Peter Slipper (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Not unexpectedly, I would like to congratulate the Treasurer, and the government more generally, on an excellent budget for 2007-08. Mr Deputy Speaker, this is a sound and financially responsible budget which will benefit substantially residents of the Sunshine Coast, the area that you and I are privileged to represent in this place. It has been interesting, somewhat amusing and somewhat saddening to hear members of the opposition describe this budget as an election budget. It ought to be recognised that often a budget just before an election is referred to as an election budget even though we have an election every three years and a government which is bringing in responsible policies would be expected year by year to bring in a budget. It is wrong to suggest that, because the cycle of the budget is not too far short of an election, the government has thrown financial responsibility out the window and is bringing in a budget purely to help itself fall over the line on election day.

One of the things this government has done since 1996 is to bring about new levels of accountability in the area of financial management. I think most people would recognise, regardless of their political colour, that this government has been responsible for sound economic management. We have repaid Labor’s debt and we make sure that we have a budget which is in surplus. The federal government now has no debt at all. When we were elected, the ALP in government was actually paying more interest than it was spending on things like roads, hospitals, schools and other productive outcomes.

Mr Deputy Speaker Somlyay, I am sure that in your private capacity as a member you would agree with me—although as Deputy Speaker you of course have to be neutral—that this nation has been blessed with significant gains during the more than 10 years that this government has been in office. We have the lowest unemployment level in some 30 years, low inflation and a low mortgage interest rate. Honourable members would be aware that the government has achieved a strong and stable economy and a relatively high standard of living for Australians. Frankly, it would be highly irresponsible of this government to consider throwing away all of those achievements for the sake of one election, and this government is certainly not prepared to do that. The government is working and will continue to work for the good of all Australia and we really want to build on our achievements of the last 10 years. We simply are not prepared to throw everything out of the window with an irresponsible budget which some people might deem to be an election budget. There is more at stake here than an election. There is ongoing prosperity and ongoing economic stability. This budget, complete with its substantial surplus, is also a product of the fact that over the last 10 years we have run this country very responsibly. It is a budget for all Australians and for the future.

I am particularly proud to be a member supporting the government and I fear the outcome should Labor take government. My office recently received a phone call from a constituent who drew to our attention the recession we had to have—an expression made by former Prime Minister Keating. She and her husband were trying to bring up three young children and pay off a mortgage. The recession we had to have cost her and her husband their house. Her husband lost his job. He then got sick with asbestosis. They were soon without a home and were renting. She still lives in government housing, a constant reminder of the recession we had to have. In her phone call to my office she described her experiences under the Labor Party as horrific. What struck my staff member the most was her simple summary that during that time under Labor life was tough. She added that, if Labor were voted in, ‘there’s going to be a backflip’ in the fortunes of Australia. Particularly, she says, she worries ‘for the young people buying a house and that they are not going to be able to survive the interest rates’. With that in mind, I again congratulate the Treasurer on delivering another sensible budget, a responsible spending blueprint that will guide Australia further along our sound economic road and help prevent any return to those unacceptable days of the recession we had to have.

Being the budget debate, one is able to talk about a range of issues, both local and relating to the budget. It is one of those few opportunities when as members of parliament we can really talk about anything; we can talk about the colour of the sky if we wish. I want to focus on particular elements of the budget that are of benefit to the Sunshine Coast. I congratulate the Minister for Education, Science and Training on significant funding announcements in recent times, particularly relating to the University of the Sunshine Coast.

Mr Deputy Speaker Somlyay, I am sure that you would be happy to agree with me that the University of the Sunshine Coast remains the most successful Queensland university in terms of proportional growth. One of the reasons that this university—which you and I have fostered, Mr Deputy Speaker, since its very first days—has been so successful is that we have had successive Liberal Party education ministers federally. We have had Dr Kemp, who allowed the university to become independent many years before the Queensland government planned for that to happen, Dr Nelson, the now defence minister, and the current minister, all of whom have helped to ensure that the University of the Sunshine Coast achieved a significant number of new places for students so that not only was the university able to grow its student population but it was also able to offer a range of other disciplines. Many more people, both from the Sunshine Coast and more widely, are prepared to attend the University of the Sunshine Coast now that it offers more courses, which of course are of more interest to more students.

