Dear supporter,

In my final email to you before election day, I want to thank each and every one of you for your support and sustained effort throughout the electorate. Your tireless effort has been the backbone of this campaign.

With only a couple of days to go, it is more important than ever to keep up the hard work — doorknocking, letterboxing and speaking to friends and family about the importance of new leadership for Australia’s future.

Federal Labor has outlined a clear plan for our future. Rather than irresponsible spending aimed at pork-barrelling the electorate, we will invest in our schools, hospitals, training, infrastructure, and broadband network, bringing them into the 21st Century. We will restore fairness and balance to the workplace, encourage innovation, act decisively on climate change, address housing affordability and ensure the economy delivers for working families.

It is a bold plan that will ensure our prosperity lasts beyond the mining boom, and that our children are provided with more opportunities than ever before.

But none of this can happen without your help. On election day we need to have hundreds of volunteers at polling booths across Macquarie. Thank you to everyone who has already volunteered. We still need more people, so please take this opportunity to ask your family, friends and workmates if they are willing to spend just a couple hours of their time to help elect a Rudd Labor Government on Saturday.

Sincerely,
Bob Debus

P.S. If you are helping out on election day, please wear your Bob Debus campaign t-or Kevin07 t-shirt if you have one.

EARLY VOTING
Make sure your family, friends and workmates have their say on election day, even if they will be away from home. Early voting is now open in Lithgow, Bathurst, Katoomba and Springwood from 9am to 5pm until Thursday 22 November, from 9am to 6pm on Friday 23rd and from 8am to 6pm on election day.

Lithgow – Lithgow Commercial Premises, 18-20 Main St
Bathurst – George St Plaza, 8/62 George St
Katoomba – Katoomba/Leura Senior Citizens, Town Centre Arcade, Katoomba St
Springwood – Town Hall Plaza, 5C, 127 Macquarie St

KEVIN07 WINE
Buy a bottle for election night and help elect Kevin Rudd

If you weren’t one of the many people who attended the wine tasting in Katoomba on Saturday, you still have one last chance to get some Kevin07 wine before election day.

The Kevin07 wines are an excellent drop. Produced by award-winning Mudgee wine maker Andrew Harris, you can purchase the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon or the 2007 Semillon Sauvignon Blanc, with all proceeds going towards our local campaign.

Available by the dozen, mixed dozen, twin pack, or as a special twin-pack hand-signed by high-profile past and present Labor leaders including Bob Hawke.

To order for more information go to www.bobdebus.com, email kevin07wine@gmail.com or phone 4782 5977.

ELECTION NIGHT PARTIES

Everyone who has helped out with my campaign is invited to the Macquarie election night parties.

Bathurst – The Commercial Hotel, 135 George St, Bathurst (next door to the campaign office). Bob will be there from 6pm to 8pm.
Lithgow – Campaign Office, 50 Main St, Lithgow. Bob will be there from 9pm to 9.30pm.
Katoomba – Joining the Your Rights at Work team at The Blackburn’s Family Hotel, 15 Parke St, Katoomba. Bob will be there at 10.15pm.
Winmalee – Joining with the Your Rights at Work team at the Winmalee Tavern, Whitecross Rd, Winmalee.

CAMPAIGN UPDATES
Two new child care centres for the Blue Mountains

A Rudd Labor Government will build two new child care centres in Hazelbrook and Faulconbridge to help address the chronic shortage of child care places facing families in the Blue Mountains.

A recent survey of child care centres in the Blue Mountains found that more than 300 families were on waiting lists for a child care place, with 200 families waiting for a place for a child aged under two.

Parents are finding it tough to find a child care place, making it difficult for them to return to work or extend their working hours if they choose to. Despite the urgent need, the Howard Government has continually ignored the plight of local families.

The new child care centres are part of Federal Labor’s commitment to invest $200 million to build up to 260 child care centres around Australia in areas of real need to ensure families have access to affordable and high quality care.

Labor will also provide universal preschool for all four-year olds, an annual investment of $450 million when fully implemented.

Macquarie families struggle as women's wages drop

Macquarie families are struggling under increasing financial pressure, with new research from the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealing that women's wages are going backwards under the Howard Government's WorkChoices laws.

NSW women now earn a mere 67.1 per cent of men's wages, a staggering $359.70 per week less, with women’s wages falling 2.8 percentage points since just before the introduction of Mr Howard's unfair WorkChoices laws.

The 'full time total earnings' gap has also blown out, with women in full time work now earning $1038.90 a week compared to $1277.20 for men.

The negative impact of WorkChoices on the wages of working women is yet another blow to families in Macquarie, many of whom rely on two incomes to make ends meet due to 10 consecutive interest rate rises and growing fuel and grocery bills.

While the Howard Government has undervalued the contribution of working women and created unfair work laws undermining the economic gains of female workers over the last few decades, a Rudd Labor Government is committed to creating fair and balanced work laws that will improve gender pay equity.

CONTACT THE CAMPAIGN:
General Campaign Contact
Ph: 1300 785 185
Fax: 1300 785 186
E: bob.debus@alp.org.au

Bathurst Office
Ph: (02) 6331 6488
Fax: (02) 6332 3388
Mail: PO Box 262
BATHURST, NSW 2795
Office:137 George St, Bathurst

Springwood Office
Ph: (02) 4751 4239
Fax: (02) 4751 4501
Mail: PO Box 636
KATOOMBA, NSW 2780
Office: 13/125 Macquarie Rd, Springwood

Lithgow Office
Ph: 0448 472 600
Office: 50 Main St, Lithgow



Bob Debus | Labor Candidate for Macquarie
Springwood Campaign Office
Ph: 02 4751 4239 | Fax: 02 4751 4501
bob.debus.springwood@bigpond.com