Cost-of-living pressures are weighing heavily on the minds of hard-working Riverina families and struggling small business owners. As Australia heads to a Federal election, people need to ask themselves: “Are we better off now than we were before this Labor Government took office?” Disappointingly, the answer is easy. It is an emphatic NO! Regional communities, in particular, are hurting. The cost of electricity, food, fuel and insurance has increased significantly over the past two-and-a-half years. Housing affordability is a huge issue and rental properties are scarce and expensive. There is a better way. The Coalition has a plan to get Australia and the economy back on track. The Nationals in Coalition with the Liberals have developed a comprehensive suite of policies which address the issues that matter most to you, such as the cost of living and housing, and will deliver the strong leadership on national security and foreign policy our nation needs. Our policies include: • delivering immediate cost-of-living relief by cutting the fuel tax in half; • delivering cheaper energy with a balanced energy plan which includes gas, zero-emissions nuclear and renewables where they do not impact prime farmland; • preventing supermarkets from exploiting farmers and consumers with a new competition policy, including divestiture powers and a supermarket commissioner; • addressing the burden on infrastructure and services by stopping the record levels of yearly net migration by reducing permanent migration by 25 per cent and introducing caps on foreign students; • making it easier to build and buy homes by funding essential infrastructure and utilities in housing developments and imposing a two-year ban on foreign investors and temporary residents from purchasing existing homes; and • investing $9 billion into Medicare to fix Labor’s healthcare crisis. With the vision of an experienced Nationals’ Member for Riverina and the Coalition in Government, the Riverina’s and Australia’s potential are unmatched. I hope to have the great honour and privilege to continue to represent this remarkable region in the Federal Parliament. I am proud much has been achieved in the Riverina over the years, including: • almost $1.5 billion delivered to upgrade and secure the future of our Defence bases; • establishment of a new, purpose-built rural medical school in Wagga Wagga to help address the doctor shortage across the Riverina; and • more than $60 million to various infrastructure and community projects across the electorate, including main street upgrades which have beautified and improved local towns. Each of these initiatives has improved quality of life and secured a brighter future for our region. But more work needs to be done, and only a Nationals Member for Riverina can deliver it. Please visit www.nationalsplan.org.au to find out more about the Coalition’s plan.
