My electorate office is open to you at 25-27 Paterson Street, Launceston on the ground floor.
The office provides a central and accessible place for my constituents to meet with me and my team about state government matters. Whether you need help dealing with a government agency, want to raise a local issue or have a question about state government programs and services, we’re here to help.
Located in the heart of Launceston, the ground floor office is easy to access including disability access.
If you need information, support or assistance with a state government matter, please drop in or give my team a call.
We look forward to welcoming you to our office at 25-27 Paterson Street, Launceston as we strive to serve our community.
Welcome to my Office
Michael Ferguson MP Electorate Office
25-27 Paterson Street
Launceston TAS 7250
That’s where I start when considering the Greens’ proposed law dealing with sex, gender and so-called “conversion practices”. I have serious concerns about the Greens’ proposed 88-page law to control what Tasmanians can and can’t say about sex, gender and transgender issues. The Greens are claiming how fair it is. I believe it is extreme and very risky for our community. (more…)
The roadmap for Northern Tasmania’s next decade has been released, focusing on unlocking investment, creating jobs, strengthening industries and ensuring the region remains a destination where people choose to live, work, visit and invest. (more…)
In Parliament, I called for fairer TasWater charges for Tasmanian households, sporting clubs and businesses. I raised concerns about cases where customers are facing unreasonable sewerage charges because of the number or size of their water connections.
I am working to ensure these concerns are heard and to find a practical pathway with TasWater, the Tasmanian Government and the Economic Regulator that delivers fairer outcomes for customers.
Mr FERGUSON (Bass) — Thank you, Deputy Speaker. I appreciate Dr Razay, bringing the MPI to the House today. I have been working, as the Liberal member for Bass, on the very same issue, including raising certain correspondence I have been receiving. I think some of that is in common with you, Dr Razay, and no doubt other members.
I have been very concerned about this issue and, as the Treasurer kindly told the House, I met with him only yesterday about the same matter that has been raised in the MPI today. It is a matter of public importance.
I am disappointed with some of the remarks from the Labor Party spokesperson on this matter. The Labor member, the Labor Shadow Treasurer, may well be proud of this as a Labor reform, but the reform is not working on the ground for Tasmanians.
It was the case that, in the face of a need for upgrading infrastructure right around the state, the 2013, I think, Labor Government lawmaking around the creation of TasWater has actually locked in some of the problematic corporate structure and the reliance on dividends that councils will continue to draw out of the business, which is part of the challenge now.
I want to remind the House that it was in, I think, 2017, that the Liberal Government wanted to take over TasWater so that this House and this Parliament could fully deal with and take responsibility for these challenges. The Labor Party fought tooth and nail against our proposed takeover of TasWater, which would have seen TasWater become a state-owned entity. It would have seen TasWater at GBE scrutiny hearings. It would have seen TasWater mainstreamed as a state-owned business, and it would have seen the House, the Parliament and whoever is in power actually in a position to take responsibility for the challenges that are being faced.
Labor fought against it tooth and nail—and won, and won, and won.
I also want to make the point that, while the Tasmanian Government is a 10 per cent equity owner of the business, it takes 0 per cent of the dividends because we did not want a situation under the then Hodgman Government where, while we were prepared to make investments after having been effectively defeated on the TasWater takeover, we wanted to make investments into the infrastructure pipeline for the business but we did not see, as Mr Winter was then mayor, ourselves then expecting a return on that investment in the way of dividends.
Why? Because it only would have led to higher water and sewerage bills. That is the hypocrisy of the Labor Party that I want to call out here and now today.
I also want to make a different point, and that is that Mr Winter has unfortunately conflated the corporate plan with the independent economic regulator’s determinations. That has been an unfortunate conflation because it is only the economic regulator that, under these laws created by Labor, can make a pricing determination.
I know the economic regulator, and respect that office and respect the person as well, but I am concerned that we are now in a situation where we have a determination which is in force and effect under PSP No. 5. I do not believe that it is operating as it was potentially intended because we now have a perverse situation where, for example, fixed service charges are linked to the size of a customer’s water connection, and that is deemed as the amount of connection fees that need to be charged on sewerage.
I see that as a huge problem that must be overcome. Without breaching into a meeting yesterday, that is the point I have made to others as well. If there can be a way for the Government to use its offices—that is, its relationship and its ongoing partnership with TasWater—I want to see the Government doing that with TasWater and with the regulator, to see whether there is a path for the economic regulator to reconsider some of these matters, potentially on the basis of the information that is now coming forward with the charging experience that customers are having.
I have been supporting a number of sporting clubs, a number of individual businesses, and also some individual householders who have not, I do not think, been mentioned yet. I could be wrong, but some householders have more than one water connection while they still have only one flushing toilet in the house. By legacy alone, they have more than one water connection and are now being charged for two sewerage connections, which is totally perverse.
I can only imagine that the economic regulator would not have imagined that scenario.
