Fletcher to Chair Online Safety Working Group

Newly appointed chair of the Coalition’s Online Safety Working Group, Paul Fletcher MP, Member for Bradfield said he was pleased to have been asked to lead this important piece of work for the Coalition.

‘As a parliamentarian, as a former senior telecommunications executive and as a dad, I know that this is a really important issue.’

 The Coalition Online Safety Working Group will consult with key technology, education and cyber-safety leaders, parents and young people, as well as other interested parties, to further develop Coalition online safety policy in the areas of education, regulation and enforcement.

‘I am looking forward to working with the other Coalition parliamentarians on this group. Together, we bring a range of relevant experience: our group includes parents, grandparents and people with backgrounds in education, in law enforcement and in the internet and communications sector’.

‘We will work closely with Shadow Ministers that have portfolios that cover the issue of online safety, particularly the Shadow Ministers for Education and Communications’.

The Coalition does not seek to repeat Labor’s ham-fisted attempt to put a filter on the internet or to hinder the dynamic nature of the online environment, but we do want to assist and equip parents and teachers in their work of protecting our children and preparing them for adulthood.

Over the coming months, the Working Group will undertake roundtables and community forums across Australia as well as a series of events online.

The Online Safety Working Group will report back to the Opposition Leader and Shadow Cabinet by mid 2012

Almost all of the ‘project pool’ funding of the once grandly trumpeted ‘digital education revolution’ has now been reallocated elsewhere following Labor’s recent crisis mini-budget.

“On the second anniversary of the December 5, 2009 Bradfield by-election, I want to thank the people of Bradfield,” Paul Fletcher Member for Bradfield said today.

Paul Fletcher, Federal Member for Bradfield, welcomed yesterday’s public release of concept plans for the first stage of works for an upgrade of Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital.

Paul Fletcher, Federal Member for Bradfield, has invited local small businesses to identify areas of red tape that can be cut as part of the Coalition’s Deregulation Taskforce established by the Federal Leader of the Opposition, Hon Tony Abbott MHR.

Paul Fletcher, Federal Member for Bradfield, said the Government’s Mid Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) has confirmed that the European crisis is impacting Australia and that Labor’s record of debt and deficit has removed the economic buffer that Australia needs to protect it from international turmoil.

Paul Fletcher, Federal Member for Bradfield, has been awarded Friend of the Year 2011 by the Armenian National Committee of Australia.

The increase in superannuation from 9 to 12 per cent, being rushed through Parliament by Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten, will be a great boon to industry super funds and in turn the union officials who are typically appointed to up to half the board director positions of such funds, Member for Bradfield, Paul Fletcher told Parliament today.

‘NBN Co last night sought to respond to analysis of its average staff costs by misstating its own headcount numbers at the end of the 2009/10 financial year,’ said Paul Fletcher, Member for Bradfield.

NBN Co’s average staff costs per employee of approximately $224,000 are more than double those of Telstra ($101,000) and of Westpac ($105,000).

Over 80 per cent of the 485,100 new premises in the new rollout announced by NBN today are in Labor, Green, independent or marginal Coalition seats, said Paul Fletcher Member for Bradfield.

“For the Gillard Government, saving taxpayer dollars through whole-of-government contracts, is just too hard”,  Paul Fletcher MP, Federal Member for Bradfield said today.

Breakfast radio host Adam Spencer and well known ex-journalist Sally Loane and will be among those offering their wit and insights as they debate That we are tired of being wired in the inaugural Bradfield Comedy Debate on Sunday 16 October at 4 pm.

With generous support from principal sponsor McCarroll’s Toyota, along with Lindfield Community Bank and Swimart Lindfield, all proceeds from the debate will go to support the KYDS youth counselling service.

“This morning’s release of NBN consumer pricing plans by iiNet confirms that Labor’s claims of cheaper broadband over the National Broadband Network are not being met,” Member for Bradfield, Paul Fletcher MP said.

