The Coalition strongly supports general practice as the cornerstone of primary healthcare.

The Coalition’s policy at the 2010 Federal election was to invest significantly in longer GP consultations, after-hours care, practice nurse services, MRI referrals, infrastructure grants and rural bonded scholarships.

The Coalition’s policy, in the 2010 Federal election, was that we would introduce better indexation arrangements for Defence Force Retirement and Death Benefits Scheme (DFRDB) members aged 55 years and older. DFRDB members aged 55 and over would have had have their military superannuation pension indexed to the greater of movements in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), Male Total Average Weekly Earnings (MTAWE) or the Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index (PBLCI). These changes would have taken effect from 1 July 2011.

While the Coalition acknowledges the need for high standards in the financial services industry and in the provision of financial advice, we have significant concerns about aspects of Labor’s reform package.

The Coalition is worried that the changes proposed by the Government will force many financial planners out of business. The Government has admitted that “some people will leave the financial planning industry as a result”.

The Coalition has always strongly supported policies to protect young people from online threats.  In Government we provided families with free home-based internet filtering software, and increased specialist police resources to fight internet crime. We have also supported expanding the Cybersafety Outreach programs to better educate students, parents and teachers.

Regrettably, the Labor Government has reversed some of these measures and is instead depending on a flawed plan to filter all internet content to protect Australian children.

The Gillard Government’s $43 billion National Broadband Network is a risky plan that lacks transparency, stifles competition and will lead to higher prices for internet access.  It has been launched without any detailed evaluation of its costs and benefits.

I support the protection of the diverse and unique marine environment of the Coral Sea.  However the Coalition holds deep reservations about how the Government has acted on this issue, particularly given local concerns about a lack of consultation on the initial listing.

The over-riding principle here is that a sensible balance continues between a sustainable ocean environment and the needs of those who live and work with it.  I am mindful of the rights of our fishing and tourism communities that work and rely on these activities for their very livelihoods.