Hello!
I’m looking forward to heading home soon after two weeks representing you in Federal Parliament.
This sitting fortnight I was delighted to talk about our plans to bring back Nowra’s Chopper on a Stick with input from the local community and also announce the opening of Nowra’s Medicare Urgent Care Clinic.
I spoke about the need for improved mobile and telecommunications services, including our government’s plan to introduce the Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation which will keep people in Gilmore connected and safer by ensuring they are able to call for help in times of emergency.
I was really proud to talk about how we’re helping local people with a range of cost-of-living measures, from free TAFE to more bulk billing GPs, and the wonderful local women’s health initiatives, including the South-Eastern Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Clinic and Waminda’s Birthing on Country Centre of Excellence.
In parliament I also had an opportunity to meet with Mel Briggs Waminda, and new mum Whitney who were guest speakers at the Australian Parliamentary Friends of Maternal Health event.
Back home for the weekend, I had a great time at the Milton Show which had an amazing number of pavilion entries from local children, and I joined 120 locals for the Zonta Kiama Shellharbour International Women’s Day High Tea event.
Huge congrats to our local IWD award winners Irene Banks, Suzanne Eggins, Dr Tina Broad and 11-year-old Piper Clarke for their inspiring and generous contributions to our community.
As the Shoalhaven Family History Society Patron, it was a pleasure to join members for their AGM and to see a beautifully restored photo album of Hugh Mackenzie who owned and lived at Terrara Estate and built Terrara House. He and his family, for four generations, also owned and lived at the Bundanon Estate, where his father Dr Kenneth Mackenzie completed the Bundanon Homestead in 1866. Hugh was a pastoralist and was the mayor of South Shoalhaven!
During this difficult time, my thoughts go out to all Australians caught up in the Iranian conflict. We continue to work on contingencies to keep Australians safe and to help travellers leave the Middle East. Anyone needing assistance can contact my office.
You can keep up-to-date with my daily activities, speeches and local news by following me on  Facebook HERE.
Check out my latest media releases and speeches below and I hope to see you out and about in the community soon!
Fiona
Fiona Phillips MP
Federal Member for Gilmore |
|
 | Nowra Medicare Urgent Care Clinic open
The Albanese Government is delivering for residents in Nowra with the opening of the Nowra Medicare Urgent Care Clinic.
Located at 107 Scenic Drive, Nowra, the new federally-funded Nowra Medicare Urgent Care Clinic is now open extended hours, seven days a week.
No appointment is needed, patients can walk in and all services are bulk billed.
READ MORE HERE … MEDIA RELEASE: Nowra Medicare Urgent Care Clinic open |
|
 | Targeted action to deliver more aged care beds
The Albanese Government is delivering more aged care beds where they are needed most, to ensure every older Australian can access the world-class aged care they deserve.
Today, Labor is announcing that the Illawarra will share in $115 million through the Aged Care Capital Assistance Program (ACCAP) to rapidly increase access to residential aged care – alongside Perth, Adelaide and the Hunter.
An Expression of Interest process is encouraging interested providers to put forward proposals that will build and open more beds within two years to help address immediate delayed discharge pressures on hospitals, and deliver services that align with the National Aged Care Design Principles.
READ MORE HERE … MEDIA RELEASE: Targeted action to deliver more aged care beds |
|
 | Volunteer Grants now open to assist community groups in Gilmore Federal Member for Gilmore Fiona Phillips is encouraging local community groups to apply for a Volunteer Grant to help foster community connections.
The Volunteer Grants support the work of community organisations by reducing barriers for volunteers and increasing participation and awareness of volunteering opportunities.
Grants of between $1,000 and $5,000 are available to help community organisations to support the efforts of their volunteers.
Grants can be used to purchase communication or insurance items, provide training, or for items that support volunteer cohorts and volunteer-run activities.
