Damian Hale (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to make my contribution to this debate in support of the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2008-2009. Let me also put on record my support for and recognition of all stolen generation people around Australia today on this special and significant day for them. On the night of the budget speech, the Treasurer outlined clearly to the people of Australia that this budget was designed to meet the somewhat big challenges of the future. He went on to say:

It is a Budget that strengthens Australia’s economic foundations, and delivers for working families under pressure.

It was paramount that this budget was the responsible budget that our nation needs at a time of international turbulence and inflationary pressures at home. It is a budget carefully designed to fight inflation and to ensure we meet the uncertainties of the future from a position of strength.

This is a budget with a $55 billion Working Families Support Package at its very core. In my electorate of Solomon, it is the working families that are suffering. Today, I will outline for the House the commitment that has been made and that will be delivered to the people of Solomon in the budget for 2008-09. This budget provides a strong emphasis on Northern Australia and ends the blame shifting and lost opportunities—unlike the previous government’s focus. Once again, those opposite have rolled out the same tired lines today in question time, blaming the states. All regions of the Northern Territory have suffered due to the blame game continually being played and what this has caused is confusion, resentment and a lack of progress on many key issues that are affecting the lives of the good people of the Top End. I will say this of the people in the Top End: we are a happy bunch, and we go about our business well without fuss and generally look after our patch. However, over the past 11 years, the people in Northern Australia have been let down and it is high time we ended the blame game and moved forward for the good of the people of the Top End.

It is with a great deal of pride and enthusiasm that I support this bill because it delivers many vital pieces of infrastructure in the electorate that I was elected to represent. An election promise was made by the now Prime Minister and I back in July 2007 and, with the full support of my colleagues, I am proud to stand today in this House and, on behalf of the Rudd Labor government, deliver on that promise. I speak of the GP superclinic in Palmerston. In this budget, $10 million is allocated to deliver this vital service as soon as possible. This service is not only absolutely necessary and desperately needed for the Palmerston residents, but it will also aid our neighbours in the rural areas as well as take pressure off the often stretched Royal Darwin Hospital. I have been speaking to people in Palmerston and, as I have said before, they are sick and tired of the blame game. It does not matter who ‘technically’ is responsible for providing health care. All they want, just like all of us, is to know that when their loved ones are sick they can see a doctor anytime of the day or night without having to travel ridiculous distances, which often causes more stress in an already stressful situation. The good people of Solomon need it, they want it, they deserve it, and only a Rudd Labor government is going to deliver it. That is because that is what we do: we deliver for working families.

While I am talking about delivering on election promises, I will mention another significant and vital piece of infrastructure for the people of Darwin and Palmerston—the Tiger Brennan Drive extension. Our government has committed $11.2 million in this budget for the upgrading of Tiger Brennan Drive, and it is extremely pleasing to see that stage 1 of this project has already started. When completed, this upgrading will have seen some $74 million of federal funding committed to it. Our government is committed to completing this important link between the growing rural region and the expanding Darwin and Palmerston areas. This major investment will improve the safety and the travel time for people commuting between Palmerston, Darwin, the northern suburbs and the rural areas. Completing this extension is an issue that is close to my heart, as I and thousands of other Palmerston and rural residents sit in gridlock every morning and afternoon getting to and from work. This project is also part of a national projects initiative that is designed to deliver major benefits to the business community by allowing easier access for industry to the East Arm port and the trade development zone. When it is completed, this major infrastructure spend will have significantly improved efficiency and safety.

Our government is realising the potential of the north through a range of budget initiatives for infrastructure and regional development. These investments will promote economic growth, and benefit not only the Territory but the nation as a whole. There is $78 million allocated to the Territory in this budget for nation-building road projects. These initiatives are vital for the community and businesses that utilise the community, beef and mining roads. This commitment includes almost $9 million to start projects that were not scheduled to start until 2009-10. For many Territory communities and businesses, due to the vast expanse of the Territory, the roads and rail are the lifeblood of the NT. We need to have seamless access from Adelaide to the East Arm port facility. These initiatives are great examples of the federal and Territory governments working together to deliver vital pieces of infrastructure for the people of Solomon and the Territory.

While I am talking about new initiatives from our government and examples of governments working together to deliver for the people of Solomon, it is fantastic to see that $8 million over four years has been allocated in the budget to establish the Office of Northern Australia. This office will provide high-level advice to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government and the Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development and Northern Australia. Both men are extremely knowledgeable and passionate, just as I am, about realising the potential of the north. The Office of Northern Australia will provide a source of environmental, economic and social policy expertise in relation to Northern Australian issues to ensure we achieve sustainable development outcomes. I commend our government for implementing this great initiative.

During the 2007 election campaign, my opposition focused much of their re-election credentials on law and order issues. Instances of lawless behaviour in this country are on the increase and, unfortunately, in Solomon we are not immune from this. The government in this budget will provide funding to the tune of $15 million over three years to fund grants under the safer suburbs program. The program aims to reduce crime, antisocial behaviour and gang activity through a range of measures, including the installation of closed circuit television cameras and improved street lighting. The Northern Territory will receive $2.5 million to be used in Darwin, Palmerston and Alice Springs. This is only one part of combating the rising crime rate. However, this level of commitment from the government has been well received by the community.

