Member for Mackellar Jason Falinski has announced that Expressions of Interest for Round 4 of the Liberal Government’s Stronger Communities Programme are now open.

Grants between $2,500 and $20,000 are available to eligible incorporated entities (not for profit; local government agency or body; trustee on behalf of a property trust with responsibility for a community asset) to fund small capital works projects that deliver social benefits to the wider community.

Please complete the Expression of Interest form available below, include any supporting documentation and return to Mr Falinski's office by Friday 7 September 2018.

Nominations for the NSW/ACT Young Achiever Awards are now open and Member for Mackellar Jason Falinski wants our local young achievers to be recognised!

Nominations are being sought in the following categories:

The Coffee Club Arts and Fashion Award

First National Real Estate Leadership Award

Freemasons of NSW/ACT Community Service Award

Aboriginal Education Council Aboriginal Education Award

Worldwide Sports Award

Soroptimist International Women Creating Change Award

WFI Insurance Small Business Achiever Award

Member for Mackellar Jason Falinski last night announced the annual Champion of Mackellar to be Margaret Makin from Bayview at the Beach Club Collaroy.

The Champion of Mackellar award was established by Mr Falinski to recognise volunteers and the unsung heroes in the community.

“I started the Champion of Mackellar award last year to recognise the community groups, the sporting champions, the volunteers; the people on the Beaches that think beyond themselves, who help others, and who make this the best place to live.

Member for Mackellar Jason Falinski has offered his office for help this Tax time. The Australian Taxation Office’s Tax Help service will be assisting low-income earners with simple tax affairs to complete their tax return.

Mr Falinski said Tax Help volunteers would be available at his office in Narrabeen to provide a free and confidential service for people on around $60,000 or less to get their tax right.

“These volunteers can help with lodging and amending tax returns online using myTax, or to claim a refund of franking credits. They can also help you claim any deductions and offsets you may be entitled to.

Member for Mackellar Jason Falinski has called on the community to help break the cycle of welfare dependency.

Mr Falinski said the Turnbull Government would provide funding for innovative trials that tackled welfare dependency as part its $96.1 million Try, Test and Learn Fund.

The Government’s Australian Priority Investment Approach to Welfare 2017 Valuation Report found a reduction in the number of people accessing welfare payments had led to a $43 billion decrease in Australia’s total future lifetime welfare cost.

“After record jobs growth, the proportion of working age Australians now dependent on welfare has fallen to 15.1 per cent – the lowest level in more than 25 years – but we can always do more,” Mr Falinski said.

A life-changing breast cancer medicine listed by the Turnbull Government on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) will be available for patients in Mackellar from July 1 this year.

Member for Mackellar Jason Falinski said the investment of $703.6 million by the Government will mean that more than 3,000 Australian patients with inoperable or metastatic hormone receptor positive breast cancer will benefit from the 1 July listing of ribociclib (Kisqali®).

“Hormone receptor positive tumours are the most common form of breast cancer and account for most of the deaths from the disease,” Mr Falinski said. 

“By inhibiting two proteins that drive the growth of tumour cells, ribociclib — used in combination with other drugs — will slow the progression of inoperable and metastatic breast cancers in some patients.

“This medication would otherwise cost patients around $71,820 per year but under the PBS patients will cost $39.50 per script while concessional patients will pay $6.40 per script.”

More child care support for more families in Mackellar is here with the start of the Turnbull Government’s new child care system.

Member for Mackellar Jason Falinski said the reforms would provide much needed child care relief for local families.

“For too long northern beaches families have struggled with the cost of child care and a broken system that has restricted their ability to work the hours and days that suit them,” Mr Falinski said.

“Our reforms will mean more subsidies for Mackellar families working the most and for families earning the least, scrapping the annual rebate cap for most families as well as an hourly rate cap to keep downward pressure on fees.

Applications close this week for the Coalitions $200 million Sporting Schools program and Member for Mackellar, Jason Falinski has encouraged all local schools in the electorate of Mackellar to apply.

Statistics show more than 80 per cent of children are not getting enough physical activity and that 27 per cent of children aged 5-17 are overweight or obese.

The Deputy Leader of The Nationals and Minister for Sport, Minister Bridget McKenzie said sport and physical activity needed to be an important part of holistic childhood development.

Member for Mackellar Jason Falinski and Member for Warringah Tony Abbott have welcomed the delivery of income tax relief for Australian workers.

“Taxes in Australia will now be lower, fairer and simpler. 130,777 people and their families on the Peninsula will benefit from tax relief of up to $530 in 2018-19,” Mr Falinski said.

“This is a win for working Australians who want to get ahead. When you earn more, get a pay rise or work more hours, you won’t face ever-increasing tax rates,” Mr Abbott said.

The Turnbull Government will expand its successful Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA) program into more preschools and schools in Mackellar.

Member for Mackellar Jason Falinski encouraged Mackellar preschools and schools to get on-board and give their students the opportunity to learn a second language.

“The Early Learning Languages Australia (ELLA) program has already been very successful in getting local students engaged and interested in learning a language,” Mr Falinski said.