I appreciate the member for bringing the issue forward, and I ask the Treasurer and the House to help us find a pathway with the business and the regulator.
I spoke in the Tasmanian Parliament to support the condolence motion following the devastating tragedy in Nepal.
Nepal holds a special place in my heart. Some years ago, I had the privilege of visiting Kathmandu and other parts of the region, working alongside local churches and seeing firsthand their work supporting people experiencing hardship.
What I remember most is the kindness, gentleness and humility of the Nepalese people I met.
Today, around 3,000 people originally from Nepal call Northern Tasmania home. They are our neighbours, colleagues and friends, contributing enormously to our hospitals, aged care, businesses, professions and community.
The tragedy also touches our Parliament House family directly, with Nepalese members of staff deeply affected by what has happened and by friends and loved ones who remain missing.
To Tasmania’s Nepalese community, particularly my friends and neighbours in Northern Tasmania: we are grieving with you.
The people of Nepal, both near and far, are in my prayers and those of my family.
My speech in full:
Mr FERGUSON (Bass) – Thank you, Speaker, and first of all thank you to the Premier for presenting the House with this important motion today, and I also want to thank every other member of the House so far who’s spoken in support. I want to support it too, wholeheartedly, but also with a heavy heart.
So many members who have spoken have spoken about the connection that they as an MP have with the Nepali community and I want to briefly do the same.
A number of years ago, I had the great privilege of visiting Nepal as part of a leaders program, including spending some precious and memorable time in and around Kathmandu. While there, I was part of a team supporting local churches in Nepal and northern India, and I saw firs hand some of their practical work helping people who are experiencing real human hardship, including a sewing centre helping widows earn an income and an orphanage caring for the most precious of the Nepali.
What I saw was Nepali helping their fellow Nepali. I saw a lot of both the wealth and poverty of Nepal and I have many wonderful memories of the people. It affected me in a positive way.
I can remember balmy evenings walking around the Thamel quarter of Kathmandu, bartering with my rupees for a colourful handmade shirt. I still have it. I visited temples and some beautiful gardens. I went to the famous Rum Doodle restaurant at the mythical, fictional 40,000-and-a-half feet altitude with the signatures of all the mountaineers who had summited Everest-Sagarmatha, and we had the privilege to sign a foot.
I also made a trip to Everest – Sagarmatha – or I should say I made a trip to view the summit, in case anyone was wondering.
I also had with me, only because it’s here all the time, this little travel Bible. I remember sitting in the gardens of the Yak & Yeti Hotel in Kathmandu reading this Bible, in the book of James, recommended reading in the peace of that place, and I remember very vividly receiving some wonderful inspiration in that moment. So, it’s very precious to me. I carry it around this building and I was sworn in on this Bible, with memories of Nepal, only last year when we came back to this House after the election.
But as nobody listening will be surprised to hear, none of those special memories are eclipsed by the memories of the people I met with over the course of those travels. The Nepali people I encountered were full of kindness, a profound gentleness, humility and a very quiet and peaceful nature. That’s what I experienced everywhere. I know it’s a big generalisation to make about an entire culture, but I can say from my experience that it is an accurate generalisation of the Nepali people and their culture.
Today, those memories make this terrible tragedy feel especially deep and personal for many. Our state is blessed with a large number of people who call Tasmania home who were born in Nepal. They’ve brought with them that same kindness, goodness, humility and generosity, that quiet and humble spirit of peacefulness to our culture and made us all the stronger for it.
Northern Tasmania, my area, is home to around 3000 Nepali people. They’re our neighbours and friends. They care for Tasmanians in our hospitals and aged care facilities, they are our bus drivers, IT professionals, entrepreneurs and, of course, they’re students. They are contributing, in particular, in areas of skills in demand or skills shortages, job vacancies that would remain vacant were it not for their willingness to be part of our community.
And, as the member for Clark highlighted, they also bring with them their extraordinary love of what surely must be Nepal’s national sport, cricket. You might have thought it was an English sport but it’s very much a Nepali sport. Without boasting, I can say I sent a few overs down the wicket during one of the tournaments of the Nepali Cricket League at Riverside. I took no wickets.
The Nepali community of northern Tasmania deserves a special mention here today. Only recently they provided hospitality and cultural enrichment to northern Tasmania at the Civic Square with the celebration of the Nepali New Year festival. It was a wonderful event. There were many people there, Nepali, Australian, and people from other backgrounds.
When I recall how many people were at that special event in April, I think of how much pain is being felt in Launceston, in northern Tasmania, as we speak. That’s just a small slice of the global pain that’s being felt by people who love and care for family members back home, people who are desperately hoping that the person they love and care for is still alive, can still be found and still be saved, like that precious child we saw rescued by those brave rescuers at the weekend after, I think, two days under the rubble. Thank God for that. I’m thinking of those people.
