This column comes to you from Canberra, where both houses of Parliament have resumed for the first session of spring.

We start the season with a shiny new Prime Minister, a heavily made-over Cabinet and many of the same issues still simmering away unresolved by a Coalition Government.

In recent times, the people of Australia could be forgiven for thinking that the business of running the country had been forgotten.

For thinking that those entrusted to govern believed their personalities and egos were more important than their policies.

For thinking that the core business of this Parliament – serving the people of Australia –had been eclipsed by the sideshow we’ve all borne witness to.

I assure you that my every hour in Canberra remains geared towards making our beautiful patch of the Lower Hunter an even better place to live, work and play.  

I am here to continue to shame the Government into taking meaningful action in support of my constituents in Salt Ash, Williamtown and Fullerton Cove, whose lives have been decimated by PFAS contamination.

I am here to call out this Government’s new botched childcare plan, which disadvantages so many children and parents in our community, and completely abandons any pretence that we should be engaged in early childhood education and interventions.

I am here because I want to support the workers, the businesses, the entrepreneurs and the industries here in the Lower Hunter and Port Stephens as they embrace innovation and agility.

I am here to continue to lobby for better nbn services.

I am here to fight for pathways from education to career for our young people entering the workforce. To call for more apprenticeships and VET funding and incentives towards lifelong learning.

I am working to address the ridiculous aged care waiting lists. Right now there are more than 100,000 Australians in limbo, waiting. This is an issue that cuts to the core of almost every family at some time. Our older Australians deserve better.

I want my big-hearted constituents, who have worked so tirelessly in support of our drought-stricken farmers, to know that my heart aches for those affected.

I want workers to know that the cuts to their penalty rates were absolutely despicable, and I will strive with my colleagues to do all possible to overturn this.

I want people who face financial challenges to know that I hear how debilitating their energy bills are, and that I know something must be done.

I will continue to call on the Government to build, and reveal, energy policy that attracts investment in renewables, and I will fight for projects to be built here in our home patch. I want investment to flow to our region, not just the big smoke.

And I want the hardworking people who pay their taxes to know that I oppose the idea of giving billions of dollars in cuts to big banks and big businesses.

The sideshow we’ve all witnessed in recent times has not distracted me from my purpose, and my colleagues and I stand ready with policies to support the people of Australia.

Bring on the election!

As your representative, it’s important that you know how you can reach out to me if you encounter difficulties navigating a Federal issue.

You can always email me at Meryl.Swanson.MP@aph.gov.au or call my office on 4983 2401.

I have an active community on Facebook that you’re welcome to join, at facebook.com/MerylSwanson/, and you can keep up to date with all my speeches and media releases at my website, which is at http://merylswanson.com.au/.