Sydney - Middle East Times Int’l: In his latest community bulletin, Dr Andrew Charlton, the Federal MP for the seat of Parramatta, announced a wide range of initiatives impacting his electorate. The following are excerpts from his bulletin. 

Tax cuts and power bill rebate: From July 1, every taxpayer will receive a tax cut. Parramatta locals will benefit from an average tax cut of $1,512 to help combat the rising cost of living. There will also be a $300 rebate to every household in Australia.

Richie Benaud Oval upgrade: Parramatta, known for producing some of Australia’s best athletes, currently lacks turf cricket facilities. In 2022, Dr Charlton announced funding for an upgrade to Richie Benaud Oval in North Parramatta. This upgrade will deliver Parramatta’s first premier cricket facility and turf wicket. Federal funding of $6.2 million will be combined with $3.2 million from Parramatta Council to construct a turf wicket, three fenced synthetic practice wickets, improved lighting, and an electronic scoreboard. Construction is expected to be completed by late 2026.

Developing Little India: In 2022, Dr Charlton secured funding for Harris Park’s Little India precinct. This funding will be used to reduce rubbish and food waste around Harris Park’s residential areas, take action against illegal dumping in public areas, reduce pollution in Duck Creek, improve security in and around Harris Park’s business areas, and provide more parking for locals. Construction of Little India is expected to be completed by early 2026.

Seniors Morning Tea: Last week, Dr Charlton hosted the second local Seniors Morning Tea. This event honours local seniors who have paved the way for future generations of Australians to build their lives and achieve their dreams. Over 300 seniors attended the event to hear from speakers such as Westpac on staying safe against scams, the NSW Police on protecting oneself when out and about, and MSCAN on how to spot a melanoma early. During the event, Dr Charlton also launched the 2024 edition of the popular local Seniors Guide. This free resource includes useful information on government services and payments, health and Medicare, aged care, wills and legal affairs, digital skills, security and scam tips, and community services. 

Community engagement: One of Dr Charlton’s favourite aspects of representing Parramatta is the vibrant local community and the many events he is fortunate enough to attend. June was a busy month for the community, and Dr Charlton enjoyed being out and about, learning and hearing from local residents. 

Dr Charlton said among the highlights of the past month included a citizenship Ceremony. “One of the best parts of my job is welcoming local residents as they become Australian citizens. This month, I had the honour of welcoming over a hundred new Australians at the Parramatta Citizenship Ceremony.” Dr Charlton looks forward to hearing about the next stage of their lives as Australians and the wonderful contributions they will continue to make to the community.

Dr Charlton is also proud to represent one of the largest Tamil communities in Australia. Four out of the top six suburbs with the highest population of Tamil Australians are in the Federal electorate of Parramatta. Dr Charlton thanks the community for hosting him at their Seniors Morning Tea, saying it was “wonderful to meet everyone”.