GRANTS FOR COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT

I re-post this Facebook information from MP Josh Wilson about grants from Australia Post for community mental health support.

THE WILSON FAMILY SUPPORTING THE YES VOTE

Nice to see Fremantle MP Josh Wilson with his wife Georgia, daughter Priya, and some other volunteers promoting the YES vote for the VOICE referendum at Bathers Beach today.

It will take community commitment to get the referendum over the line, so be part of it!

Roel Loopers

NEW FREMANTLE DELIVERY SERVICE 🥰

I am not sure if Simone and Josh have joined Australia Post, Uber Eats or Amazon, but we are guaranteed speedy delivery with local knowledge.

Roel Loopers

FEDERAL GRANTS FOR COMMUNITY PROJECTS

Fremantle Labor MP Josh Wilson advises that there are Federal grants available for community projects, so if you are contemplating doing something, try to get financial support that way.

Roel Loopers

VOTED! DONE MY DUTY AND TREASURE THE PRIVILEGE!

I went to the pre-voting polling booth in Fremantle’s Adelaide Street, opposite the Townhall this morning, because I did not want to miss out on the democratic privilege and duty of electing a new Federal Government.

I hear too many reports of people having or having had Covid, most of them had mild symptoms but quite a few caught it pretty bad, so I did not want to risk not being able to vote in less that two weeks time. I was not the only one, as there was a small queue already at 10.30am today.

I voted for Labor’s Josh Wilson, because I have a lot of respect for Josh. He was an excellent Fremantle Councillor and has been doing a good job as MP in opposition in Canberra.

Roel Loopers

ALBO AT FREO’S GINO’S

I received the information too late that Labor leader and Prime Minister hopeful Anthony Albanese would be at Fremantle’s Gino’s cafe this morning with Josh Wilson MP, so I pinched this photo from Josh’s Facebook page.

Roel Loopers

LEEUWIN BARRACKS DEVELOPMENT ON HOLD

I copy the information below from the Facebook post of Labor MP Josh Wilson:

“The Morrison Government has decided to suspend the sale process for the Leeuwin Barracks site, with the Department stating: “Defence’s accommodation requirements in Perth and Fremantle have changed over the past 24 months as a result of forecast new Royal Australian Navy capabilities and workforce growth.

As such, Defence is temporarily suspending the disposal of Leeuwin Barracks to allow for a study of the long-term Defence estate requirements in the Perth and Fremantle region. Defence is planning to have this study completed by the first quarter of 2022.”

Roel Loopers

CUTE MURAL IN SWANBOURNE STREET

My second morning walk of the day took me up to my old stomping ground of Swanbourne Street, where I lived for 10 years and where I discovered this lovely mural on a fence.

Walking through Bellevue Terrace I bumped into Federal Labor MP Josh Wilson and had a chat with him and a bit further up that street a lady was picking olives for the North Fremantle Community Farm.

Freo is a truly special place that we need to learn to appreciate more and try to help improve with positive contributions.

Roel Loopers

FREMANTLE MP CALLS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

 

Fremantle Federal MP Josh Wilson has called for the Morrison government to change its rules and support local governments, as many of our councils are in financial difficulties because of the Covid-19 crisis, and some might have to let staff go.

Fremantle is losing a lot of revenue because of lack of parking fees and fines, no income from concerts at the arts centre, no income from the Leisure Centre and no income from commercial property leases, etc.

Josh Wilson says:

“Local governments are working to reduce fees, rents, and parking charges to assist households and businesses through this difficult time, and they are delivering new support services for those struggling to deal with self-isolation, especially the elderly. But these changes affect the bottom line for local government, and the mandated closure of many public facilities means both a loss of revenue and the need to stand-down thousands of employees.
 
It makes no sense whatsoever for local government to be excluded from the JobKeeper package. Labor led the push for a wage subsidy in response to the crisis and we support the introduction of the $130 billion package, but it could and should have been broader in its scope. In parliament the government blocked Labor’s amendments, but the parliament has already given the Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, the ability to make adjustments and so the exclusion of local government can be repaired at the stroke of his pen.

As it stands there will be millions of Australian workers who will not be provided with decent wage-replacing support, and who will unnecessarily be disconnected from their employing business or organisation. That puts a sharp burden on displaced workers and it means we will not be in the best position to recover when the crisis has past.

Local government is a foundation stone of community services and attractions in the form of libraries, recreation facilities, and broad arts and cultural activities. On the other side of this crisis we will need local government to lead the way in re-opening and rebuilding. The phase we are in now is survival. In the recovery phase local government will be a key partner in delivering projects, services, and events that will create work, attract visitors, support business, and encourage the broader community to get back to an active and engaged life together. But this will be seriously hampered if local government has been unnecessarily smashed and shrunken in the meantime.

 In Cockburn, each month of closure will see Cockburn ARC forgo $1 million in revenue that’s ordinarily used to cover staffing costs. For now, the City of Cockburn is retaining the ARC’s 38 full and part-time staff and 200 casual workers, but that is an almost $1 million commitment that will be shouldered by ratepayers.

In Fremantle, the city will lose almost $700,000 per month in revenue with the closure of the Fremantle Leisure Centre, Fremantle Arts Centre, and loss of lease income where businesses have closed. The jobs of more than 200 Fremantle local government workers are at risk.”

Fremantle senior staff and elected members have agreed on a voluntary 20 per cent pay cut for six months, and while that is appreciated it will make little difference in compensating for the severely decreased revenue of the City.

Roel Loopers

FREO MP JOSH WILSON IN SHADOW CABINET

 

Congratulations to Fremantle Federal MP Josh Wilson who was appointed Assistant Shadow Minister for the Environment by new Labor leader Anthony Albanese.

I was impressed with Josh Wilson when he was on Fremantle Council and always knew he would step up pretty fast in Canberra.

Well done and good luck Josh!

Roel Loopers