Many long established home insulation businesses have been disastrously impacted by the Rudd/Gillard government’s incompetent administration of the failed Home Insulation Program (HIP), and I call on the responsible Minister, Greg Combet, to give careful consideration to the claims lodged by those legitimate businesses, Member for Bradfield, Paul Fletcher MP, said today during a speech in Parliament.

Today in Parliament, the Prime Minister introduced legislation for the carbon tax that she promised we would never have under her government, Paul Fletcher, Member for Bradfield, said today.

Successful recipients of Round 2 of the Local Sporting Champions Grant program in the federal electorate of Bradfield were today announced by the Federal Member, Mr Paul Fletcher.

The NBN Inquiry just completed by the House of Representatives Infrastructure and Communications Committee shows the case for Labor’s NBN has not been made, Paul Fletcher MP, Member for Bradfield, said today.

Marriage and partnership is a critically important aspect of life and of personal identity, and I have benefitted greatly from the perspectives of the people of the electorate of Bradfield who have consulted with me on it, Paul Fletcher MP, Member for Bradfield, said today during a debate in Parliament on the matter of same sex marriage.

The recent release of retail pricing plans on the NBN shows that Julia Gillard’s promise of cheaper broadband on the NBN is no more reliable than her promise that ‘there will be no new carbon tax under a government I lead,’ said Paul Fletcher MP, Federal Member for Bradfield, after raising the issue in the House of Representatives.

The inconsistency of the Gillard government’s price signalling and price gouging spin relating to the carbon tax was highlighted by the Federal Member for Bradfield, Mr Paul Fletcher, during Question Time.

Labor, the Greens and the independents today voted against the victims of pink batt fraud knowing the outcome of their complaints under the Rudd-Gillard government’s disastrous Home Insulation Program, Paul Fletcher, Member for Bradfield, said today.

Communities in Bradfield face the blight of more overhead cables from the Gillard government’s $50 billion plus National Broadband Network (NBN), Mr Paul Fletcher MP, Federal Member for Bradfield, said today.

Bradfield small businesses gathered today at Hornsby RSL for a forum on the carbon tax hosted by Mr Paul Fletcher MP, Federal Member for Bradfield,

“Local small businesses and family enterprises have been ignored as the Gillard government provides carbon tax carve outs and compensation for some sectors and has forgotten the small businesses that are the engine room of the economy,” Mr Fletcher said at the forum. 

The Coalition welcomes the public release of the Productivity Commission’s Final Report into Disability Care and Support Member for Bradfield, Mr Paul Fletcher MP, said today at a gathering of Bradfield community leaders and families hosted by the Association for Children with a Disability NSW.

The Final Report of the Building the Education Revolution (BER) Implementation Taskforce, which was released last month, confirms the extent of waste and overspending in this program – including in the electorate of Bradfield – Member for Bradfield, Paul Fletcher, said today.

Nominations are now open for the Australian of the Year Awards, and I encourage individuals, groups and organisations in Bradfield to nominate an Australian who makes them proud, Member for Bradfield, Paul Fletcher MP, said today.

“This is an opportunity to shine a light on the unsung heroes of the Australian community, for doing what they do, and the manner in which they do it,” Mr Fletcher said.

Nominations close midnight Wednesday 31 August 2011. 

Further information, including the ability to nominate online, is at www.australianoftheyear.org.au. 

Media Contact – Georgia-Kate Schubert 02 9465 3950 or 0414 210216

 “Households should demand their money back from the Labor government for the cost of the misleading Carbon Tax junk mail which is arriving in their letterboxes,” Member for Bradfield, Mr Paul Fletcher MP,  said today.

Two of Bradfield’s brightest secondary school students have returned home from the International Science Olympiads in triumph, having secured bronze medals, Member for Bradfield, Mr Paul Fletcher MP, announced today.

Federal Member for Bradfield, Mr Paul Fletcher MP, today welcomed the news that the Land and Environment Court has overturned the Ku-ring-gai town centres plan.

"The Ku-ring-gai Town Centres Plan  was an eleventh hour decision by the former New South Wales Labor Government to impose an undemocratic plan on Ku-ring-gai – developed by bureaucrats with little knowledge of or sympathy for our area,” Mr Fletcher said.