READ MORE HERE … MEDIA RELEASE: Volunteer Grants now open to assist community groups in Gilmore |
|
 | Work to start on three Cambewarra Mountain landslips Work to repair three landslip sites will start next week on Moss Vale Road at Cambewarra Mountain. The repairs are funded by the Albanese and Minns Governments through joint Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). Transport for NSW has engaged specialist contractors to carry out the slope stabilisation work from Monday 23 February between Green Valley Road and Cambewarra Lookout Road. READ MORE HERE … MEDIA RELEASE: Work to start on three Cambewarra Mountain landslips |
|
 | 250,000 Cheaper Home Batteries powering the suburbs, rural and regional Australia More than a quarter of a million households, small businesses and community organisations have now installed a bill busting battery under the Albanese Government’s Cheaper Home Batteries program, with around half of those installing new or upgraded solar systems at the same time. Batteries help households store the cheaper, cleaner energy they generate during the day, and use it at night. That means less reliance on peak prices, a more reliable grid and putting downward pressure on prices for everyone. New postcode-level data shows the clean energy upgrade is being led by the outer suburbs and by rural and regional communities, not the inner-city. Around 77 per cent of uptake has occurred in these regional and outer-suburban areas. READ MORE HERE … MEDIA RELEASE: 250,000 Cheaper Home Batteries powering the suburbs, rural and regional Australia |
|
 | Critical support for saltmarshes on NSW South Coast The Albanese Government is investing $600,000 to monitor and restore saltmarshes and riparian habitat across three locations on the NSW South Coast. The commitment, made by the Albanese Government during the 2025 election campaign, will improve the condition of at least 60 hectares of coastal saltmarsh and associated threatened ecological communities on the Clyde River at Batemans Bay, Burrill Lake and Lake Illawarra. Saltmarshes provide important habitat for fish, birds and crustaceans, while acting as a filter for nutrients and sediment to reduce erosion and maintain water quality. READ MORE HERE … MEDIA RELEASE: Critical support for saltmarshes on NSW South Coast |
|
 | SPEECH: Supporting the Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation Mrs PHILLIPS (Gilmore) (17:15): I rise today to support the Telecommunications Legislation Amendment (Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation) Bill 2025 and to applaud the Albanese Labor government's commitment to strengthening the resilience of Australia's telecommunications service. The Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation will require national mobile carriers Telstra, Optus and TPG to provide access to SMS and voice coverage for Australians nationwide, almost everywhere you can see the sky. This is really important reform that will improve connectivity and provide reassurance for people in regional areas like my electorate of Gilmore. Gilmore is a big electorate. A few times a week I drive up and down the highway, sometimes for up to four hours, from one end to the other. Driving through mountains, forests and farmland, I pass through numerous mobile blackspots, so I know just how frustrating it can be when service is interrupted. READ MORE HERE … SPEECH: Supporting the Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation |
|
 | SPEECH: Nowra Medicare Urgent Care Clinic now open Mrs PHILLIPS (Gilmore) (13:52): Today is a fantastic day because today the doors of the brand-new Nowra Medicare urgent care clinic opened. The clinic is a huge win for my community and will take pressure off the busy emergency department at Shoalhaven hospital. During the election campaign I knocked on hundreds of doors in Nowra, and the message was loud and clear. A local Medicare urgent care clinic was desperately needed. I promised to deliver this important service for our community and I'm so thrilled the doors are now open. The clinic will make a real difference for locals and visitors by providing convenient, bulk-billed urgent care in the heart of Nowra. Located at 107 Scenic Drive, Nowra, the Medicare urgent care clinic will operate from 8 am until 10 pm seven days a week, making sure patients can get the care they need when they need it. READ MORE HERE … SPEECH: Nowra Medicare Urgent Care Clinic now open |
|
 | SPEECH: Women's Health Mrs PHILLIPS (Gilmore) (11:47): Endometriosis, pelvic pain and sexual health have for too long been taboo topics, but the incredible team at the south-eastern endometriosis and pelvic pain clinic in Milton is changing that. The clinic was one of the first of its kind to open its doors in September 2023, and for more than two years has been providing women from Helensburgh to the Victorian border with expert multidisciplinary services and care for endometriosis and pelvic pain. Not only is the team helping women of all ages, many of whom have lived with intense pelvic pain for many years, even decades; they're also educating our younger generation. Women's health nurse Susan Wilford has been travelling across the south-east of New South Wales visiting high schools at Nowra, Moruya, Batemans Bay and Ulladulla as well as community groups including CWAs and VIEW clubs. READ MORE HERE … SPEECH: Women's Health |
|
 | SPEECH: Chopper on a Stick Mrs PHILLIPS (Gilmore) (19:45): Nowra is a proud defence and Navy town, home to HMAS Albatross, HMAS Creswell, the Fleet Air Arm and the Royal Australian Naval College. Defence and defence industry are our biggest employers, and I am proud of the amazing work they do for our community and our country. That's why I am absolutely delighted that Nowra's iconic 'chopper on a stick' is coming back. READ MORE HERE … SPEECH: Chopper on a Stick |
|
 | SPEECH: Delivering cost of living relief Mrs PHILLIPS (Gilmore) (11:05): The Albanese Labor government's No. 1 priority is to keep delivering cost-of-living relief for Australians. We're focused on helping on so many levels, from tax cuts for every taxpayer and a pay rise for our lowest-paid workers to cheaper home batteries and slashing student debt, because we know every little bit helps. Our record investment in Medicare is at the heart of our cost-of-living relief, with a focus on cheaper medicines and reducing healthcare costs. I'm so pleased that, since the Albanese Labor government's GP bulk-billing incentives were introduced, on 1 November 2025, the number of fully bulk-billing medical practices in Gilmore has more than doubled. There are now 32 fully bulk-billing practices operating across my electorate. This means it's easier for locals to see a doctor and it's saving families hundreds of dollars in out-of-pocket medical expenses. READ MORE HERE … SPEECH: Delivering cost of living relief |
|
|
NSW IPART is the Independent Pricing & Regulatory Tribunal Click here for the post Click here for the previous post
No comments:
Post a Comment