish Gupta
before they finish their terms at the end of this year.
|
|
MY 2023 CHRISTMAS CARD COMPETITION
Each year, I run a competition to design
the cover of my 2023 Christmas Card. This year, I asked primary school
students from across the electorate to draw their favourite place in the
Berowra electorate.
Henry Lin, 11, from Redfield College was the very deserving winner this
year with his drawing of Berowra Waters at sunset. It was wonderful to
present Henry with a congratulations certificate and prize. I was
honoured to receive from him a painting recreating his wonderful entry.
Congratulations as well to the runners up, who are being featured on the back cover of the card:
- Oliver Talbot Seow, 6, from Hornsby Heights (with his drawing of boating on Berowra Creek)
- Benny Krickx, 7, from Berowra Public School (with his drawing of Hornsby Pool)
- Yuri Rodriguez, 10, from Berowra Public School (with his drawing of Turner Road)
|
|
|
HAPPY 100TH BIRTHDAY TOM HUGHES
The Hon Tom Hughes AO KC – barrister, former Attorney-General and the first Member for Berowra – turned 100 recently.
Tom has been an extraordinary mentor and friend to me.
I hope always to carry on the tradition that he started – of service above self and principled leadership.
Last week in Parliament, I spoke in the House of Representatives about Tom’s exceptional service to this country.
You can watch the video here and read my speech here.
|
|
|
OTHER SPEECHES IN PARLIAMENT
Gosford Quarries
I recently spoke about the exceptional milestone of Gosford Quarries
reaching its centenary. Sandstone extracted from those quarries adorns
everything from the local ANZAC RSL memorial at Glenorie to the Sydney
Town Hall, St Mary's Cathedral and the Australian War Memorial.
You can watch my speech here and read it here.
Skills and training
I recently spoke about why the Government is failing Australians when it
comes to skills and training. The Government has been focused on
repackaging existing programs and congratulating itself on a job not
done, rather than working on removing the skills blockages that are
hindering national productivity and economic growth.
You can watch my speech here and read it here.
|
|
|
UPCOMING COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS CAROLS
- Berowra Carols Under the Star - Thursday 7 December, 6 pm - Warrina St Oval, Berowra
- Kenthurst Carols in the Park - Saturday 9 December, 3-9 pm - John Benyon Rotary Park, Kenthurst
- Galston Carols by Candlelight - Saturday 9 December,
4-8 pm - Fagan Park, Galston
- Glenhaven Carols by Candlelight - Sunday 10 December,
4-9 pm - Glenhaven Oval
- Asquith Carols - Sunday 10 December, 7:30 pm - Asquith Oval
- Carols on the Corner - Friday 15 December, 5-8pm - St Matt's Anglican Church, West Pennant Hills
- Glenorie Community Carols - Sunday 17 December, 5-8 pm - Les Shore Reserve, Glenorie
- Thornleigh Community Carols - Sunday 17 December, 5-8 pm - Headen Park, Thornleigh
If you are part of a community group
which has an event coming up, please contact my office and we would
be happy to feature your event in my newsletter. We generally aim to
send out a newsletter each month.
If my office can ever be of assistance to you, please email me on
Julian.Leeser.MP@aph.gov.au, or call my office on 9980 1822.
Kind regards,
Julian
|
|
|
|
