16 May 2019

Senator Zed Seselja on how the Coalition has delivered for Canberra

| Zed Seselja
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Zed Seselja campaigning in Tuggeranong

Zed Seselja campaigning in Tuggeranong. Photo: George Tsotsos.

This Saturday, all Australians have an important choice to make when they vote in the Federal election.

It is a choice between Scott Morrison as Prime Minister, delivering a stronger economy that guarantees the services we rely on, or a weaker economy and higher taxes under Bill Shorten and Labor.

Canberrans have already been hit by massive rates rises and under Bill Shorten, the cost of living will skyrocket.

In contrast, in the last five and a half years, the Liberal-National Government has delivered for Canberra:

  • 18,000 more jobs since 2013, and the lowest unemployment in the country at 3.6 per cent;
  • Doubling of hospital funding from $203 million in 2013 to $412 million this year;
  • Delivering a $68 million Health Plan for the ACT, including a new headspace centre, $13.5 million a dedicated eating disorder clinic for the ACT, $13.5 million for more beds in ICU, increase Medicare-backed MRIs, and $6 million for a Youth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan;
  • $250 million in road upgrades on the Monaro, Barton and Kings Highways and William Slim Drive, to reduce congestion and get Canberrans home safer and sooner;
  • $500 million for the Australian War Memorial, the biggest infrastructure investment since the Howard Government, along with $63 million for the National Gallery, $15 million for Questacon, and $10 million for the National Library.

We have achieved this while delivering immediate tax relief for 200,000 Canberrans, which will increase to more than $2,000 a year for the average Canberra household, record funding for schools, and tax relief for 14,000 small and medium businesses in the ACT.

The Liberal-National Government has added more than 2,000 new life-changing medicines worth more than $10 billion to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). This is in stark contrast to Labor.

In 2011, Labor ran out of money and delayed the listing of life-saving medicines to the PBS, noting “the listing of some medicines would be deferred until fiscal circumstances permit” in their 2011-12 Portfolio Budget Statements.

Bill Shorten and his Labor Government will increase taxes – on your rent, your home, your car, your electricity, and your retirement.

Under Labor, rents across Canberra will increase up to $56 a week, the value of the family home will drop around $65,000, and 15,000 Canberra retirees will have $1,800 a year ripped from their pockets.

Meanwhile, the Morrison Government has a plan to keep our economy strong, so we can:

  • Create 1.25 million more jobs over the next five years;
  • Keep Australians safe and our borders secure, and stop the deaths at sea;
  • Guarantee increased investments for schools, hospitals and roads;
  • Maintain budget surpluses and pay down debt;
  • Deliver tax relief for small businesses and families.

This Saturday, Canberrans have a choice to vote for a Morrison Government that delivers for our health system, secures lifesaving medications on the PBS, and guarantees the essential services we all rely on, or to vote for Bill Shorten and his plan for higher taxes.

Zed Seselja is the Liberal Senator for the ACT and Assistant Minister for Treasury and Finance

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the position of Region Media.

Region Media’s election coverage policy can be found here.

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Zed, you are the last letter of the alphabet and the last on my ballot. You speak utter fear factor bull$hit. I have yet to see how the LNP helps me with my numerous chronic and very expensive health issues. I have yet to see policies for equality in education. I have yet to see policies that help lift those up who are doing it tough.

You have never lived a disadvantaged life. You have no right that every-time you are asked a question about LNP policies you rebut with commenting about Labor. Hold your own fortress and speak your own policies and stop your excessive negative campaigning.

Again. Zed is the LAST letter in the alphabet.

Malcolm Davies6:59 pm 16 May 19

… and I just saw you won’t be attending the ACT Senate Candidates Forum (https://the-riotact.com/last-chance-senate-saloon-with-beers-in-garema-place/301858) on Friday night – the only major player in the Senate race who won’t be attending. Probably a good idea, Zed, as I doubt your performance as an ACT representative (particularly in the last parliament) could withstand a Q and A session with the local electorate.

There are a number of inaccuracies in this post. Can you explain how massive rates rises in Canberra during the Liberal government has anything to do with Federal Labor ? (other than they have been blaming them the entire time they have been in power)

Shows he can’t distinguish the difference between local government and federal government. Any rates increase attributable to federal government over the last few years should more correctly be attributable to the Libs.

Given the house prices trajectory at the moment, the value of the family home will continue to drop in Canberra for the next 4 years, while in the major cities its is only projected to fall for the next 2. This is irregardless of which turkey is in power.

Record funding for schools ? dubious and obviously including the fat-cat private schools. Adding items to the PBS ? Isn’t that just a normal business function of the TGA ? $500m for the AWM ? Contentious but at least you have the cohones to claim it.

Maybe somebody should send this to fact-check.

Limestone_Lizzy4:12 pm 16 May 19

Thank you Zed, the election must be close because you are actually talking about Canberra!
PS: You left out $1.5 billion cut to the Public Service as well, Chapeau on the timing!

Malcolm Davies3:03 pm 16 May 19

Your record at actually representing the ACT doesn’t stack up to well, Zed

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