“This was yet another element in Labor's vengeful approach to planning in Ku-ring-gai – and its determination to remove key planning powers from the democratically elected local council.”

“I congratulate the Friends of Turramurra action group on the success of their action.”

Media Contact – Georgia-Kate Schubert 02 9465 3950 or 0414 210216

The lack of voice only pricing is a conspicuous feature of NBN retail pricing plans issued in recent days, said Federal Member for Bradfield, and former telecommunications executive, Mr Paul Fletcher MP.

This month’s issue of stamps commemorating the 150^th anniversary of skiing in Australia follows advocacy by Pymble residents Philip and Pam Woodman, President and Secretary of the Perisher Historical Society, said Paul Fletcher, Federal Member for Bradfield today.

“The Labor/Greens carbon tax will drive up prices, threaten jobs and do nothing for the environment,” Paul Fletcher, Federal Member for Bradfield said today.

Victims of pink batt fraud are facing a cover up from Climate Change Minister Greg Combet, who is refusing to provide details on the outcome of individual complaints of fraud under the Rudd-Gillard government’s disastrous Home Insulation Program, halted ignominiously in February last year, Paul Fletcher, Member for Bradfield, said today.

“These include several of my constituents in Bradfield,” said Mr Fletcher.

Paul Fletcher, Federal Member for Bradfield, welcomed the announcement today of an inquiry into the collapse of Trio Capital by the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Corporations and Financial Services.

In a Question to Parliament this week, Paul Fletcher MP, Federal Member for Bradfield, asked; ‘Given that the Prime Minister won an election based on the promise of no carbon tax, when will she do the right thing and ask the Australian people whether they say yes to a carbon tax, by calling an election before its introduction?’

‘I rise in this House to show support for the Armenian community and join with them in the solemn commemoration of the Armenian genocide. Many Armenian Australians are situated in and around my electorate of Bradfield on Sydney's North Shore,” said Mr Fletcher, Federal Member for Bradfield, in a speech in the Federal Parliament of Australia.

Paul Fletcher MP, Federal Member for Bradfield, announced today that nominations are now open for the 14^th Annual National Student Leadership Forum on faith and values to be held in Parliament House and the Hyatt Hotel Canberra from the 15-18 September. 

I was filled with pride to read the Queen's Birthday Honours List which included the details of the service of eight constituents from Bradfield, Mr Paul Fletcher, Federal Member for Bradfield, said in a speech in Parliament yesterday.

Federal member for Bradfield, Paul Fletcher, is holding his next Community Meeting at East Lindfield, and is looking forward to hearing the issues and concerns at the heart of the Bradfield community.

Speaking in Parliament last night, Member for Bradfield, Mr Paul Fletcher MP, highlighted two Case Studies, available on NBN Co’s website, which cite applications requiring much lower bandwidth than the 100 Mbps promised with the NBN.

Federal Broadband Minister Stephen Conroy has refused to guarantee that Bradfield will be spared the blight of new overhead telecommunications cables when the NBN is rolled out, Federal Member for Bradfield, Paul Fletcher MP, said today.

Veterans living in Berowra and Bradfield have an opportunity to shape future policy directions during a veterans’ forum being held next week.

Shadow Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Senator the Hon. Michael Ronaldson, will join Federal Member for Berowra, the Hon Phillip Ruddock MP, and Federal Member for Bradfield, Paul Fletcher MP, for a forum at the Hornsby RSL as part of a series of nation-wide veterans’ forums.

Australia Post plans to move the PO Boxes from Rohini Street, Turramurra, to remodelled premises at 8 Eastern Road, Turramurra, over the course of 17^th to 19^th of June 2011, Paul Fletcher MP, Member for Bradfield, said today.

 There is the prospect of new overhead cables being rolled out in the federal electorate of Bradfield, it emerged in this morning’s hearing of the Federal Parliament’s Joint Select Committee into the National Broadband Network.

Federal Shadow Minister for Health the Hon Peter Dutton today visited Hornsby Hospital, accompanied by Dr Richard Harris, Chair of the Hornsby Hospital Medical Staff Council, Mr Paul Fletcher, Federal Member for Bradfield, and Mr Matt Kean, State Member for Hornsby.

