Welcome to the latest edition of Clark Matters, Andrew’s monthly email newsletter to help keep you abreast of federal politics and what he’s been up to.
Israel-Iran-US conflict
Andrew did not condone the United States’ bombing of Iran. The claim that Iran could have made deployable nuclear weapons within weeks was fiction. You simply can’t take enriched uranium and weaponise it in anything like that timeframe, especially if it’s to be a warhead small enough, and rugged enough, to be fitted to a missile.
The attack was clearly in breach of international law and the Australian Government’s support for it is astounding. Frankly Australia needs to be consistent in the application of international law; it can’t be international law for my enemies, but might is right for my friends. Moreover, history and common-sense show that airpower alone cannot reliably destroy elaborate underground facilities, the exact location of which are very likely in part unknown.
Yes, the Iranian regime is odious, and Andrew would like to see the end of it. And yes, the international community cannot afford that regime having nuclear weapons. But this is not the way, so hopefully the ceasefire holds and all parties return to the negotiating table.
Aged Care Packages
Andrew recently held a media conference with Margaret Poulter and discussed the continuing and cruel shortage of Home Care Packages. Mrs Poulter’s late husband was assessed as needing a Level 4 Package in May 2024 and told that he’d have to wait as much as 15 months for it. But Mr Poulter was admitted to palliative care on 4 May this year and, sadly, passed away on 9 May while still waiting for his package. Mrs Poulter understands that the package was still months away.
Mrs Poulter’s case is not a one-off, with Andrew’s office regularly hearing about the difficulties facing the many people left to wallow on outrageous Home Care Packages waiting lists. Indeed there are currently some 80,000 people stuck on the waiting list, and all because federal governments are unprepared to give the matter a higher priority and to fund more packages.
Along with other members of the crossbench, Andrew has recently written to the Hon Mark Butler, Minister for Health and Ageing, and the Hon Sam Rae, Minister for Aged Care and Seniors, urging them to expedite solutions to this pressing issue. But that reform must be fair, in particular for people on lower retirement incomes who simply can’t afford to pay any more for their care.
Tasmanian election
Tasmania is heading back to the polls on 19 July after the Opposition and some cross-benchers successfully moved a motion of no confidence in the Premier. The motion went to the dire state of Tasmania’s financial position, as well as the Government’s intention to privatise some assets and inability to competently deliver the new Bass Strait ferry project.
There are so many layers to this shambles that it’s hard to know where to start. For instance, the State is broke but pushing ahead with a third AFL stadium costing well over $1 billion. The new ferries will be years late, and hundreds of millions of dollars over budget, because someone forgot to build their new berths. The emergency supply bill to cover government expenditure during the election period had an adding-up error. And the Premier didn’t immediately resign as convention dictated but instead called an unnecessary, disruptive and costly election.
Andrew is just as appalled by all this as are most of the community. But he’s got his fingers crossed in the hope that state politicians will learn something from this fiasco, and go back to work after the election chastened and committed to make the next parliament actually work in the best interest of the community.
Yours sincerely