Over the last little while, we have had the pleasure of announcing a number of funding initiatives for the University of the Sunshine Coast. Only last week I was able to pass on the news to the vice-chancellor, Professor Paul Thomas, that $3.5 million from the government’s higher education Capital Development Pool Program would be given to the university to assist with facilities in the health area, with $1.3 million to be delivered in 2008 and $2.2 million in 2009. This project, while significant in itself, is particularly noteworthy because the University of the Sunshine Coast was able to achieve funding of $3½ million out of about $80 million nationally. So a very high proportion of a not large national pool was achieved by the local University of the Sunshine Coast, which is going from strength to strength. This project will provide specialist teaching laboratories and facilities, which will assist with additional places for health and teaching courses, including the introduction of new courses in physiotherapy and paramedical sciences.

This funding demonstrates the commitment of the Australian coalition government to the university in the expansion of its health facilities. It also highlights recognition by the government of the educational needs of the growing Sunshine Coast community. The Sunshine Coast community is one of the fastest growing areas in Australia and it really is important that we continue to attract the infrastructure to meet the needs of our growing population. If anyone asks me what is the prime challenge confronting the Sunshine Coast, I say that it is to make sure that our infrastructure meets the needs of our rapidly growing population.

The University of the Sunshine Coast is an important facility, which is growing quickly in response to the educational needs not only of this region but of the whole south-east corner of Queensland. The University of the Sunshine Coast in the past has been in your electorate, Mr Deputy Speaker Somlyay. It then came to my electorate and, regrettably, with the redistribution recently announced, it is returning to your electorate. However, having said that, whether it is in your seat or mine, the important thing to recognise is that the University of the Sunshine Coast looks after the educational needs of tertiary students in our entire area. So it really does not matter where it is located; the important thing is that it continue to get the government support it so richly deserves and—I might place on record yet again—the government support that this Liberal government has made sure it has achieved ever since the university first came into existence.

Most people appreciate that each week some 1,500 new residents come to Queensland from the southern states, and that growth rate presents obvious challenges and opportunities. The higher education Capital Development Pool Program of the government aims to assist new campus developments in suburban growth areas and regional centres. The funding follows the allocation in January last year of some $2 million for the science faculty. In July last year some 235 extra student places were announced at USC to come on line this year, increasing to 643 new places by 2010. The combined new places are valued at $6.7 million annually.

The University of the Sunshine Coast is a fine university. It is a new university, admittedly, but it is one that has achieved a lot in its 10 years of existence. It has experienced ongoing infrastructure expansion, a significant growth in student numbers and high satisfaction rates on the part of graduating students. I was also able to announce significant funds from the voluntary student unionism transition program, and $5 million to support the construction of a multipurpose indoor stadium at the Sippy Downs campus was made available by this government. Again, this was an enormous proportion of the $58 million nationwide which was made available by the government. So $5 million out of $58 million for Australia’s smallest university is a very important and significant achievement.

Only last Friday I attended the largest graduation ceremony ever held at the university. It was held in the university’s innovation centre and was the last graduation ceremony to be held there, as work nears completion on the sports stadium for the university, which I mentioned earlier, which will have the capacity to seat some 3,000 people. The graduation ceremony—I mention as an aside—also saw an honorary senior fellowship bestowed on Terri Irwin, Steve Irwin’s widow, for her wonderful contribution to the Sunshine Coast region and also to wildlife conservation.

The good work of the University of the Sunshine Coast and other universities around Australia will continue even more strongly as a result of the educational initiatives outlined in the budget. I have spoken to quite a few people involved in the higher education sector and they are as encouraged and as excited as I am by the announcement that some $5 billion is being allocated to a higher education endowment fund which will grow over coming years and provide funding to the expansion of facilities in our many tertiary campuses around Australia. Like other honourable members, I have been concerned that, when you look at the top 100 universities in the world, very few Australian universities, if any, appear. If we are going to be the educational marketplace for South-East Asia, I believe that we must make sure that our universities are up there—and this is the first government that has been prepared to make the necessary financial investment to guarantee that our universities are able to take their place as world-class institutions. The Treasurer on budget night stated that the coalition is committed to making further investments to this fund in future years.

