July 1 changes you need to know
The first sitting week of the 48th Federal Parliament will be at the end of July and I am eagerly looking forward to it. Since the May election I’ve been busy meeting with local organisations and planning for the term ahead.
This Parliament will certainly have a new look, with the reduced Opposition, Community Independents will have an even more vital role in holding the Labor Government to account, as well as scrutinising and improving legislation and bringing fresh ideas to Parliament for debate.
As a priority, I will be calling for the public release of the findings from the Briggs review into public board appointments which was handed to the Government over 18 months ago. In the meantime, it seems old habits die hard with the jobs for mates culture continuing to thrive in Canberra.
The Government's large majority in the House this term, I believe, is an opportunity for them to undertake courageous, long-term reforms. Our nation faces multiple converging crises - housing affordability, mental health, environmental degradation, frequent extreme weather disasters and growing intergenerational inequality - which tinkering around the edges of reform will not solve. We’ve seen encouraging signs in the Treasurer’s recent call for broad based tax reform to enhance productivity and reduce growing intergenerational inequality - something that the crossbench, and Allegra Spender in particular, championed throughout the last term of Parliament.
It will be a fascinating term and I hope a productive one. I will continue to drive reform in several key areas, including greater support for small business, stronger environmental protections, a more robust health system with greater investment in the prevention of disease, and commonsense changes to the export and taxing of our gas resources. And as always, I will have a keen eye on local issues.
LOCAL WINS!
In the meantime, the NSW Parliament delivered the State Budget last week and there were significant wins for our Northern Beaches community that I’m excited to share with you.
$250 million for Mona Vale Road:
The State Government has committed an additional $250 million to complete the long-overdue upgrade of Mona Vale Road West. This follows intense advocacy by the State Member for Pittwater, Jacqui Scruby, and is an enormous win for our community. This allocation matches the $250 million committed in the Federal Budget in March that I also worked hard for two years to secure. We look forward to the road upgrade restarting as soon as feasible and will keep up the pressure to ensure construction stays on track. This is what local representatives, standing up for our community, looks like.
Narrabeen Athletics Track:
The announcement of $6.7 million to repair and reopen the Narrabeen athletics track is also terrific news. The closure of the track nearly 18 months ago due to groundwater damage has impacted thousands of athletes, schoolchildren and coaches across the Beaches and Northern Sydney. Additionally, with Australia hosting the Olympics in 2032, it is also an urgent issue for elite national and international athletes preparing for the Games. The amount secured will allow for a long term fix to be delivered with significant work to be carried out preparing the subtrack layer and drainage to ensure damage from rising groundwater doesn’t occur again. The track will also be newly compliant with international athletic standards so that elite sporting events may be hosted at the venue - exciting news for our community. Thank you to Manly Warringah Little Athletics, Athletics NSW and Australian Athletics for their strong advocacy on this issue.
Northern Beaches Hospital:
A huge congratulations goes to the Independent Member for Wakehurst, Michael Regan, whose Private Member's Bill was recently passed by the State Parliament ensuring the State Government has a mechanism to terminate the contract with Healthscope, the private operator of Northern Beaches Hospital, without having to pay a windfall profit, if negotiations to return the public hospital to public management fail. This is a significant achievement for the Independent MP and a critical step forward in the process of returning our local hospital to public hands. Together, local Independents will continue to push to ensure Northern Beaches residents have access to the highest quality hospital care.
Cromer Campus gets the upgrades they deserve:
$15 million has been allocated to build a brand-new multipurpose school hall at Cromer Campus. This follows the recent commitment of State Government funding for a new performing arts hall at Narrabeen Sports High. Infrastructure at many of our local public schools has been neglected for decades, so these amenities are incredibly welcome. All our kids deserve the opportunity to excel.
Thank you to both our local Independent State MPs Jacqui Scruby (Pittwater) and Michael Regan (Wakehurst) for fighting hard for our Northern Beaches community and working across party lines to deliver such critical investment.
July 1 changes impacting you:
Cheaper home batteries program - Households are now eligible for a 30% federal government subsidy for the purchase of a home battery. This initiative will not only provide cheap electricity for those who own the batteries but will also reduce power bills for all households as the batteries allow for excess cheap, solar power to be stored and fed to the grid during peak evening periods through the use of smart metering.
Paid practical placements - Paid practical placements will commence for certain groups of tertiary students including those studying teaching, nursing, midwifery, and social work. Eligible students will be able to access $319.50 per week while they’re undertaking a placement. This is a much needed initiative but should be expanded to include other allied health and medical students who have long mandatory practical placements.
Minimum wage and superannuation increases - From July 1 employer super contributions will rise from 11.5% to 12% and the minimum wage will increase 3.5% to $24.95 an hour. That’s about $30 more each week for workers on the minimum wage.
Extension of paid parental leave period - The duration of paid parental leave increased from 22 weeks to 24 weeks. This will be followed by further gradual increases to the scheme until it reaches 26 weeks by 2026.
Termination of the small business instant asset write off - For small businesses with a turnover of less than $10 million per year, the instant asset write-off limit drops from $20,000 to $1000. This is disappointing and disruptive for small businesses. The Government did make an election promise to extend the write off for the 2026/27 financial year, however myself and others on the crossbench are pushing for the instant asset write-off to be made permanent as business owners need certainty to access the scheme.
NDIS pricing changes - There will be adjustments to therapy support rates and travel reimbursement for allied health providers. Specifically, physiotherapy rates are decreasing by $10 per hour, and travel reimbursements will be halved. Many local allied health providers are concerned about the impact of these changes and their continuing ability to provide the necessary treatments to their clients. I will be addressing these concerns with the Ministers for the National Disability Insurance Scheme - Mark Butler and Jenny McAllister.
Aged pension - Australians receiving the age pension will benefit from adjusted income and asset thresholds designed to better keep up with inflation. The cut-off point has been lowered from $481,500 to $470,000 for couples and from $321,500 to $314,000 for singles. As a result, couples who are asset-tested will receive a $34.50 fortnight increase to their age pension payments, while singles will receive an extra $22.50 per fortnight.
Constituent wins:
If you have a significant problem with a federally run service – please be aware that my team is here to help.
Centrelink payments reinstated for Frenchs Forest resident
When Susi’s Centrelink payments were suddenly cut, she reached out to our office under significant stress. Our Constituent Liaison Officer Carmen acted quickly, contacting Services Australia and resolved the issue within days.
"You have truly saved the day! I cannot express how thankful I am." - Susi
Urgent NDIS support secured for Narrabeen local
Andrew, who lives with a degenerative neurological condition, had been falling due to broken leg braces. After being told there would be a 10-week delay for replacements, Andrew reached out to our team who were able to escalate his case with the National Disability Insurance Agency, fast-tracking the review of his plan. Andrew also wanted to highlight his gratitude for the NDIS.
"My new ‘legs’ have arrived and I’m booked in for fitting. I’m so grateful - I’ll be in soon to thank you in person!" - Andrew
Wedding visa approved in the nick of time
Two days before her wedding, a local bride contacted us. Her future father-in-law’s visa from Canada was still pending. They had been waiting three months and time was running out. Our office escalated the case with the Department of Home Affairs, and the visa was granted within 24 hours. He arrived the morning of the wedding - just in time for the family celebration.
Meet Dr Sophie:
My next community pop up will be at the Warriewood markets on August 16th. Please come and say hello and have a chat. I love hearing your thoughts and ideas.
Let’s keep fighting for a better future together.
Dr Sophie Scamps MP
Read my recent letters to ministers sent on your behalf: