Community Newsletter

21 August, 2020

Federal Parliament is returning on Monday with quarantine measures in place for Victorian MPs. This is the first time Parliament has been conducted since June and I am looking forward to representing Warringah once again.

We are hearing from many of you on a number of issues. While I will be in Canberra, the electorate office team is busy serving the community.

VISA EXEMPTIONS

Our office has been inundated with requests for help to obtain travel exemptions, both in and out of Australia. It's a really difficult situation. Everyone is extremely conscious of how effective our closed border policy has been in limiting the health crisis, and we are all supportive of that.

But what we do need to understand is how distressing it is for people in relationships, or people with urgent family situations where there are sick family members or a death in the family.

It is clear that the Government restrictions are having an unintended consequence. I fully support the need for compulsory hotel quarantine for all overseas arrivals, and that the cost of this should be borne by the individual but with that measure in place, it is unclear what the health risk is to crease the number of arrivals.

Whilst I appreciate certain measures were taken by Government in its immediate response to reducing the transmission and the threat of the virus, longer term policies to enable Australia to operate in a COVID world are now needed. 

If you are a Warringah resident and you need help with visa exemptions please get in touch with my office. Unfortunately due to the volume of emails we cannot help anyone who lives outside the Warringah electorate. Please email zali.[email protected] or call 9977 6411.

PROPOSED CURL CURL PARK PHONE TOWER

A private operator is proposing a phone tower in beautiful John Fisher Park in Curl Curl, right next to the Curl Curl Lagoon. Some of the concerns by the community include:

• The development does not comply with the Plan of Management for John Fisher Park;
• This is a sensitive environmental area;
• The case hasn’t been made by the private operator to warrant a new phone tower on public land; and
• The development will be over 25m and the application includes “associated equipment”, which means more infrastucture can be built at the bottom of the facility

View the application and make your submission by visiting the Northern Beaches Council website then click on “planning and development”, then “application search” using the reference DA2020/0661. Please send a copy of your submission to [email protected]

Deadline is Thursday 27^th August.

 


PETITION TO MAKE FACE MASKS GST FREE

The need for face masks is growing rapidly in Australia to help protect us from the spread of COVID-19. As a result of community concern, I have launched a petition to call for face masks to be GST free.

In Victoria, masks are now compulsory and in states like NSW they are being recommended by the government, businesses and organisations. As the situation worsens, it is only fair that face masks should be exempt from the Goods and Services Tax (GST) to allow masks to be accessible and affordable to all Australians.

I spoke to Channel Nine about the petition that you can watch HERE and you can sign the petition HERE.

ZOOMING IN WITH ZALI

As COVID continues to affect our way of life, one very concerning aspect has been the increase of gambling – particularly through online gambling and e-sports.

According to Dr Alex Russell, Senior Postdoctoral Fellow at CQUniversity, gambling has increased by up to 50% during the COVID period. I had an important discussion with him about what parents can do if their teenagers are involved with e-sports and youth gambling associated with that.

You can watch the whole discussion HERE

MEETING THE THANK YOU PROJECT AUSTRALIA

It was a delight to meet Mosman residents George, Harry and Grace from the Thank You Project Australia.
They have delivered to me 80 thank you letters to give to a range of front line workers and organisations in our area. The project has received more than 50,000 posters from children around Australia which is an extraordinary effort!

Please follow the Thank You Project Australia to get involved.

COMMEMORATIVE MEDALLION

To mark the 75th Anniversary of the end of the Second World War, the Commonwealth Government has commissioned a Commemorative Medallion to honour the service and sacrifice of our living WWII veterans.

If you or someone you know served in World War II, you can apply for the medallion by sending an email to [email protected] or phoning (02) 6191 8217.

If my team can assist with your application, please don’t hesitate to contact the office by phoning 9977 6411.
On behalf of the community of Warringah I thank all the service men and women who have fought for our nation.

COLLECTING PERISHABLE FOOD ITEMS FOR COMMUNITY CO-OP

There are many people in the community who are doing it tough at the moment. My team and I collecting pantry staple items for the Community Co-Op Northern Beaches that is distributing food packages to anyone who is vulnerable right now.

If you have spare canned food or non-perishable items to donate please pop in to our Manly office (level 2 17-19 Sydney Road) Monday to Friday, between 9-5pm. Together we can all come together and support our community.

COMING UP

• Think Mosman First

            The Mosman Chamber of Commerce is encouraging locals to shop locally as businesses struggle during COVID-19. For more information go to: https://mosmanchamber.com.au/think-mosman-first/

• Upcoming Senate Inquiries

           There are several Senate inquiries that are closing their submissions:

• CLOSES TODAY Inquiry into the destruction of 46,000 year old caves at the Juukan Gorge in the Pilbara region of Western Australia 
• CLOSES 27 AUGUST Inquiry into the human rights of women and girls in the Pacific 
• CLOSES 4 SEPTEMBER  Review of the listing and re-listing of three organisations as terrorist organisations under the Criminal Code 

 
My team and I are constantly working to find solutions for you, your family and friends during this time.
 
You can keep up to date at our website www.zalisteggall.com.au and get in touch by emailing [email protected] or calling the office on 9977 6411 if you have concerns.
 
Please forward this on to your network of family and friends in Warringah.

Stay safe,
Zali