This tragedy also comes very close to home for us here in this Parliament. Three people who work here are from Nepal, our Parliament House staff members Anil and Prajita, and one of our contract security guards, Bir. Those three go about their work quietly and efficiently, one keeping us safe and two keeping this place looking amazing.
What the three of them are contributing, like the rest of their team mates, allows us to go about our business as members of this House and this parliament to provide good government and democracy for the people of Tasmania.
I’m pleased to report that, as best we know, their families back home are safe and well. But they know people who are missing and are deeply affected by this tragedy. They know of friends and other loved ones who remain missing. I particularly want them to know today that their parliamentary family is thinking of them as well.
I have a specific purpose in mentioning this because I want everyone listening to know just how connected every part of the Tasmanian way of life is, whether it’s city, suburb or region, to this terrible global tragedy. The pain being felt in Nepal is being felt around our community. It’s much deeper than the six o’clock news. We are connected and we want to stand with you, our fellow community members.
I say to Tasmania’s Nepali community, particularly to my friends and neighbours in northern Tasmania in and around Bass, we are grieving with you and we’re hoping for you.
Nepal gave me some conversations, memories and personal growth, and I’m always going to be grateful for that.
At this really terrible time, may the people of Nepal, near and far, know that they’re being remembered here in Tasmania, that they’re appreciated, that we are digging deep and donating to the relief effort, that they are in my prayers and those of my family around our dinner table.
I support the motion and hope for the very best for the Nepali nation.
Mr FERGUSON (Bass) – Last Remembrance Day, I was at the Hobart Cenotaph. When
I see a person seated on their own, I often take the opportunity to go and sit beside them. That’s
what I did on this occasion, and I got to know Craig Valentine, a very nice man who lives here
in the south of Tasmania. I’d like to share with the House what emerged following our happy
meeting. We got chatting before the service began. During the service, the rain started beating
down on everybody who was in attendance – I might be bringing back some memories for
some. I was very grateful that I’d chosen the opportunity to sit with Craig, because he then
shared his umbrella with me. I hadn’t brought one.
As we were chatting, I also remarked upon the very beautiful red poppy that he was
wearing. It was very different to the usual ones that we see. They’re all beautiful. This one was
especially beautiful. I asked him about it. Craig told me that his son Damon had made it by
hand. In fact, that Damon makes many of them. He also told me that his son Damon is a
returned serviceman who’d served our country in East Timor. I said to him I’d love to buy one,
if that was possible. One thing led to another, which led to Craig and his wife Sandra very
kindly arranging to visit me and gifting me one, and one for each member of my family. I’m
very grateful for that. This is the pin that I’m wearing in the Chamber today.
Damon got in touch recently and told me that he had created something very special to
mark the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan, and Damon had made the decision to
donate it to his home state of Tasmania. I hope that all members have noticed it. I think we
have. That work is now on display in the foyer here in Parliament House. It’s available for all
of us members to enjoy, our staff and, of course, visitors to our Parliament. I know members
will agree it’s a very beautiful piece of work. It’s a gorgeous piece of Tasmanian sassafras
covered with Damon’s handmade poppies. I counted the poppies: I counted 131. Each poppy
takes Damon about five hours to make, and it took him over seven weeks to make this for us.
Of that number, the Long Tan Cross, which is the central feature across the map of Tasmania
that the red poppies make up, is made up of 18 white poppies – 18 Tasmanians died as a result
of the Vietnam War. What a gift. How grateful we must be for that generosity.
When Damon makes these poppies, remembrance and service is very close to home.
Damon knows what it means to serve, and there’s something very fitting about the timing of
his gift. I didn’t arrange it this way, but earlier this week, the parliament passed my private
members’ bill to strengthen Tasmania’s laws protecting our war memorials. Furthermore, on
that day, on Vietnam War Veterans Day itself, the plaque arrived just in time to be on display
60 years on from the Battle of Long Tan and we unveiled Damon’s plaque here in parliament
and speaking to you and your counterpart in the other place, the President, thank you for making
that possible and for ensuring that that gift will be protected here and looked after for many
generations to come in its long-term home, which I leave to your good officers to decide.
I was pleased that Craig and Sandra were able to join us and members from this House
and the other place also came along to meet them and hear the story behind the work, and to
admire the work, and the legislation that protects war memorials and Damon’s plaque itself are
both very different things, but they’ve come into fruition at the same time. Both have played a
huge role in ensuring that service and sacrifice are respected and remembered. I remind the
House again that at the Battle of Long Tan itself, the bloodiest of the conflicts in that overall
war, 18 Australians were killed and 24 were wounded, and we’ve remembered them this week.
I think that that the remembrance that we have been all part of has played a very special role in
the life of our parliament. I know it means a lot to Tasmanians, contemporary veterans, thank
you to Damon for your generous gift. We’re so grateful to you. All members, I know, share in
that gratitude to you, and I say to Damon as well, to his parents, Craig and Sandra, and to all
veterans, thank you for your generosity and your service.
