The Vote Angus Out campaign isn't slowing down anytime soon as a fundraiser barbecue was organised at Victoria Park.
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Vote Angus Out media spokesperson Alex Murphy was vocal on May 30 where he addressed his issues with the policies of Goulburn MP Angus Taylor.
"We want people to know the reality is that Angus isn't representing the electorate the way we want," Mr Murphy said.
"He voted against support for dairy farmers in drought, against increasing the age pension and against cutting the price of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) medicine."
Mr Taylor rejected the claim farmers and farmers in drought.
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"I developed a program that delivered grants of up to $20,000 to 551 dairy farming businesses to help lower their energy costs," Mr Taylor said.
He also disagreed with the other claims, saying they were "simply wrong".
"Since the Coalition was elected in 2013, age pensions have so far increased by $135.90 a fortnight for singles and by $204.80 a fortnight for couples combined.
"In March this year, 2.6 million age pensioners received an indexation boost to their payments.
"That is an increase of $8.40 a fortnight for singles and $12.60 a fortnight for couples combined.
"The government also supported age pensioners through the COVID-19 pandemic, providing four Economic Support Payments.
"With regards to PBS medicine, 2677 new or amended items (including those where budget funding is already provided and price changes) have been listed on the PBS schedule since October 2013.
"This means the government is averaging around 30 new and amended listings per month at an overall cost of around $13.2 billion.
"The government has established a PBS New Medicines Funding Guarantee to meet the cost of future new and amended PBS listings.
"This will ensure that new medicines continue to be listed on the PBS.
"This commitment will guarantee new funding each year for the listing of new medicines on the PBS.
"Whilst the cost of new PBS listings fluctuates each year, approximately $2.8 billion in new funding is expected to be committed over the next four years to meet the cost of new and amended medicines listings.
"Many medicines would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars per year and be out of reach of many, but through the PBS, they will pay $41.30 or $6.60 per script."
Mr Murphy said he believed some decisions made by Mr Taylor were based on ideology and not reasons.
"For example, the decisions around energy policy including the $600 million gas power plant are based on ideology," Mr Murphy said.
"All the experts ranging from climatologists, scientists, economists and people in the private sector say it doesn't make sense, whether it be from a scientific point of view or an economic view.
"It will end up costing more money and will have a financial impact on the long run as well.
"A number of countries are indicating they will be potentially putting tariffs on products from countries that aren't meeting their targets in terms of greenhouse gases and whatnot.
"In the face of all that, Mr Taylor has decided to plough ahead anyway with this gas powerplant.
"That decision comes down to ideology for one and it comes down to the people in the companies who donate to the Liberal party."
Mr Taylor disagreed. "The decision to build the Kurri Kurri gas project is based on ensuring energy consumers in NSW have access to affordable and reliable power, not ideology," he said.
"When the Liddell coal-fired power station shuts in 2023, we need a balance of generation to ensure prices stay low and the lights stay on.
"Balance is the key to energy generation and infrastructure, not picking one particular type of fuel source over another.
"Electricity prices under the Morrison government are 11.2 per cent lower than a year ago.
"My priority is to deliver affordable, reliable and secure electricity.
"We need to protect our economy, jobs and investment, while also reducing emissions."
Mr Taylor was concerned about the EU's proposal for a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
"Carbon tariffs aren't a solution to rising global emissions.
"As we come out of the pandemic, the best way to grow economies and create jobs is not by putting up the shutters.
"Such a mechanism risks becoming a new form of protectionism and undermining international cooperation on climate change."
Although Mr Taylor's decisions were criticised, he stood by the fact he was doing the best for the region.
"I stand by track record of delivering for the people of Goulburn and Hume and delivering unprecedented investment, infrastructure and jobs in our wonderful local community.
"Practical local outcomes are what people in our region care about and that is my focus every day.
Mr Murphy noted that the Goulburn electorate was a safe Liberal seat in the last election with Angus Taylor receiving 65 per cent of the votes.
However, he said he hoped the result would be different at the next election.
"We can vote him out because the frustration is there," he said.
"We don't have a candidate to take him on yet, but we will run town hall meetings in the future to find one.
"We will give potential candidates an option to put themselves forward and the public can give feedback to them."
A similar event will happen at Bowral on Queens Birthday.
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Burney Wong
I love sport. You can reach me at burney.wong@austcommunitymedia.com.au or on 0437 291 518.
I love sport. You can reach me at burney.wong@austcommunitymedia.com.au or on 0437 291 518.
