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Next week marks the final sitting of parliament for the year so it’s a useful time to reflect on the challenges facing our community on the southern Gold Coast.

Labor’s cost of living crisis is continuing to cause serious financial strain, particularly in the lead-up to Christmas. I recently spoke in Parliament [[link removed]] about the impact this is having on local residents – dealing with higher petrol prices, higher energy bills and a very tight rental market.

Interest rates have now gone up 12 times since Labor was elected. Families and small businesses are finding it increasingly difficult to meet loan repayments yet Labor’s inability to reduce inflation is keeping interest rates higher for longer [[link removed]].

As a former Home Affairs Minister, I'm very concerned the recent illegal boat arrival [[link removed]] from Indonesia caused by Labor's changes to border protection laws will see a return to the chaos of the Rudd and Gillard years. This is on top of the shambolic release of nearly 100 dangerous foreign criminals from immigration detention. The lack of work done by the government to respond to the High Court decision was quite astounding. It was disappointing that the Prime Minister chose to leave Australia [[link removed]] without crucial legislation in place and it was possible only after the Coalition secured important amendments [[link removed]] to strengthen the laws. I will continue to follow this issue very carefully as it goes to the heart of a government’s responsibility to ensure the safety of Australians.

At a local level, it was truly heartening to visit Cypress Gardens Aged Care for 90th birthday celebrations [[link removed]]. Such occasions serve to remind us of the strength and resilience within our community. Additionally, participating in local Remembrance Day ceremonies [[link removed]] held deep significance, and I was pleased to speak in Parliament [[link removed]] about the importance of honouring those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

The much-needed local M1 upgrades are continuing but due to the constant mismanagement by the State Government, additional funding has had to be provided [[link removed]]. Properly managing this project would have ensured this extra funding could have fixed other local roads as well.

As part of my work with local schools, I recently presented certificates and prizes to the winners of my Christmas card competition [[link removed]] drawn from the many hundreds of entries from children across the McPherson electorate. I've also continued my regular Mobile Offices [[link removed]] to meet with local residents.

As we head towards Christmas, I encourage you to support our many local markets and small businesses. By doing so, we not only help our local economy but also strengthen our community which is so important at this time.

As always, if I can be of assistance please let me know.

All the best,

Karen Andrews MP

Federal Member for McPherson

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Postal Address: PO Box 409, Varsity Lakes QLD 4227

Email: karen.andrews.mp@ [mailto:[email protected]] aph.gov.au [mailto:[email protected]?subject=Response%20from%20E-News]

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Phone: (07) 5580 9111

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Authorised by Karen Andrews MP, 47 Watts Drive, Varsity Lakes QLD 4227