The big “With heart and brain” tour by SPÖ chairman Andreas Babler started yesterday. Until the National Council election, he is traveling all over Austria in his motorhome. The heart of his tour are the ten major “Andi Babler comes to you” events, at which Babler presents his comprehensive plan for a better and fairer Austria and answers questions from citizens. The first event took place yesterday evening at the “Glorious Bastards” restaurant in Europark in the city of Salzburg. Around 300 people – SPÖ members, interested parties, activists, members of sports and cultural clubs, employees of social and educational institutions – accepted the invitation and met Andi Babler. Among the guests were Salzburg Mayor Bernhard Auinger, National Councilor Michaela Schmidt and National Council election candidates Thom Kinberger, Andreas Haitzer and Manuela Laimer. ****
“I would like to exchange ideas with as many people as possible in the next few weeks and offer them solutions to their problems and challenges. A better Austria is possible. This requires a strong SPÖ in government responsibility. Together we have the power to do things differently and therefore better,” said Andi Babler in his speech. “Choose your better Austria on September 29th,” appealed the SPÖ chairman. ****
In the run-up to the “Andi Babler comes to you” event, Babler invited social institutions, educational institutions, small and medium-sized businesses as well as cultural and sports clubs to ask him questions. Around 100 questions were received for the event in Salzburg. It was also about the question of mobilizing non-voters, which Andi Babler addressed directly: “The most effective means of combating political frustration is direct contact. I have been traveling all over Austria for over a year and have noticed that there is enthusiasm for social democratic politics because we have solutions with heart and brain. It takes all of us so that we can reach and win back non-voters.”
In his speech, the SPÖ leader also presented his plan for children. Under the motto “All children have every opportunity” he wants to combat child poverty through basic child welfare: “In this way we get the children out of poverty and give them the greatest thing of all: a future that they have in their own hands.” This also includes a good education – questions about the topic of education were also addressed to Babler in advance. “A modern, fair education system and a school without pressure is something that is close to my heart as a father,” said Babler. To ensure equality between women and men, he wants to introduce a law for wage transparency that provides for penalties for unequal pay and more speed in the expansion of child care. Babler’s plan for the older generation: “The SPÖ will legally protect pensions and ensure that people who have worked all their lives also receive a pension from which they can live well.” How the SPÖ is making the health system more social and social again a visitor asked. Babler wants to rebuild the public health system, which was run down by previous governments, double the number of medical study places and guarantee a doctor’s appointment within 14 days. Another visitor wanted to know from Babler about the SPÖ’s plans to combat the shortage of staff in nursing. “With a training offensive!” said the SPÖ leader. This includes abolishing training costs, introducing a training salary and making working conditions more attractive. “Reducing working hours with full wage compensation is simply part of it!” Babler rejected cuts that are threatened by the budget disaster of the current federal government: “With the SPÖ there will be no cuts in pensions, health and education!” The SPÖ wants fair taxes on millionaires , from which 98 percent of the population benefits, and puts an end to millions in gifts for large corporations.
On the “With Heart and Brain” tour: SPÖ leader Andi Babler will be touring all over Austria in his motorhome until the National Council elections. The diverse program includes visits to markets, summer festivals, church days and companies as well as distribution campaigns and press conferences on important topics such as strengthening the health system. The highlights are the big “Andi comes to you” events. The constantly updated tour calendar with the next “Andi comes to you” events and other dates of the “With Heart and Brain” tour as well as the best photos of the tour can be found at https://wwww.spoe.at/herz-und- brain tour
SERVICE: Photos from the start of the tour can be found on the tour page https://www.spoe.at/herz-und-hirn-tour/
and on the SPÖ’s Flickr page at https://tinyurl.com/nwdz6hz4.(Schluss) bj/up