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May 2011
Dear Residents in Murray
In January this year the Strathbogie Shire became incorporated in the electorate of Murray. Welcome to all the new constituents. I look forward to working with you and for you.
Summer has ended (although did it ever start?). Autumn has now arrived with a slight chill in the air, foggy mornings and the turning of the leaves. The drought has well and truly ended with floods we could have done without.
It’s been a very busy couple of months since the last newsletter, and I must say, not all of it is positive. The Federal Government, on 31 March, ceased the Exceptional Circumstances payments to our drought-stricken and struggling farmers. This coincided with severe flood damage for many, and of course bank accounts do not bounce back the day it starts to rain!
The Federal Labor Government has also changed the criteria for qualification of country tertiary students to receive Youth Allowance assistance, which will ultimately result in a massive increase in deferrals and students not being able to attend universities away from home. I am working away to make changes, but unfortunately it is a very slow process.
On a brighter note, I was honoured and privileged to present three recipients with National Service Medals and Australian Defence Medals, just in time for ANZAC Day. The three recipients were John Waters of Tatura, Allistair Honey of Shepparton and Ronald Payten of Tatura. Ron’s award was posthumous and accepted by his widow, Betty Payten. The pictures below show the recipients after their medals had been presented.
I attended the ANZAC Day services in Mooroopna, Shepparton and Nathalia this year. ANZAC Day holds a special place in Australia’s heart and even though ANZAC Day coincided with Easter this year, crowds were bigger in most places.
We still face many serious issues in our electorate: the floods and continued clean-up in the west, the Murray Darling Basin Authority proposal, the spiralling costs of aged care, the carbon tax and the on-going Goulburn-Murray Water and NVIRP issues. I will continue to strive for a positive outcome on all these issues for the betterment of the electorate of Murray.
In the mean time, please don’t hesitate to call if there is anything I can do to help.
Sharman Stone MP
Towns still affected by floods
Recently, I took to the communities of Serpentine, Bridgewater, Rochester and Echuca with the Opposition Emergency Services spokesman, Senator Gary Humphries. He is coordinating a new Coalition emergency response.
Senator Humphries heard about the failure of warnings for most communities, the shortage of manpower including basics like sandbags, as well as the growing number of insurance issues.
So many of our towns and communities still struggling to come to terms with the floods, and are trying to clean up. The Gillard Government appears to be providing the vast majority of flood related donations to those flood-affected areas in South East Queensland.
I am certainly not discounting the severity of the floods and natural disasters in Queensland. I question the fairness and equality of the recovery funds being handed out by the Federal Government.
There is some financial assistance available for those who need a helping hand.
For information about what grants and other assistance is still available for flood and drought stressed farms and small businesses, you can contact:-
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More information:
Visit the Centrelink website for information about Commonwealth Government Flood Assistance.
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Can you volunteer some time to help?
I encourage anyone or any group who has a little spare time to volunteer with the huge task of getting flood affected areas back into business. Contact the Loddon Shire Council or the Shire of Campaspe and they will be able to direct you to areas of need.
Unfortunately those on our farms don’t tend to get the media’s attention and are often out of sight and out of mind, but their need is so great right now that any help will be appreciated.
People still need help with fences and to generally clean up.
If you have some time to volunteer, contact my office and I can put you in touch with some needy farmers.
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More information:
Visit the Blazeaid website for more information on volunteering to repair fences
Donate to the Australian Red Cross Floods Appeal
Visit the Victorian Government’s Volunteer website
Click herefor some pictures of Bridgewater area under flood water
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The Federal Coalition was recently successful in having an amendment passed in the Senate which would have changed the independent youth allowance criteria back to what it was when we were in government. Unfortunately when this amendment came down to the House of Representatives, the Independents chose to vote with Labor to stop the motion, and so we are left with nothing more than another inquiry.
The inquiry, led by Professor Kwong Lee Dow came to Shepparton on 19 April and again heard from parents, students, teachers and local business that the impacts of the new Youth Allowance rules are devastating for middle income rural families. They simply cannot pay the $20,000 or so it costs per year and help a tertiary student live away from home.
The Coalition will sort this out when we are back in power, but meanwhile many of our locals simply have to give up university studies.
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More information:
Visit Centrelink for full Independent Youth Allowance criteria.
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Digital TV – Are you digital ready?
Well, the switchover from analogue to digital free-to-air TV has happened on 5 May. All residents need to ensure they have either a set-top box installed on their current television, or a television with digital TV capabilities built in.
There is a federally funded initiative to assist people with this switchover by supplying and installing a high definition set top box.
This initiative is open to eligible aged pensioners, disability support pensioners, carer payment recipients, Veterans’ Affairs Service Pension or Veterans’ Affairs Income support supplement, who have a functioning TV, who do not have access to digital TV and who live in an area that is switching to digital TV.
We have had word of some problems with this grant. Let my office know if you have any issues. Further information and application information can be found at
Having a birthday or anniversary?
If you or a loved one is celebrating a significant anniversary or birthday, we can organise special messages from myself, the Prime Minister, Queen and the Governor General.
You will need to produce supporting documents such as birth certificates, marriage certificates or passports. If these are not available, you can provide a statutory declaration instead.
Call my office on 1300 132 413 to organise these congratulatory messages.
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