 The Gillard government has used the 2011-12 Budget to penalise students who pay their HECS debt upfront, according to Paul Fletcher, Member for Bradfield.

“This Budget confirms how out of touch Julia Gillard and Wayne Swan are with Australian families.  It fails the essential test: to ease the cost of living on Australians who face higher prices every day,” Paul Fletcher, Member for Bradfield, said today.

“I was delighted that five students from Bradfield attended last week’s National Schools Constitutional Convention at Parliament House in Canberra – more than any other electorate,” Paul Fletcher, Federal Member for Bradfield said today.

Federal Member for Bradfield, Paul Fletcher has welcomed the decision of the O’Farrell NSW Liberal Government to abolish the Ku-ring-gai Planning Panel.

Newly appointed NSW Minister for Planning Brad Hazzard has acted quickly upon taking office, with his announcement that the panel would be abolished.

Member for Bradfield Paul Fletcher has been appointed to the newly constituted Joint Standing Committee on the National Broadband Network.

Fletcher, a former Director of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs at Optus, and author of “Wired Brown Land: Telstra’s Battle for Broadband” (UNSW Press, 2009), has been in Parliament just over a year.

Member for Bradfield, Paul Fletcher is encouraging people in Bradfield to hold street parties or community events to mark Neighbour Day on March 27.
Founded in Melbourne by Andrew Heslop, Neighbour Day is now in its ninth year.

The aims of Neighbour Day include strengthening communities and building better relations; breaking down community barriers; and creating safer, healthier and more vibrant suburbs and towns.

“I warmly congratulate Sherry Zhang and HGHS Team MAACQ, Bradfield’s winners in the recent round of grants under the Local Sporting Champions program,” Paul Fletcher, Member for Bradfield said today.

Under this program grants of $500 per individual and $3000 per team are available to support competitors aged between 12 and 18 in attending significant sporting competition – such as state and national championships. The grants go towards travel, equipment, uniforms and accommodation.

“The Coalition’s Bill to require superannuation guarantee payments to be made for workers over 70 years of age is good news for older workers in Bradfield,’ Federal Member for Bradfield Paul Fletcher said today.

“Most Australian workers take it for granted that their employer pays their superannuation on their behalf into their nominated super fund – under the ‘superannuation guarantee charge.”

“I am extremely pleased to be able to congratulate the New South Wales shadow minister for health, Jillian Skinner, and the Liberal candidate for the state seat of Hornsby, Matt Kean, on the recent announcement that an incoming O’Farrell government would commit to spending $50 million towards the upgrade of Hornsby Hospital,” said Paul Fletcher, Federal Member for Bradfield in parliament today.

Mr Fletcher said that for too many years, Hornsby Hospital has been grievously neglected by the New South Wales state Labour government.

This week is Australia’s first national DonateLife Week – an important public initiative designed to raise awareness of organ donation.

The theme for DonateLife is, “Any day is a good day to talk about organ and tissue donation, especially this week because it’s DonateLife Week”.

“The Gillard government’s new national registration process for health professionals has been seriously mishandled – and many health professionals in Bradfield are affected,” said Paul Fletcher, Member for Bradfield today.

“I have been contacted by several local practitioners concerned that they will be unable to practice in their profession.”

Last Thursday’s Adelaide hearing of the Joint Select Committee on Cyber-Safety confirmed the clear trend: this inquiry finds very few witnesses in support of Labor’s mandatory internet filter.

Cyber-bullying researcher Professor Marilyn Campbell, asked if at-source filtering offered any benefits in relation to cyber-bullying, responded: “Not at all…I cannot see how you can stop me going on to Facebook and bullying somebody else by any type of filter.” 

“Australia Post has now given me written notice of its key commitments on continuity of service in Turramurra,” said Paul Fletcher MP, Federal Member for Bradfield today.

First, there will continue to be post office boxes physically located in Turramurra.

