A review and public consultation will take place on all issues which surround the supply and remuneration conditions of labour performed by Working Holiday Maker visa holders.
The Nationals Duty Senator for Hunter John Williams says farmers and tourism operators have expressed strong opinions about the supply and taxation of working holiday visa holders, and the proposed 32.5 percent tax rate is seen by many as a disincentive for them to work.
Senator Williams said the 200,000 who come to Australia to pick fruit and vegetables and undertake rural and associated work must not have the door shut on them or the growers and farmers will suffer.
The Nationals Duty Senator for Richmond John Williams today announced Federal government funding for essential advocacy and welfare services for veterans, serving members and their families, war widows and widowers in the Tweed Heads area.
Senator Williams said Tweed Heads and Coolangatta R.S.L. Sub-branch has been awarded $14,658 through the Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) grants program.
He said grants under the programme help fund salaries for trained advocates and pension staff, essential office supplies, computer equipment, internet access and other administrative needs.
I am pleased to say that today I have been re-elected to the Australian Senate following the July election.
Thank you to everyone for their support.
I am looking forward to spending the next three years working hard for the people of New South Wales.
John Williams
Senator for NSW.
I congratulate my Nationals leader and Member for New England Barnaby Joyce on his re-election.
It is a good result against the odds.
I thank the Nationals members, supporters and volunteers who manned the polling booths and refused to be bullied by the union members and GetUp! who were propping up Tony Windsor’s campaign.
During the campaign Barnaby made a number of exciting funding announcements in a number of New England communities and I look forward to their delivery.
As for the Senate, counting is still continuing and a final result will not be known for some time.
I am hopeful of being re-elected for a final three-year term.
The new Abington Bridge on Thunderbolts Way was officially opened today by the Minister for Roads and Freight Duncan Gay, Senator John Williams and Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall.
The $1.45 million bridge has been jointly funded by the Australian and NSW governments and Uralla Shire Council.
Mr Gay said Abington Bridge is a great example of what happens when two coalition governments work closely together to deliver results for regional communities.
“The new bridge sees the removal of dog legged bends, eliminating what had been a significant bottleneck for people communing between Uralla, Armidale and Inverell.
“This bridge has also been built stronger to accommodate heavy vehicles ensuring freight and farm machinery movements in and out of the town centres of Uralla, Armidale and Inverell are safe, efficient and timely.”
Tony Windsor should give up any pretence of being an Independent candidate and come clean on his allegiance to Labor according to the Nationals Senator for New South Wales John Williams.
Senator Williams said news reports that Tony Windsor’s campaign team were handing out Labor how-to-vote leaflets confirms what most people in the New England electorate know – he is glued on to Labor.
He said he propped up the Gillard government and stood idly by as the live exports trade was destroyed along with peoples’ lives.
He also supported the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal which was ready to put 35,000 independent truckies out of business before the Coalition government stepped in and put the Tribunal out of business.
