WELCOME TO MY BLOG

Welcome to my blog.

If you live in my electorate, you'll now have better access to community and Government information.

The redesign of my website provides new ways of interacting and communicating with me.

You'll be able to view my parliamentary speeches, read my media releases and interview transcripts, and see videos of me in action in Parliament.

The new comment feature will mean you can leave feedback and the social bookmarking button will help you share articles with friends, neighbours and others living in the electorate.

By 'Signing Up' to receive updates, you'll be kept abreast of new content that is added to the site.

My regular newsletters, including my Prospect Annual Report are now also downloadable from the site.

Most importantly, this blog will allow me to write about topics of my own choosing. I'll blog about what's happening in our community, government initiatives and other topics I believe to be of relevance to you -  the people I represent.

Bookmark my blog and stay tuned for more.

Chris

Comments

View all 10 comments Hide all comments

	maria araujo (September 10 2010, 10:30 AM) Minister Chist Bowin Hi, this is Maria Araujo wonder if ok to check these two paragraphs, analyze them and see if these sound fair to you and those in the know? I don’t want or need a reply back I decide to share this issue, please feel ok to delete if this message offense in any way to you 1- “If you do not agree with the decision about your payment may ask for an independent review by the social security appeal tribunal. I have enclose a pamphlet containing information on how to request for a review” ok [And them they add this paragraph] 2-“If you do not request a review within 13 weeks of receiving this letter and the decision is changed you might not receive your full entitlement” “There is not time limit’ if you are asking for a review of a decision about money you owe to Centrelink; however you may have to pay back the money while the decision is being made”. Fraise 2 is the offensive paragraph sanded to me by ARO Stephen Smith letter 3/9/09 Sorry for being rude but I want to give back those phrases as I wish never to receive them. All I requested was a review of my entitlement The difference between entitlements is more than $7000 a year that the government is saving by paying me Newstart allowances instead of the Disability Pension that is need to avoid struggles as currently I am living on $560 a fortnight to pay for: • Medications, • Private health found, • Rent, • Telephone, • Internet, • Electricity • Loan x 2 • Cost me $26 /return bus ticket to deliver‘Newstart Application for Payment Form’ • For Food all that is left is just $30 a week • Centrelink acknowledge verbally but don’t support their acknowledging! • It is very ethic to cover 3 meals with as little as $4 a day! About my health issues are: 1. Hyperparathyroidism, 2. Hyperparathyroidism and 3. Chronic-anemia. I came to this country as healthy young women, have kids, my condition develop after loosing too much blood in a twin cesarean and in another child a year later, Doctors infusions, & long blood testing combine in hospital, eye operation, fail relationship, radioactive aiding contribute further to thyroid issues, stress to bring up kids on my own all contribute to my health issues and to who I am today. My best achievements are my 4 kids after all we are ok and they are doing well.
	Admin (September 10 2010, 10:30 AM) Maria, Thanks for your enquiry. I recommend you contact Chris' office on 02 9726 4100 for assistance. Regards, Office of Chris Bowen MP
	Bonnie (September 10 2010, 10:30 AM) Maria, I read your comment and understood completely where you are coming from and the frustration you feel. I myself have been struggling with centrelink, trying to get them to see me as a person rather than just a tick or cross in the right or wrong box. I am currently a student enrolled in TAFE full-time. Next year I am continuing this course, with a timetable of 5 days a week, plus completing a Masters part-time. I have applied for the student allowance, but because I live with my boyfriend, I receive minimal or no payments. I have time and time again stated to centrelink that I receive no monies whatsoever from my boyfriend. Yes we live together, but everything is shared 50/50, much like a share house. They even admitted to me that if I moved out, I would be entitled to the full allowance, even though the status of my relationship would not change. As a consequence of their decision, I have been living off $157 a week. My rent is $130. It costs me $50 a week in petrol to get to TAFE. I am $1600 worse off (money I have had to spend from my savings and credit card just to buy food and petrol) since starting on Austudy 6 months ago. How is that right? How is that fair? Centrelink states that one becomes independent from one's parents at 25, ergo I could live with my parents and receive my full entitlement. Yet nowhere am I even given the option of being independent of my boyfriend. It is an antiquated patriarchal notion, forcing people into unbalanced and potentially destructive relationships, where one person relys entirely on another without even a chance of independence. How dangerous that this is encouraged and enforced by our government. I have filled out a form and written a letter asking for consideration, and did not even get a response. The form clearly outlined that financially my boyfriend and I have seperate situations. The clerk who I was dealing with stated that the judgement was based on more that just financial arrangements. If this is so, why do I only report my income every fornight? Why not how much sex I have? Why not how much washing up I do? If I do too little or too much of these things should payments not also be deducted, if my payments are based on 'more than just financials'? I have always worked while putting myself through uni. It is such a kick in the face to be treated like this now, when I most need help. Centrelink - giving you options - sure. Option 1 - break up with my boyfriend - Option 2 - move back with my parents, leaving me with 4 hours travel a day - Option 3 - quit TAFE so I can get a job so I can afford to go to TAFE (hang on, even I can see the problem there). I feel so let down. I have no idea how I am going to cope when TAFE resumes. I have no more savings left. I don't know what to do.
	Admin (September 10 2010, 10:30 AM) Hi Bonnie, Could you please ring (02) 9726 4100. I am concerned that you haven't received a response to your request for special consideration. Regards, Office of Chris Bowen MP
	pidge (September 10 2010, 10:30 AM) xxvxv
	peter (September 10 2010, 10:30 AM) post this.
	X Man: Community Services Worker (September 10 2010, 10:30 AM) Dear Chris Bowen Well done on the Baby welcoming ceremony, you are bearing good fruit for the community. Im semi-retired from the D.L.P Qld and just moved into St Clair; Can you please tell me as an atheist how you build a baby from hydrogen gas without theology. I would appreciate it if you could please declare yourself at least an agnostic like Tanner: it makes it easier to work with politicians, we need to love, forgive and prey for our enemies under socialisms conflict theory when building sustainable traditional community service. Atheists generally don’t volunteer from Gaol and I don’t have a working atheist model unless you can send me details of your community development modelling that creates a loving, caring compassionate and charitable community. God Bless Neil Bridgewater. Ecumenical Minister 1R.A.R. RE: Author of: The Omega Plan 2007. Call anytime 0402222360
	Gadget (September 10 2010, 10:30 AM) I Submit That thee is a maniac X Man. abort abort abort
	Mira Zeimer (September 10 2010, 10:30 AM) Hi Chris, I watched Insight last night and felt so disappointed. When those on the panel were favouring Liberal for economic management why did you not remind them that you had to deal with the GFC? We needed spending in order to keep afloat.You guys in Labour let the Liberals get away with murder. Don't attack but just remind people what happened just after the election. The apology to the Stolen Generations, the stimulus package and the effort to deal with climate change. Stand up and be proud and don't let Minchin steal votes from young people.
	Phil (September 10 2010, 10:30 AM) Congratulations Chris on your re-election. Just wanted to give my 2cents worth on an issue facing certain areas of the McMahon electorate. I live in the Pemulwuy area. One particularly sore issue for many of the residents is the lack of reliable broadband. I work as an IT professional. Reliable broadband is essential for the sort of work I do as I'm sure it is for many of the other residents in this area. Labor's NBN initiative is without a doubt one of the best initiatives I've ever seen from a political party. Many of us I'm sure are looking forward to it being implemented in our area. I hope sincerely that the Liberal's "alternative" broadband policy does not get implemented. It is poorly thought out and looks like the plan was scribbled on the back of a beer coaster on a friday afternoon in the pub.

Add A Comment