HILLS INDEPENDENT HILLS 110 August 2024 | Page 21

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 .

Petition for a new school in Castle Hill

with Mark Hodges MP
Following the Government ’ s recent second Budget , I am deeply concerned about its failure to fund crucial infrastructure , which will significantly impact Castle Hill residents . The Budget projects revenue to be $ 118.5 billion for 2024-25 . Despite the projected revenue , the Budget has significant shortcomings : inadequate infrastructure , lack of costof-living support , economic risks , and increased debt .
The Budget has failed the Castle Hill electorate . The question most members of our community are asking is why the government has not funded a new school within the Castle Hill Showground Precinct .
Last year , the Government increased the maximum number of dwellings in the Precinct to allow for an additional 9,500 dwellings . Based on one child per dwelling , there will be an additional 9,500 school-aged children living in the Castle Hill Showground Precinct . Parents are asking when the Government will commit funding to build the muchneeded schools for our community . As your representative in New South Wales Parliament , I will continue to advocate for funding infrastructure projects including schools , roads , hospitals , and police stations ; provide cost-of-living relief to all community members ; promote energy policies in the community ’ s interest and uphold our community ’ s core values .
I am working with members of the local community to petition the Government to build a new school for our electorate . Scan the QR code to add your support to this petition and let ’ s make Castle Hill an even better place !
Scan the new Castle Hill School petition QR code .

Have you thought about taking a tech detox ?

with Julian Leeser MP
For a while now my wife Joanna has been telling me that I ’ m on my phone too much and that it ’ s a bad influence on our kids . I ’ ve recently done some reflection and I think that Joanna might be right .
From the outset , I think most people would agree that advances in technologies like the internet , smart phones and social media have been a good thing . Being able to connect with distant friends and family on FaceTime or Facebook has been revolutionary , as has being able to access news from right across the world 24 / 7 . It ’ s shaping
the way more and more young people communicate too .
As your local Member of Parliament , I ’ ve had to maintain a focus on new tech and ways of staying connected , to let people know about things happening in our area . A smart phone is another tool I use to understand the issues that people want me to focus on , get the most up to date local and national news and to connect with constituents . But I wonder , when is it too much of a good thing ?
I ’ ve been wondering how reducing the amount of time spent looking at my phone would impact my work and my ability to connect , if at all . So , I ’ m in the
process of finding out .
Early in July I began a ‘ tech-detox ’. I ’ m using an old school flip-phone that can make and receive calls and text messages – but no emails , Facebook , WhatsApp or endless scrolling news websites . I ’ m still able to work on the computer but I ’ m not carrying my work around with me and I ’ m not jumping to respond each time my phone buzzes .
So far , I ’ m surviving ! I ’ ve been able to work , respond to emails , and focus on local issues . My staff have also been able to keep me up to date with the world of social media . In my personal life , I ’ ve discovered I ’ ve got more time to read
books , and as a husband and father I feel a lot more present and engaged with the family when I ’ m at home .
I don ’ t know how the rest of the month of my tech-detox will go ( there ’ s a bet going that I won ’ t make it !) but I ’ m determined to try . Maybe I ’ ll take some lessons away from it !
I ’ d like to know what you think . Do you think we ’ re too reliant on smartphones and being connected all the time ? Have you done a similar thing ?
If you have some thoughts , please email my office via julian . leeser . mp @ aph . gov . au or call 9980 1822 .
I ’ ll keep you updated .
THE HILLS INDEPENDENT theindependentmagazine . com . au ISSUE 110 // AUGUST 2024 21