From Canberra to the North Shore: April Update from Your Local MP

I spent four out of five weeks of March in Canberra, so it’s good to be back home for the whole of April! I love catching up with locals and soaking up everything there is to love about the North Shore.

In Canberra, my main focus was energy security. When petrol prices rise and fall with overseas conflicts, it shows how exposed we are by relying on imported fossil fuels.

One issue I spoke about in Parliament is the fuel tax credit scheme — an $11 billion annual subsidy that makes diesel cheaper for heavy off-road users like mining and agriculture. The intention may have made sense decades ago, but today it acts as a brake on innovation.

If taxpayers are subsidising diesel, it’s harder for industries to invest in cleaner, more reliable electric alternatives that would improve energy security and reduce costs.

I also spoke about the need for better funding for domestic violence crisis centres, including Mary’s House in St Leonards. Demand for these services is increasing, but funding isn’t keeping pace – we need increased investment in crisis accommodation, wrap-around support, and safe housing.

Back home, it was a pleasure to host an afternoon tea at the brigade in North Wahroonga to thank volunteers from the Ku-Ring-Gai and Hornsby Rural Fire Service. Several RFS volunteers travelled to Victoria over the Summer to help communities affected by devastating bushfires, and our community is incredibly proud of them.

Over April, I’m particularly focused on housing affordability. I’ll be speaking with locals who’ve written to me about the challenges they’re facing — from being priced out of the area, to families squeezed into homes that simply aren’t designed for multiple generations, to watching children and grandchildren move away from their support networks. I’ll be meeting with experts and community organisations as we work towards practical solutions.

Watch this space!