Darren Chester MP

A CHRISTMAS MESSAGE

December 5, 2011

For most Australians, the festive season signals the chance to take a well-earned break.

We have an opportunity to reflect on the year that has passed, catch up with family and friends, and plan for the future.

It’s often tempting to complain about the things our community doesn’t have, but we should be more inclined to be positive about the things we do have.

ROAD SAFETY FUNDING CRITICAL IN REGIONS

October 31, 2011

The latest Transport Accident Commission (TAC) figures have confirmed that East Gippsland has one of the worst road accident and fatality records in Victoria.

Over the past three years, 23 people have died on East Gippsland’s roads which places our region second behind Greater Geelong which suffered 26 deaths in the same period.

Of course, the numbers never tell the complete story of the heartbreak and tragedy which haunts the families and friends of the victims of road accidents. The social and economic costs of road trauma demand more action from all levels of government and the wider community.

POLICIES ARE THE PROBLEMS

September 26, 2011

A lot of people are asking me whether Prime Minister Julia Gillard will survive in her job as the opinion polls continue to trend downwards.

I don’t believe it matters who leads the Labor Party at the moment – if they are not prepared to change their policies, they won’t win the next election.

The biggest issue for the government at the moment is the public’s lack of confidence in its ability to make a decision and implement its policies.

TOURISM COULD BENEFIT FROM PRIVATE INVESTMENT

August 22, 2011

The Baillieu-Ryan Government is currently considering a report from the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission which promotes the opportunity for private development of new facilities in national parks.

It will be a contentious subject but one which needs to be openly debated in a constructive and thoughtful manner.

For many years, I’ve argued that the infrastructure on public land in East Gippsland is insufficient to help the tourism industry to grow and create jobs. As cuts have been made to some of our traditional industries like the timber sector, there have been a lot of wishy-washy promises about new investments in tourism.

CABINET LACKING REGIONAL REPRESENTATION

July 4, 2011

The Gillard Government’s mishandling of the live export issue and the decision to cut childcare funding from small regional areas stand as two compelling pieces of evidence in the case for including more regionally-based MPs in the Cabinet.

Despite the fact that almost one-third of Australians live outside the capital cities, the current Gillard Cabinet does not include a single Member of Parliament who can truly claim to represent the interests of regional people.

Although the Minister for Regional Australia Simon Crean talks a lot about ‘localism’ – standing up for the interests of regional Australia is not an academic pursuit. You need to live and work amongst rural and regional people to fully understand their hopes and aspirations for the future.

GIPPSLAND LAKES A NATIONAL ICON

May 30, 2011

This week in Federal Parliament I highlighted the need for the Commonwealth Government to provide more funding and take an active role in the future of the Gippsland Lakes.

As an internationally-recognised wetland, there is a clear responsibility for the Federal Government to fund local agencies, including volunteer organisations, which are involved in practical environmental projects to protect and enhance the system.

In the past, I have described the Gippsland Lakes as ‘the Great Barrier Reef of the south’ but there is a stark contrast in terms of the level of funding and support these two natural icons receive.

MENTAL HEALTH A CHALLENGE IN REGIONS

April 25, 2011

One of the greatest challenges facing East Gippsland is prevention and treatment of people with mental health issues.

The alarming incidence of mental health problems, particularly among younger people, is exacerbated in regional areas where it is more difficult to access specialised assistance.

Too many people suffer without proper diagnosis and treatment while their families and friends do their best to help but lack the experience and professional skills to fully assist their loved ones.

TACKLING UNDER-AGE DRINKING

March 21, 2011

The State Government is proposing new laws which would make it illegal for adults to provide alcohol to anybody else’s child visiting their homes, unless they gained permission from the children’s parents.

It may sound like a tough move but I support the concept as part of a broader strategy to change our drinking culture and reduce street violence.

We need to do more to tackle binge drinking and under-age alcohol abuse as part of a nation-wide approach to improving individual health and community safety.

FLOOD TAX UNDERMINES AUSTRALIAN SPIRIT

February 14, 2011

The Gillard Labor Government’s decision to impose a $1.8 billion natural disaster tax fundamentally undermines the Australian spirit of helping a mate in need.

The proposed new tax is intended to help pay for more than $5 billion worth of damage associated with flooding in Queensland and Victoria along with the impacts of Cyclone Yasi.

The decision is flawed in a number of areas and should not be supported by the Greens and independents in Federal Parliament.

DEMOCRATIC SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT

January 10, 2011

The tragic shooting of congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Arizona will inevitably reignite the gun debate in the United States and force a rethink of security for all elected Members.

While the facts leading up to the shooting are still largely unknown, the alleged gunman used a Glock semi-automatic pistol to fire up to 20 rounds in just 15 seconds, killing six people at the scene.

The crowd was gathered at a ‘Congress on your Corner’ event which had been organised by Ms Giffords to meet with constituents. It is something that many politicians in democratic nations like the US and Australia are doing every day of the week because it allows local residents to have direct access to their local MPs.