These announcements for the tertiary sector follow on from the significant support given to primary and secondary schools in Fisher in recent years. Recently I was able to announce $9.5 million for the Meridan state school, which is an important school in one of the fastest growing suburbs of the Sunshine Coast. The new construction works will ensure that the facility continues to grow and improve to give the students the best possible environment in which to learn. This $9.5 million will go towards the construction of year 8 facilities, which include a client and student services centre and canteen; a middle school staff centre; a middle school covered area and student amenities; a middle/senior school sports oval; vehicular set-down and car parking areas; middle school learning facilities, including a years 7 to 9 learning block; junior and middle school performing arts, drama and dance facilities; a music and dance drama auditorium; and a productivity and creative technology centre.

This is an incredibly large amount of money provided by the coalition government towards a very important school in a rapidly growing area. Also, Chancellor State College in 2003 received approximately $7 million for construction of its middle school. In the middle of last year, 2006, the college received a further $5 million from the capital grants program: $4.779 million towards stage 3C of the performing arts complex plus $240,000 towards the stage 3A fit-out of the manual arts block.

I have to say that this is an amazing funding achievement for schools in the central Sunshine Coast area. The Chancellor State College is a wonderful facility in one of our newer growth areas and the school is making a significant contribution to the region. One of the problems that the school has is that so many people want to attend it. The school is going to face an ongoing challenge because it has limited facilities and needs to make sure that as many people from the area as possible are able to attend.

Late last year, close to $4 million was allocated to another new college, Unity College at Caloundra, under the capital grants program for schools. This project totals $6½ million. The state government will contribute something and the school will contribute something, but the $4 million from the Australian government was much needed and much appreciated.

It is absolutely vital, as we approach the election later this year, to stress to the Australian people the dangers of electing a Labor government. Although the Labor Party are clearly quite desperate to attain office and as a result are prepared to do anything and say anything to gain the treasury bench, one ought to recognise that while this government have been sound economic managers we have also achieved many other positive benefits for the Australian community. Through our sound economic management we have been able to achieve a situation where Australia’s young people will have a future. The government have paid their way. We have not mortgaged tomorrow to pay for today’s apparent prosperity, and we appreciate that you have to run a country in the same way as you would run your household budget.

The government have brought in a whole series of benefits in the budget which will, in effect, be a dividend from sound economic management. If we had had the policy approach of past Labor governments, there is no way that we could have brought in a budget which had a surplus and which also delivered a responsible social dividend as a result of the policies that this government have brought in. We gave personal income tax relief, and I have received very positive feedback from people in my electorate who are pleased that they will have more money in their pockets and in their pay packets. It means that they, and not the government, will determine how they are able to spend the proceeds of their hard work.

The government have also supported retirement savings through benefits to retirees. I have mentioned before our educational initiatives. We have improved childcare assistance. We have also made investments in transport and water infrastructure. We have sought to build on what we have achieved in the years since 1996, when we were entrusted with the keys to office.

A Labor government is a Labor government is a Labor government. No matter how you dress it up, no matter how credible the Leader of the Opposition is and no matter how rational some of the statements made by key Labor figures appear to be, one ought to appreciate that a Labor government is a Labor government. When you look at what this government have achieved you should realise that what we have achieved in the area of the economy would be undermined by the election of a Labor government later this year. It is important to recognise that we have a declining birth rate and an ageing population. This government have put in place measures which will make sure that in the future the nation will be able to meet our obligations towards retirees. We have been able to make provision for the future superannuation needs of those people who are employed in Commonwealth government service.

I am not suggesting that the government have always done the right thing. I am not suggesting that the government could not improve what we do. I am not suggesting for a moment that we have all the answers. However, I think it is important to recognise that as a government we have achieved a lot since 1996. I believe that the government is worthy of being returned at the polls later this year. We have to continue—and we are—to listen to the Australian people. We have to continue to deliver substantial outcomes.

It is also important to point out the damage that the election of a Labor government later this year would do to the future of our children and grandchildren. I would like to support the budget. I congratulate the Treasurer and the Prime Minister on a responsible economic document, which is a further blueprint for the positive future of our nation.

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