For the time being, the post office boxes will remain – and remain operational – in their current location.  Once a suitable long term location in Turramurra is identified, the post office boxes will be moved to that location.

“There will be a strong attendance at tomorrow’s meeting, to be held at the Turramurra Community Hall (Seniors Centre) at 10am, 1 Gilroy Road, Turramurra, concerning Australia Post’s plans to close Turramurra Post Office,” said Paul Fletcher MP, Member for Bradfield.

The meeting has been organised by Bradfield MP Paul Fletcher after Turramurra residents learned, just before Christmas, of Australia Post’s decision to close down Turramurra Post Office. 

“Australia Post must stop giving the community the brush-off over Turramurra Post Office – and instead start genuine consultation,” said Paul Fletcher MP, Member for Bradfield.

Turramurra residents were surprised to learn, just before Christmas, of Australia Post’s decision to close down Turramurra Post Office.  Australia Post failed to give adequate notice of its plans – and made little effort to consult with the community.

I am concerned at reports that Australia Post intends to close Turramurra Post Office.  Several people have contacted my office in the last couple of days about this matter.

Disappointingly, Australia Post failed to provide me – the local Federal Member of Parliament - with advance notice of its intentions. This is the case even though Australia Post is a fully government owned corporation.

Gordon East Public School’s BER project ‘fails the value for money assessment’ according to the Building the Education Revolution Implementation Taskforce: First Report issued today. The Report awarded the project 0 out of 10 for cost, noting that it fails the assessment “as a result of very high costs.”

Paul Fletcher, Member for Bradfield has written to over 2,000 people dwelling in apartment complexes in Hornsby, warning them to look out for deficient ceiling insulation which may have been installed without their knowledge.

“November 11 is a time to pause, to reflect and give thanks for the millions of Australian and allied servicemen and women who gave so much in World War I,” said Paul Fletcher, Member for Bradfield.

“Despite Julia Gillard’s strained efforts to verbal me in Question Time today with selective quotations from my book Wired Brown Land, let me make it perfectly clear: I do not support Labor’s $43 billion national broadband network”, Paul Fletcher, Member for Bradfield said today.

“In March of this year I raised in Parliament with the-then Education Minister, Julia Gillard, serious complaints that had been brought to my attention concerning the costs of the Building the Education Revolution ‘BER’ project at Gordon East Public School.”

“The emergence of anti-semitic comments in relation to the Northern Eruv proposal in St Ives is very disturbing”, said Paul Fletcher, Member for Bradfield. 

A significant supplier of forklifts and bobcats based in Bradfield, employing nearly 500 people, is seriously concerned about the impact on its business by the Rudd government’s mining tax, Paul Fletcher, Federal Member for Bradfield told Parliament today.

“The NSW Labor Government has added another chapter to the shameful story of undemocratic planning decisions in Ku-ring-gai with the approval by Planning Minister Tony Kelly of the Ku-ring-gai Town Centres Plan,” Paul Fletcher, Federal Member for Bradfield said today.

"The Rudd Government’s decision to expel an Israeli diplomat is a gross overreaction," Paul Fletcher MP, Federal Member for Bradfield said today.

"The state of Israel is the only genuine multiparty democracy in the Middle East.

"The ties of friendship and of shared values, between Australia and Israel, are longstanding.

The Federal Member for Bradfield, Paul Fletcher will be handed the Hornsby Hospital petition on Tuesday 18 May 2010 at 2pm.

This petition contains over 30,000 signatures from concerned residents of Hornsby and surrounding areas and calls for urgent improvements to the physical facilities at the hospital.

“Bradfield is the fourth highest taxed electorate in Australia – and Labor’s latest budget offers no relief in sight for the hard pressed taxpayers of Bradfield,” said Federal Member for Bradfield Paul Fletcher.

“Instead, Labor has just kept going with its reckless spending spree.

“They are budgeting to spend a staggering $352 billion in 2010-11.  That is almost one hundred billion dollars more than in the last full year of the Howard Government.

Member for Bradfield, Paul Fletcher, today paid tribute to all the volunteers throughout the North Shore for their outstanding contribution to Australian society as part of National Volunteer Week, which runs from 10 to 16 May. 

