I join with other colleagues in paying tribute to our Vietnam veterans and the broader Vietnam veterans community, and to thank all those involved in making Vietnam Veterans day on 18 August the ongoing and unbridled success that it is in bringing the Vietnam veterans community together for a day of commemoration, reflection and camaraderie. I shou...

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I spoke when the original motion was brought forward by my colleague the member for Melbourne and put forward some thoughts which I must say were catalytic in receiving many other thoughts in response to my contribution. It is quite clear to me that there is a strongly held, but very divergent, set of views about this topic in the community that I ...

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The government's Building the Education Revolution program is littered with disappointments and some disasters. There have been some sweet spots but also many disappointments in the community that I represent. Thankfully, through advocacy, we have been able to address the challenges faced by Frankston Special Developmental School, the particular ne...

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Treasurer Wayne Swan is absolutely deluded if he believes his own spin that small businesses will not be worse off after the introduction of Labor’s carbon tax. Commenting on the carbon tax recently, Mr Swan said; After you account for increases in spending on electricity, gas, and things like rent arising from the carbon price, consumers will stil...

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A recent endorsement of how important small business is in providing him with economic advice, has proven the Treasurer is all talk and no action.‪ Small business could have been mistaken for thinking it has finally gotten through to the Gillard government when Mr Swan said; ‪‪I can tell you this very sincerely - some of the best, most grounded inf...

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Australia's largest union that roars when Labor leaders are being chosen has not uttered a peep about the damaging impact of the Gillard Government's carbon tax on its vulnerable members. With consumer and business confidence at rock bottom and evidence mounting that the further economic shock of the carbon tax will cost retail jobs and damage busi...

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Local federal MP Bruce Billson has called on the Gillard Government to fix another local BER bungle after Frankston High School exposed OH&S concerns with its new science laboratory. The problems which have also been assessed by a Work Safe Advisor include no locks on classroom doors in case of a lockdown, no suitable ventilation in laboratorie...

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After ten years of effort that included three separate campaigns to keep the Playne Street post office operating as a ‘full service’ post office it is disappointing Australia Post has decided to cease counter services on Friday, 16 September. Australia Post’s decision will be a setback for the some 300 customers a day that use the current arrangeme...

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The decision by Bank of Melbourne to provide same-day settlement for Monday to Saturday debit and credit card transactions is a boost for cash-strapped retail and hospitality small businesses. For Bank of Melbourne business account holders, debit and credit card transactions settled prior to 9.00pm (AEST) Monday to Saturday to a Bank of Melbourne B...

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A new survey from retail peak body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has re-affirmed retailer and the Coalition’s fears that Julia Gillard’s carbon tax will further damage the already severely depressed retail sector. The ARA’s survey found 83 per cent of retailers are expecting consumers to spend less as a result of Labor’s carbon tax, wi...

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The decision by Bank of Melbourne to provide same-day settlement for Monday to Saturday debit and credit card transactions is a boost for cash-strapped retail and hospitality small businesses. For Bank of Melbourne business account holders, debit and credit card transactions settled prior to 9.00pm (AEST) Monday to Saturday to a Bank of Melbourne B...

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The Coalition welcomes the release of the Productivity Commission’s draft report into the Economic Structure and Performance of the Australian Retail Industry. The Coalition urges retailers and consumers to examine the Productivity Commission’s considered views in its draft report and to compare the findings with their experience and insights. The ...

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The Coalition is calling on the government to bring forward the government’s post-implementation review of the Fair Work Act. In the Productivity Commission draft report into the Economic Structure and Performance of the Australian Retail Industry, the commission recommended; The Australian Government should, within the context of the current syste...

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The families of children with autism face many challenges including how to recharge their batteries and access suitable holiday experiences. The Lions Club of Karingal has come up with a terrific answer to the enormous obstacles families raising children living with disabilities face in simply ‘getting away’ for a break together. The Club has reser...

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Australia Post has agreed to reinstall a kerbside post box in Frankston’s Long Island neighbourhood after removing a nearby unit deemed unsafe and under utilised earlier in the year. Following driver safety concerns and a fall in the average number of items deposited at the post box to just a handful a week, Australia Post removed the previous kerb...

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