POLITICS
Mark
Hodges MP
MEMBER FOR CASTLE HILL
AS YOUR STATE MP , I AM HERE TO :
• Help you with any State Government matters .
• Provide Justice of the Peace services .
• Assist in accessing NSW Government services , assistance or grants .
• Arrange congratulatory messages .
02 9686 3110 castlehill @ parliament . nsw . gov . au Suite 1A , 19-21 Terminus Street , Castle Hill NSW 2154
Authorised by Mark Hodges MP , Suite 1A , 19-21 Terminus Street , Castle Hill NSW 2154 . Funded using Parliamentary Entitlements .
23rd annual Hills Relay for Life with Mark Hodges MP
What an honour it was to participate in the 23rd annual Cancer Council Hills Relay for Life . The Relay for Life is a global movement bringing communities together to fight back against cancer , celebrate survivors , and remember lost loved ones to the disease .
For the past 23 years , people of the Hills have gathered annually for a 24 hour walkathon , raising vital funds for cancer research . This year , the people of The Hills braved wind and rain to come together in support of the fight against cancer . Over 100 teams and over 850 people participated in the 24 hour event . Teams set up tents to camp overnight , ensuring there was always someone from their team on the track . Since the first relay in The Hills this wonderful community has raised $ 5 million in the fight against cancer . The care , strength , and selflessness of this community shone through once again in the rally to support the relay .
A heartfelt thank you and congratulations to the Hills Relay for Life Committee Chairperson Lisa Carruthers and all of the committee members who have worked tirelessly over the last year to make this event possible .
Thank you to the sponsors , volunteers , local organisations , and businesses who continue to support the Relay for Life in The Hills . And thank you to the members of the community who supported , sponsored , and dedicated time to this event and to the fight against cancer .
Budget 2024-25 , another cost-of-living con job
with Alex Hawke MP
Labor ’ s Budget does nothing to help people across Mitchell get ahead and to restore their standard of living .
We needed a Budget that :
· Restored our standard of living by finally addressing inflation and cost of living pressures ;
· Restored prosperity and created opportunity by supporting small businesses and helping young Australians into a home ; and
· Restored budget discipline and honesty .
Labor ’ s third Budget has failed all of these tests .
In the 2024-25 Budget , Labor has added $ 315 billion of new spending , at a time when we need restraint . That ’ s $ 30,000 of extra spending for every Australian household .
Labor ’ s Budget confirms that Australians are poorer under Labor . After two years in office , the Government is no closer to dealing with its homegrown inflation crisis – which means more pressure on cost of living and interest rates higher for longer .
Under Labor ’ s Budgets to date , the typical household in Mitchell with a
mortgage is more than $ 35,000 worse off .
Migration is out of control and the Budget papers confirm the unprecedented increase in net overseas migration that will now see 1.67 million new migrants coming to Australia over five years .
Labor has fuelled the housing and rental crisis with unprecedented immigration at a time when housing approvals are at an 11 year low .
And at a time when the Budget forecasts unemployment to rise , the Albanese Government is increasing the size of the public service by an astonishing 36,000 additional bureaucrats in Canberra .
The Government has shown it is focussed on the wrong priorities at a time when people across our community are doing it tough .
Under Labor , Australians are worse off . Prices have increased by nearly 10 %, housing is up 12 %, rents are up 12 %, insurance up 26 %, electricity is up 18 %, and gas is up 25 %.
Until we see a real economic plan from Labor to sustainably tame inflation in a credible way , and grow the economy , then Australians will continue to go backwards under Labor .
Australians deserve better .
THE HILLS INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine . com . au ISSUE 108 // JUNE 2024 17