Mark Vaile (Lyne, National Party, Deputy Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Hinkler for his question—and for the assistance given by members opposite! I recognise the great job the member for Hinkler does in his area, particularly with the regional shire councils that he supports. What is the government doing to support local communities? We are strengthening the Australian economy and therefore strengthening local economies and local communities in a number of different ways. Obviously, the overall economic reform program that we have implemented across Australia has benefited not only major urban and metropolitan areas but also regional communities across Australia.

Unemployment is at a 32-year low, not just in the cities but in many of the regions across Australia, which have benefited from historic low levels of unemployment. Historic low levels of industrial disputation across Australia benefit many businesses in regional Australia. Running budget surpluses and keeping downward pressure on interest rates assists people living in regional and rural communities.

Yesterday, I mentioned a number of specific programs that we run—Roads to Recovery, National Road Safety Black Spot Program—which help local government authorities in regional communities. Importantly, since 2003 we have been running the Regional Partnerships program, which has significantly strengthened the social and economic fabric of our communities in regional Australia. Since that time, 2003, the government has assisted local governments and local communities—like those in the member for Hinkler’s area—to fund more than 1,266 projects. More important is the value of those projects and the contribution that has come out of those local communities. Our contribution to those 1,266 projects has been $278 million, which has leveraged $972 million in cash and in-kind contributions from local communities and local authorities. We welcome that. We congratulate those communities. It is something we should celebrate in Australia—local communities helping themselves improve the circumstances of the people who live in those areas.

In many parts, this is being led by local government, the form of government closest to the people of Australia. Local government work with their constituents and communities every day of the week. We have made those investments with local government through Regional Partnerships. Roughly every $50,000 of taxpayers’ money that has been invested in those projects has generated on average three jobs. The 32-year low level of unemployment which we are enjoying in Australia is contributing significantly to the reform process that we have introduced in so many different ways and regional Australia is able to invest in much needed projects which generate employment opportunities. We are standing with our regional communities and with the local authorities that represent their interests.

The member for Hinkler asked, ‘What are state governments doing?’ We know what the Queensland government is doing. It is trying to rip the heart out of regional Queensland with their forced amalgamation process. They are doing it in a very shameless and arrogant way. Mr Beattie continues to say, ‘This is in the interests of all Queenslanders.’ The Leader of the Opposition has appealed to him, saying that he does not think this is a good idea, but Premier Beattie is not listening to the Leader of the Opposition. He claims to be listening to foreign billionaires. Yesterday, I mentioned that he claimed the support of Richard Branson of Virgin Airlines. He quoted from a letter that Richard Branson had sent him in the Queensland parliament. When you get hold of the letter and read a little bit more, you see that it says exactly the opposite. Richard Branson actually opposes the forced amalgamation of local government in Queensland. In Richard Branson’s letter to the ‘Dear Premier’, he says:

I am totally opposed to Noosa Shire being amalgamated with any neighbouring shires.

But Mr Beattie is claiming—erroneously—to the parliament in Queensland and to all Queenslanders that he has the support of Mr Branson. Mr Beattie is ignoring all the regional communities in Queensland that are opposed to this happening and he is ignoring the Leader of the Opposition. It just shows you the lengths the Labor Party will go to—they say one thing and do another. We know that the Leader of the Opposition has been out there trying to convince the Premier of Queensland that this is a bad idea. We also know that, when the Leader of the Opposition was chief of staff to former Labor Premier Goss, a few things happened in regional Queensland under his hand. He cut 600 jobs out of the department of primary industries, shut down four regional DPI offices, shut down 46 country court houses, closed 13 regional railway lines, shut down country schools and cut 403 teaching positions.

The people of Australia should know not to listen to what the Leader of the Opposition has to say to Premier Beattie. He supports what Premier Beattie is doing because Premier Beattie is finishing off the job that the Leader of the Opposition started when he was working for the Goss Labor government in Queensland.

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