Bruce Billson (Dunkley, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Broadband, Communication and the Digital Economy) Share this | Hansard source

I rise this morning to lament history repeating itself. The last time Labor was in power at a federal level, the then Labor member for Dunkley conceded that our community had been forgotten. I fear this is happening all over again. I learn that in the budget the Minister for Sport, Kate Ellis, has a $21 million pot of money for 91 sporting projects. We only know about five of those. My community and I are curious, as I am sure are many members in this place, about what the other 86 are, how they were arrived at and whether we are going to see history repeat itself and see a federal Labor government ignore the peninsula, as it did last time it was in power.

As there is no clear pathway to show how these projects have been identified, nor an indication of what they are, I thought I would add to Kate’s list. I thought I would point out that in the Dunkley electorate there are a number of election commitments that a re-elected Howard government would have implemented that reflected the close collaboration that was in place between the Howard government, the local member and many local sporting and activity organisations. We were looking to make a $125,000 contribution to the redevelopment of the Eric Bell Reserve pavilion, in Frankston North. That was going to be $100,000 to Frankston City Council, which did not match anywhere near the council’s contribution but recognised the partnership opportunities, and $25,000 for the fit-out of the junior and senior Pines football and cricket clubs. So we had earmarked a contribution to the Eric Bell Reserve. The project that I have just described is estimated at about three-quarters of a million dollars, and our contribution was a significant, modest but important one.

We were looking to put $100,000 into the expansion of Langwarrin’s Lloyd Park pavilion and club rooms and $70,000 towards the Mornington Basketball Association for its entrance and car-parking works. That was on the back of the partnership between the Commonwealth, the local basketball association, Mornington Secondary College and the local council to see a new three-court facility established there under—guess what—the Regional Partnerships program. This is another example of a worthwhile initiative that has been achieved through collaboration and partnership.

There was funding to support the new Seaford Lifesaving Club facilities, some assistance for the Seaford Bowling Club and also funding for the Seaford-Edithvale Wetlands to reinstate the crushed rock, all-seasons walking trail that was damaged as a result of a fire when firefighting vehicles ran over the top of it.

Those are just some of the projects that my community is very interested in. That level of interest is matched only by the interest in what is on Kate’s list.

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