Cost of living increases worry Farrer residents

COST OF LIVING ‘CRUNCH’ HITS FARRER HARD, THE NATIONALS HEAR

During a visit to Albury this week, The Nationals’ Leader Matt Canavan and The Nationals’ Farrer candidate Brad Robertson heard the message from locals loud and clear: everyone is hurting.

Facing skyrocketing energy prices, fuel prices, interest rates and recent health insurance changes, local small businesses, families and residents are calling for help under the growing pressure.

Mr Robertson slammed the Albanese Labor Government’s recent changes to health insurance discounts, putting more financial strain on our community’s most vulnerable.

“This is a beautiful part of the world, but everyone is doing it tough,” Mr Robertson said.

“Our older residents are trying to get ahead just like everyone else, but just this week the federal Labor Government has smashed them with a hike to private health insurance that will see them hundreds of dollars worse off.

“Small businesses in Farrer are facing massive power price hikes as families battle with skyrocketing interest rates and fuel prices.

“Because this government hasn’t managed their Budgets, they are ripping money off our pensioners. Because they’ve obsessed over this net zero nonsense, power prices are skyrocketing. And because they’ve shut down oil drilling, we are begging other countries for fuel.

“Our community deserves better than this.”

Senator Canavan said the Labor Government needed a “kick up the backside” at the upcoming by-election.

“The Albanese Labor Government has always taken this part of the world for granted,” Senator Canavan said.

“They are running scared from this electorate and hoping a Teal-backed Independent or a minor party takes this electorate into political irrelevance. They won’t and never will listen to the Teals or minor parties.

“The only way to give Labor the kick up the backside they need is to send Brad Robertson, as part of a Nationals team, to Canberra. He will keep this electorate in the headlines, keep the pressure on Labor, and fight like hell to dump their net zero mess, balance their Budgets and drill for Aussie fuels again.”

Sam Kadi, co-owner of Albury café ‘As Thick As Thieves’, said Farrer small businesses were struggling as power bills grew and fuel costs rise.

“As a small business, we are trying our hardest to employ local, to use local produce and keep prices low for our local customers,” Mr Kadi said.

“Things are really tough out there. Our power prices are skyrocketing every year and it’s costing us more to fuel up at the bowser every time we fill up.

“Small businesses are shutting down in this region because it’s simply too expensive to stay open. If things don’t get better soon, we will see even more local businesses shut their doors.”

Farrer local Noel Barber said older residents in the electorate were scared of what tough times lay ahead.

“I speak with friends and family every day in this region, and people are crying out for help,” Mr Barber said.

“We hear of changes to private health insurance rebates that will hike the price every year. No one has explained to us how this will make life easier for us - our health insurance just keeps rising. It seems this government is obsessed with piling on the pressure while everyone is already struggling.

“Just for once, we would hope the federal government would make life easier for Australians. But with the track record of this government, our hopes aren’t high.”