“Volunteers are the backbone of many organisations and our communities would not be the same without them,” Mr Fletcher said.

“The spirit of volunteering is alive and well in Ku-ring-gai”, Paul Fletcher, Federal Member for Bradfield, said at last week’s Community Service Awards ceremony organised by the Rotary Club of St Ives.

Five outstanding Ku-ring-gai volunteers were honoured at the ceremony: Elsje Osborne from the St Ives Netball Club; Jo Harris from the Historical Society of Ku-ring-gai; Rob and Pam Mayrick from Ku-ring-gai Meals on Wheels; and Harry Cramer from the State Emergency Service.

Paul Fletcher MP, Federal Member for Bradfield will join Turramurra Rotary's Graffiti Hit Squad on Saturday May 1 and Sunday May 2.

"I'll be joining the Rotary crew as we work to scrub away graffiti in Turramurra," Mr Fletcher said.

Roseville Memorial Club will be the venue for a lively discussion on today’s controversial political topics next Monday 3 May at 7.30 pm.

North shore political junkies are in for a treat when local federal MP Paul Fletcher joins well known journalist Tom Switzer, prominent commentator on social issues Catherine Lumby, and leading political analyst and presenter Peter Van Onselen.

Four Bradfield residents were honoured for their service in the Australian Defence Forces in a ceremony held today at Roseville Memorial Club.

“I was honoured and delighted to present the Australian Defence Medal to four distinguished Australians,” said Paul Fletcher MP, Federal Member for Bradfield.

Mrs Audrey Long, Mr Patrick Martin, Mr Ian Creighton and Mr Kevin Shanahan received medals in the ceremony.

Federal Member for Bradfield, Paul Fletcher spoke in Federal Parliament yesterday to demand a fair go for Hornsby Hospital - the major public hospital in the electorate of Bradfield.

Mr Fletcher told the Parliament that the hospital has fine medical staff who work in difficult circumstances because much of the hospital is in very poor condition.

Federal Member for Bradfield, Paul Fletcher spoke in Parliament yesterday to mark the passing of and pay tribute to Mr Arshag Badelian, one of Armenian Australian community’s last survivors of the Armenian genocide.

Mr Budelian arrived in Australia in 1980, and died a couple of weeks ago aged 100.

Federal Member for Bradfield, Paul Fletcher MP is championing new provisions in the Electoral Act which will outlaw any repeat of the ‘nine candidates from one party’ tactic used by the Christian Democrats in last year’s Bradfield by-election.

“The tactic employed by the Christian Democrats was confusing and annoying to many people in Bradfield.
They ran nine separate Christian Democrat candidates.” Mr Fletcher said.

Paul Fletcher MP, the Federal Member for Bradfield delivered his Maiden Speech in Australian Parliament in Canberra yesterday.

Mr Fletcher commented on the Government’s  proposed National Broadband Network - outlining  his view based on his nearly 15 years working on public policy in the communications sector, as an adviser to Communications Minister, Richard Alston—and later as a senior executive at Optus.

“When a government commits, for example, to a $43 billion national broadband network without a cost benefit study, that is a travesty… I am a strong believer that, having high-speed broadband widely available is socially and economically desirable, but I think this plan is ill-judged. On the cost side, the network design is hugely expensive when compared to alternatives like fibre to the node or wireless. But the revenue side is even riskier.” Mr Fletcher said.

Mr Fletcher outlined that Bradfield faced “governments, both state and federal, that are profoundly unsympathetic” and called for a return of planning powers to Ku-ring-gai Council away from unelected bureaucrats.

Mr Fletcher went on to outline his interest and passion for sound and responsible economic and social policy.

“When it comes to economic issues, my instinct is for open markets, free competition and as little state interference as possible. And when it comes to social issues, I start with the same preference. I am a believer in the rights of the individual and I am suspicious of the state seeking to exercise control over personal choices,” Mr Fletcher said.

A copy from Hansard of Mr Fletcher’s speech can be viewed viewed here.

Media contact: Darren Bark 02 6277 4240