Sport is a vital ingredient of our lifestyle in Solomon. That is why I am excited about the budget commitments our government has provided. The government will provide $2.5 million over five years to help an NT AFL team and netball team participate in an interstate competition. This commitment provides an opportunity for people who choose to live, work and play in the Northern Territory not to be disadvantaged by their location. This initiative will enable young athletes to remain in the Northern Territory with the support of family as they strive for AFL or Australian selection in Australian Rules football or netball respectively. Further to this, it is also about developing administrators, strength and conditioning staff, coaches and managers, so that they can continue to educate future generations involved in sport. Both the member for Lingiari and I are very excited about this commitment. This government is serious about increasing participation in sport through developing community facilities. In fact, almost $21 million will go to more than 90 community sports and recreation facilities around Australia. It is great news for the people of Solomon that $3 million has been allocated in this year’s budget to fund the much needed upgrades to the Hidden Valley drag strip. These upgrades will give a much needed injection for the hardworking committee up there and will ensure that the people of Solomon get to enjoy top-class meets.

The government has made sure every single cent of new spending for the coming year has been more than met by savings elsewhere in the budget. Our commitments have been honoured by redirecting spending. Difficult spending cuts have helped fund our Working Families Support Package and our new priorities for the nation.

We are budgeting for a surplus of $21.7 billion in 2008-09; 1.8 per cent of GDP, the largest budget surplus as a share of GDP in nearly a decade. This honours and exceeds the 1.5 per cent target we set in January, without relying on revenue windfalls. It is a surplus built on substantial savings of $33 billion over four years, including $7 billion in 2008-09 alone. And it is a surplus built on disciplined spending, with the lowest real increase in government spending in nearly a decade; spending growth which is one-quarter of the average of the previous four years.

We need a strong surplus to anchor a strong economy, to do our bit to ease inflationary pressures in the economy, and to build a buffer against international turbulence. To fund ongoing long-term investment in ports, roads, railways, hospitals, universities and vocational education we need to deliver growth with low inflation into the future. That is why it is great news that our government is providing an additional $3 million to Charles Darwin University. As a former student of CDU, I know only too well the fallout of the previous government’s lack of investment in our higher education system. This is an investment in IT, communications, research and teaching, laboratories, libraries, places to study, teaching spaces and critical student amenities at Charles Darwin University. This spending on critical infrastructure is part of our national $11 billion budget investment through the Education Investment Fund which will pay for ongoing improvements in our TAFEs and universities.

This budget helps parents care for their children and invest in their education. In Solomon we have one of the highest population growth rates in the country. Each week I sign letters of congratulations to the new mums and dads in Solomon. That is why I am delighted to support the new childcare initiatives our government is introducing through this budget.

Access to affordable high quality child care is critical in improving kids’ education and development; it also helps the mums or dads who choose to return to work after having a baby. The reality is that most families usually have both mum and dad out working, and often most of the second income actually goes out in paying childcare fees. That is why our childcare tax rebate is so critical for our nation’s working families. This budget commits $1.6 billion over four years to enable the rebate to increase from 30 per cent to 50 per cent. That means half of the out-of-pocket childcare costs will be paid for. Not only that, we will be making these payments every three months instead of the once-a-year payment that existed previously. What that means for the mums and dads of Solomon and Australia is that the money will be available at a time when the bills come in.

This budget is also about delivering for small business. Our government is committed to small business; that is why we are delivering our election promise to establish more than 30 business advisory centres around Australia—$41 million has been provided in the budget to fund one-stop small business advisory centres across Australia. I am excited that one of the 30 new offices will be located in Darwin. In fact, $300,000 is allocated in our government’s first budget to establish the Darwin business enterprise centre. This valuable centre will provide much needed advice for those wanting to establish or improve a business and is part of our government’s overall small business strategy that will cut red tape in areas of business regulation. That is something that small businesses are crying out for. These centres will improve the lives of so many hardworking small business owners in Solomon.

The government recognises the financial pressures that seniors face. Our government is committed to helping seniors make ends meet amidst the growing cost of living. In this budget we are committing $5.2 billion in additional funding for seniors. The implementation of Labor’s election commitments in this budget will provide an average additional annual benefit of $400 for age pensioners and seniors. The government has also introduced into parliament a bill to pay age pensioners and seniors a $500 bonus—2.7 million seniors will benefit from this measure. This bonus will be paid before the end of this financial year. These bonuses come on top of significant increases in the utilities allowance, an extension to the telephone allowance, new dental funding for concession card holders and petrol vouchers for volunteers who use their own transport. We recognise that this is only a start but I know that for senior Territorians it is a much needed and a much warranted start.

This budget has delivered for the people of Solomon. This budget will be good for families and it will be good for families with children in child care. It is fantastic for the people of Palmerston and the rural areas who for so long have missed out on vital health services and infrastructure upgrades.

I join the members for Wills, Port Adelaide and Maribyrnong in congratulating the Prime Minister, the Treasurer and the executive in putting together this budget. It was the first Labor budget in 13 years and the Prime Minister and the Treasurer have certainly delivered for the people of Solomon. All of them have mentioned one common theme throughout their speeches: the lack of investment from the previous government in infrastructure and planning. Nowhere was this so evident as in the seat of Solomon. The people of Solomon were let down by the previous government. I commend this bill to the House.

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