I delivered this speech in the House of Reps on Monday 18 June 2012.

Yesterday afternoon Sonia Farah, mother of Wests Tigers captain Robbie Farah, lost her battle with pancreatic cancer at the young age of 63.

Robbie is a well-known and much loved local hero of the Bennelong region and has inspired all around him with his dedication and devotion to his mother.

As Federal Representative for Bennelong I frequently visit businesses, schools and homes across the region to discuss issues important to the local community.

Over the past two years I have witnessed an increasing pattern of concerns about the cost of living, difficulties faced by small businesses and apprehension over the carbon tax.

Continued rises in the cost of living affect all families across our nation. Since 2007 the average increase for electricity costs is 51%, water is up 46%, gas 30%, health costs 20% and grocery prices have increased by 14%.

www.liberal.org.au/Budget/Budget_2012_How_long_will_it_last.aspx
 John Alexander MP said tonight that the Budget is a major disappointment for residents of the Bennelong region.

As part of National Volunteer Week commencing on 14th May I would like to invite you and your fellow volunteers to a

Volunteer Recognition Evening

on Friday 18th May at 6pm at the Epping Club, Epping.

“Local residents are invited to join senior staff from City of Ryde for a Community Q&A Session in my Electorate Office on the proposed redevelopment of Ryde Civic Centre,” John Alexander MP said today.

“Several Bennelong residents have contacted me to express concerns that the consultation process has not provided them with enough opportunities to ask questions of local decision makers.

“As a result I have asked City of Ryde General Manager John Neish and Development Director Mitchell Corn to attend my Electorate Office on 26 April at 6.00pm.

“Yesterday’s rollout plan announcement by NBN Co shows that more than half of the Bennelong electorate is not currently scheduled to receive better broadband internet,” John Alexander MP, Federal Member for Bennelong said today.

“This means that the largest infrastructure project since Snowy Hydro, carrying a price tag of nearly $50 billion, will not be accessible to more than half of Bennelong’s tax payers at any stage prior to July 2015.

John Alexander invites you to attend 
           With Special Guest
          Michael Keenan MP
Federal Shadow Minister for Justice

When:  Thursday 29th March, 10am start
Where: Ionic Room, Boronia Grove Centre

            RSVP IS ESSENTIAL

By Tuesday 27th March 2012

Many North Epping residents are still without water, 24 hours after a water pipe was damaged, cutting the supply to many homes and presenting a challenge for those preparing for work and school this morning.

“I have spoken with several residents who have told me that they had been without water since 2pm yesterday (Sunday),” said Mr. Alexander MP for Bennelong.  “This is a long time without water to drink or to flush the toilet. This is both a risk to hygiene and public health.”

As a result of the closure of Reckitt-Benckiser in West Ryde,   Shadow Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science Sophie Mirabella will hold a public forum at Ryde Eastwood Leagues Club on 20^th February at 3pm to discuss manufacturing and the carbon tax and how it will affect local business.  All welcome please RSVP to my office.

MEDIA RELEASE

The past two weeks of tennis have presented a strong case that the ­Australian Open is the greatest of the grand slam events.

Regardless of the aura of Wimbledon and distinctiveness of Roland Garros, our national championship shines as bright and hot as the sweltering Melbourne summer sun.

Several decisions have conspired to push our event towards this pre-eminent position. Before the open era, it used to travel between cities and was even shared with New Zealand in its earliest incarnation as the Australasian Championship.

Australia was once a nation of the fittest and most active, with the greatest number of elite competitors on the world stage, we are progressively becoming a nation of spectators with an ever dwindling number of compatriots appearing on our flat screen TV’s.

Each year, as the Australian Open approaches, the same question is asked: what happened to Australian tennis? This year our men and women’s singles hopes ride on the shoulders of three players – Bernard Tomic, Sam Stosur and Jarmila Gajdošová – the only Australians ranked in the top 70.

Forty years ago, Australia led the world in tennis as no country had at that point, or has since.

 This week John Alexander, Federal Member for Bennelong helped pack food hampers at North Ryde Community Aid, and then delivered them to aged and disadvantaged families in Bennelong.

John Alexander has had his 2011 Christmas card designed by a 5 year-old local kindergarten student. “As I have moved around the electorate and visited preschools and kindergartens, I have been impressed at the beautiful artwork that adorns the walls so this year I was determined to have local children create the artwork for my Christmas cards,” said Mr.