Tackling homelessness in the electorate of Parkes
Young people at risk of homelessness in the electorate of Parkes will receive greater support through increased Government funding. The Coalition Government has provided up to $1,282,079 to Reconnect services in the electorate. Reconnect provides support and assistance to young people who are homeless or at risk of being homeless.
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Reconnect services will help stabilise the lives of vulnerable young people by keeping them connected with their families, communities, and education or employment opportunities. The Reconnect program is operated by Dubbo Reconnect under the auspices of the Uniting Church, and I encourage anyone who knows someone in a vulnerable housing situation to use this service. The Coalition Government’s long-term funding of Reconnect is enabling services to intervene before crisis occurs. It has provided up to $117 million over five years to 102 Reconnect services across Australia, on top of an additional $375 million to frontline homelessness services over the three years from 1 July 2018. For more information on Reconnect services, visit the DSS website.
Country of Origin Labelling discussions
Fast food outlets are being asked to voluntarily display Country of Origin Labelling information. The sector is being encouraged to display country of origin in the same way as other packaged food products and the government plans to discuss the issue with the fast food industry in the near future. Consumers and farmers fought for years for a simple label showing the consumer where their food comes from.
The Coalition is delivering that with a mandatory labelling programme which includes simple bar graphs that show the percentage of packaged food which is Australian made. It’d be great if fast food outlets voluntarily got on board too. Consumers deserve the chance to buy Australian and they deserve to know where their food comes from. Australian farmers deserve the chance to collect on their hard work to produce clean, green food and the way to do that is to give consumers the chance to buy it. Many major fast food outlets already use very high proportions of Aussie farm produce. No business has anything to fear from consumers knowing where their food comes from – accurate information to consumers is what creates a pure market. The Coalition Government’s Country of Origin Labelling laws come into effect on July 1.
Ground-breaking flu vaccines to help seniors
The Coalition Government will provide two new ground-breaking flu vaccines to over 3 million Australians aged 65 years and over - free of charge. These new vaccines will help provide stronger protection for over 65s. The vaccines have been fast-tracked to ensure lives are saved and that Australians over 65 years of age receive greater protection. More than 90 per cent of the 1,100 flu related deaths in 2017 were by people aged over 65 years of age.
This is the Government’s direct response to last year’s horrific flu season and is aimed squarely at saving lives. We must continue to do all we can to protect those Australians who are most at risk. The new vaccines – Fluad and Fluzone High Dose – were registered in Australia to specifically provide increased protection for people aged 65 years and older.
From April 2018, both vaccines will be available through the National Immunisation Program following a recommendation from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee. These new vaccines have been specifically made for the elderly, as their immune systems respond less effectively to vaccines. These new trivalent (three strain) vaccines work in over 65s by generating a strong immune response and are more effective for this age group in protecting against influenza. Vaccination saves lives and they are fundamental to our health system.
