FEDERAL CONFERENCE MOTIONS 2015 COMMUNICATIONS GIPPSLAND/MALLEE 1. That this Conference calls on the Coalition Federal Government to take action to improve telecommunication coverage, including mobile phones and digital television signal, in regional Australia. YNP 2. That this Federal Conference call on the Federal Government to privatise the SBS. WA 3. That this Federal Conference calls on the State and Federal Governments to respond urgently to the rise of illegal mobile phone boosters and repeaters by improved education, regulation and ensuring the cost effectiveness of legal devices. COMPETITION, CONSUMER AFFAIRS & LEGAL AFFAIRS LNP/LNPQW 4. That this Federal Conference calls on the Federal Government to implement national standards and regulations for security of payment in the Building and Construction Industry. FARRER 5. This Federal Conference congratulates the Nationals Federal Parliamentary team on their continued support of the licenced shooting community and in particular for their success in securing the establishment of an Industry Reference Group to provide advice to the Minister for Justice on the review of the technical aspects of the National Firearms Agreement. And that The Nationals support the ongoing existence of this Industry Reference Group to provide advice to the Federal Government on firearm related matters. /WA 6. That this Federal Conference calls for the Competition and Consumer Act to be amended to include: divestiture powers, and, a stricter Section 50 substantial lessening of competition test. 7. That this Federal Conference calls upon the Federal Government to ban advertising of online gambling.
LYNE 8. That the Federal Nationals takes steps to ensure that all Federal Government Departments adopt and implement the Procurement guidelines that apply a whole of government Value for Money assessment for the purchase of goods and services. The assessment guidelines should include consideration of the return of savings received by other government departments (eg PAYE tax, company tax, GST, avoided unemployment, and retraining costs). These savings are received when government contracts with companies that manufacture products inside Australia. 9. That this Federal Conference calls upon the Federal Government to include the investigation of bank interest charges and penalty rates on credit cards and other bank credit facilities in their inquiry. ECONOMY AND TAXATION 10. That this Federal Conference calls upon the Federal Government to vigorously pursue policies designed to relocate additional government departments to regional areas. NEW ENGLAND 11. That the Nationals support and advocate the removal of the payroll tax levied by the States and Territories, whilst ensuring that the States and Territories are not disadvantaged financially by the abolition of the payroll tax. INDI/MALLEE 12. That this Conference supports the wine industry in its efforts to reform the current Wine Equalisation Tax including any rebates that will assist all grape growers and genuine wine producers, small, medium and large, or regional Australia. YNP/YNPWA 13. That this Federal Conference call on the Federal Government to support changes to the Superannuation Act 1976 to allow the release of up to $25 000 of an individual s superannuation for the sole purpose of purchasing their first home, which is to be repaid back to the super fund within 15 years. YNP 14. That this Federal Conference calls for the introduction of family income splitting in assessing tax liability under the Commonwealth Tax Code to be examined under Tax White Paper process. 2
O CONNOR 15. That this Federal Conference calls on the Federal Government to implement the recommendations of the Inquiry into the Fly-in, fly-out and drive-in, drive-out workforce practices in Regional Australia in particular the following recommendations relating to the Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986 to examine the: a. Removal of impediments to the provision of residential housing in regional communities b. Removal of the exempt status of fly-in, fly-out/drive-in, drive-out work camps that are colocated with regional towns c. Removal of the exempt status of travel to and from the workplace for operational phases of regional mining projects d. Enable specific exemptions for construction projects that have a demonstrated limited lifespan e. Enable specific exemptions for projects in remote areas where the fly-in, fly-out/drive- in, drive-out work practice is unavoidable f. Remove the general exemption for fly-in, fly-out/drive-in, drive-out workers from the 12- month limit of payment of the living away from home allowance EDUCATION 16. That this Federal Conference calls upon the Federal Government to greatly lift its assistance to research, especially rural and medical research, so as to maintain Australia s competitiveness as a smart country. MALLEE 17. That this Conference calls on the Coalition Federal Government to expand tertiary student scholarships for rural and regional students. WFC 18. That this Conference calls on the Federal Government to refer the Safe Schools Coalition to a Senate Committee for a full inquiry and report. DURACK 19. That this Federal Conference call on the Federal Government to: (a) Increase the Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme (AIC) to a level that acknowledges the widening gap between the AIC payment and the current costs of boarding; (b) Ensure that the AIC payment is kept in line with the Consumer Price Index; and (c) Ensure students are eligible to receive the AIC where it can be demonstrated that a local school does not meet the educational needs of the student. 3
