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The Rudd Government has taken action to end unacceptable delays experienced by home-owners seeking to access the Federal Government's $1,000 rebate for installing a solar hot water service.

Bob McMullan, Member for Fraser, Annette Ellis, Member for Canberra, and Senator Kate Lundy have today welcomed the announcement of the Career Transition and Support Centre at the Australian Public Service Commission.

Announced today by the Special Minister of State, Senator John Faulkner, the Career Transition and Support Centre will manage and co-ordinate opportunities for excess staff to be redeployed across the public service.

For information on how to make a submission to the ACCC inquiry into grocery prices, Fraser residents are invited to go to the ACCC website – www.accc.gov.au – or call the ACCC Infocentre on 1300 302 502.

The Howard Government has the wrong priority in its campaign to improve governance in neighbouring countries through the Australian aid program.

The Shadow Minister for International Development Assistance, Bob McMullan, outlined to an aid forum in Queensland last night the need for a changed focus in Australia’s aid budget

Federal Labor welcomes reports that AusAID will launch an Enterprise Fund in the Pacific and poorer parts of Asia. We are pleased the Howard Government seems to be finally catching up on policy proposal we put forward last year.

The issue I wish to raise in today’s grievance debate is the manner in which the media in Australia cover opinion polls on voting intentions and related issues. I raise it not for its short-term significance to the Labor Party at a federal level—it may or may not have some; that is not clear and it is not something on which there would be unanimous views—but for the long-term perspective, as one of a number of issues raising concerns for me and others about the nature and health of our democratic processes. We find ourselves in September 2006 in a position where objective evidence and public perception are miles apart. On a sustained basis, this cannot be a healthy thing.

Greg Combet was the guest speaker at the first Progressive Essays Dinner. In his speech he speaks about the injustice of the industrial relations changes, and how they fail to address the real issues for the Australian economy.

Craig Emerson's Progressive Essay discusses setting priorities in income tax reform.

The Howard government appears to be backing away from its election commitment to provide a Medicare office in Gungahlin this year, said Bob McMullan, Member for Fraser. “On 31 August last year a proposal to establish a Medicare office in Gungahlin was announced and so far the government has failed to deliver.” Mr McMullan said that the Gungahlin region desperately needs more everyday services such as a Medicare office.

There is no doubt that Australia is a better place for Gough Whitlam having been Prime Minister.

“The Howard Government’s advertising spending juggernaut is gathering steam and continues to swallow tens of millions of taxpayers hard earned dollars,” Shadow Minister for Finance and Small Business Bob McMullan said today.