Ahead of the federal election on May 21, the Mercury is asking candidates in the Gilmore electorate questions on the issues that readers have identified as the most important to them.
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One of these issues is the cost of living.
The question the Mercury put to the candidates was:
- How will you relieve the cost of living pressures for Illawarra residents
You can read the candidates' responses below.
Our community has been faced a number of challenges as we deal with global uncertainty and recovery from the impact of COVID, and the Coalition Government is continuing to focus on helping to make people's lives easier by reducing the cost of living pressures for local families.
In Gilmore, more than 57,000 taxpayers will benefit from tax relief of up to $1,500 this year, made up of the $1,080 low and middle income tax offset and a $420 cost of living tax offset. And for the next six months, fuel excise will be cut in half, saving drivers 22 cents a litre.
In addition to the one-off cost of living tax offset, the Government is also providing a one-off cost of living payment of $250 for people across this region who are most in need. That includes 27,958 pensioners, 7,176 disability support recipients, 2,859 carers, 6,298 jobseekers, and 5,046 eligible self-funded retirees.
I am focused on fighting for my local community to ease cost of living pressures and make life easier for everyone.
Did not respond.
A first step, and to help post-pandemic, The Greens want to provide free to everyone, Rapid Antigen Tests. RATs are too expensive. This would give people confidence to return to work and normal life.
Health should not be about a free market and what you can afford. We will push for free and universal access to GPs, across Australia, with no out-of-pocket payments to specialists when medically necessary.
Many people in Gilmore and the Illawarra are low to middle-income workers. Wages have stagnated and in some cases, have gone backwards in spending terms. The Greens want to raise the wages of the Public Sector which will have a flow-on effect to other community occupations.
Reducing the effects of climate change by phasing out fossil fuels, and using renewable sources and batteries for storage, will mean cheaper energy for everyone. This will reduce the cost of local manufacturing of value-added products, and will also help create new industry with its economic flow-on effects.
Cheaper travel and commuting will result from decreasing the purchase and running costs of electric vehicles, and increasing public transport and faster rail, all powered by a publicly-owned energy company.
Increasing competition in the market by proper regulation of communication and NBN providers, will also assist businesses and private users, by reducing current costs.
The Greens Homes for All policy will mean that everyone will have a safe, affordable place to live.
More than 3 million people are living in poverty in Australia and The Greens want to increase JobSeeker to $88 a day, and review Youth and Student Allowances and Pension rates.
The Greens will spend $19 billion over forward estimates to provide free, and universally accessible, childcare for all and 24 hours a week of free preschool for all three and four-year olds.
The Greens will push to waive the HECS debt, and provide free education from kindergarten to TAFE and University, for everyone.
The Greens want to increase the pay awards for Aged-Care and Child-Care workers to a professional level.
All these policies will increase job availability and reduce the cost of living.
Did not respond.
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