DURACK 20. That this Federal Conference call on the Federal Government to make boarding fees and related travel tax deductible for those who reside in rural and remote areas, using the existing Assistance for Isolated Children Scheme conditions as criteria. ELECTORAL MATTERS 21. That this Federal Conference calls for electors to be required to provide proof of identification before voting in any federal, state or local government election. EMPLOYMENT FARRER 22. This Federal Conference request the Federal Government to review the cost and red tape burden to employers who wish to sponsor young people from overseas who are willing to work and seek residency in Australia. WITHDRAWN GIPPSLAND 23. That this Conference supports greater scrutiny and additional audits of 457 Visas; and further notes the importance of the provision of local employment for local residents where possible. O CONNOR 24. That this Federal Conference calls on the Federal Government to support a decentralised population by linking residency visas to regional settlement locations. ENERGY O CONNOR 25. That this Federal Conference supports the renewable energy sector and calls on the Federal Government to support projects based in regional centres. ENVIRONMENT FARRER 26. That the Federal Conference support recommendations 15 and 16 of the Independent Review of the Water Act to enable the Commonwealth water holders to sell back water to producers. 4
27. That this Federal Conference calls for the Water portfolio be transferred from the federal Environment Ministry to the Agriculture Ministry. FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES KENNEDY 28. That this Federal Conference urges the Australian Government to allow for tax deductibility of the costs associated with the in-home care and education provided by a overness/education provider for remote area families. 29. That this Federal Conference calls for governessing and childcare for remote families to be added to the eligibility criteria used by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection when approving second year working visas. Urgency Motion 1 Effects Test That this Federal Conference calls for Section 46 of the Competition and Consumer Act be amended to include an effects test as recommended by the Harper Review to stop large corporations with substantial market power from engaging in conduct that damages competition. 30. That this Federal Conference calls upon the Federal Arts Minister to: a. Identify regional and youth arts as key priority areas for funding under the new National Program for Excellence in the Arts; and b. Ensure there is at least one regional representative on the Committee for the new National Program for Excellence in the Arts. HEALTH AND WELFARE FLYNN 31. That this Federal Conference of the National Party recognises the harm caused by smoking in rural and regional communities and supports the examination of additional policy measures that will reduce smoking rates our communities, including the regulation of e- cigarettes as a tobacco harm reduction tool and a floor price on tobacco products, to encourage smokers to quit or switch to harm-reduced alternatives. 5
FARRER 32. That the Federal Government address the inequality faced by regional and remote health services in attracting and retaining medical specialists (fly in and fly out services) and consider developing an equitable funding model to support these necessary health services without impacting on the delivery of acute health care services. /WFC 33. That this Federal Conference calls upon the Federal Government to add the Meningococcal B vaccine to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme so that the vaccine can be included in state childhood immunisation schedules. WFC 34. This Conference calls on the Federal Liberal Government to legislate that providers of the abortion drug RU486 be required to provide information with it about the possibility of its reversal. LYNE 35. That people with outstanding arrest warrants be denied access to welfare payments. WFC 36. That the Nationals Federal Conference urge the government to: a. Recognise that Lyme-like disease exists in Australia. b. that General Practice, emergency rooms and infectious disease specialist doctors are provided best practice education on Lyme-like diagnosis and treatment. c. that doctors who are treating Lyme-like disease in Australia are protected from investigation and reprisals. d. that patients be offered affordable testing, treatment and full access to acute and chronic disease support. NTCLPW 37. That the National Party request the Coalition Government to investigate and report on cultural barriers that impede people from presenting for medical treatment due to the consequence of mandatory reporting legislation. DURACK/O CONNOR 38. That this Federal Conference calls on the State and Federal Governments to ensure there is sufficient acute care (aged care) capacity in regional and local hospitals and external aged care facilities. 6
PRIMARY INDUSTRIES AND FOOD SECURITY O CONNOR 39. That this Federal Conference calls on the Federal Agriculture Minister to ensure that grains research funding be equitably distributed and that each state s funding be not less than that state s annual contribution. /YNP 40. That this Federal Conference commends the work of the Commonwealth Government in implementing improvements to federal country of origin labelling laws, and encourage the expedition of these reforms. 41. That, as means of eradicating fruit fly, this Federal Conference calls for: a. The Federal Government to invest in media campaigns aimed at assisting the eradication of the pest; and b. The re-assessment of the registration status of fenthion. SA 42. That this conference calls on the federal Minister for Regional Development to encourage State and Local Governments to recognise the long term interest of the nation is in the development of agriculture and the preservation of valuable agricultural land from other noncompatible land uses. TRADE KENNEDY 43. That this Federal Conference urges the Australian Government to not sign the Trans Pacific Partnership trade agreement if it does not include improved market access for Australian sugar. 7