Sid Sidebottom (Braddon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Indeed, it should be supported. I am sure the member for New England is going to rise after me to support this! These reward payments will be similar to the previous National Competition Policy payments made to the states to encourage them to adopt competition reform. Through the reform under this bill, the funding of these agreements will be streamlined, negotiated as a single financial package by treasurers for eventual endorsement by COAG.

Importantly, this will allow portfolio ministers to focus on the policy aspects of delivering more effective and efficient services rather than the politics. Now that is something. This is where the rubber will really hit the road in avoiding the blame game, cost shifting and duplication that we have suffered under for years and years. Rather than spending weeks and months quibbling over dol-lars, the ministers and their best and brightest will be able to concentrate on how they improve their respective portfolios—that is, by developing good policy, good programs and delivering them efficiently, effectiv-ely and cooperatively. Surely, this is the best way forward in solving some of the problems that have dogged our nation for so long.

This legislation will mean that, rather than having to spend time meeting onerous checks and balances, the people on the ground can go about finding better ways to deliver the services that are so needed by our communities. Indeed, I think one of the great benefits of this—and it is something that I will be particularly monitoring—is that it will do away with needless duplication not just in services and programs but in bureaucracies that so absorb taxpayers’ moneys when we try to roll out services in this nation. Rather than having precious resources tied up on compliance, they can go into the improvement and delivery side of the various programs and projects.

States and territories will be given increased freedom to design and implement innovative methods of service delivery, of course within the context of the mutually agreed national objectives. Ultimately, this will help to protect Australia and all its residents from the current pressures we face in the global economy. Unfortunately, yesterday the Prime Minister delivered further bad news on that front. That is why it is absolutely crucial that these investment funds are rolled out sooner rather than later. They are an investment in both now and the future. I hope those opposite will give this all the support that it thoroughly deserves.

It is about nation building, and these bills are part of a broad package of legislation and measures being taken by this government to help shield Australians from the global financial crisis. Bringing on the nation-build-ing agenda is a vital part of this, and it cannot be done in isolation by just one arm of gov-ernment. It needs us all to work at all our levels of government, federal, state and more recently local. Indeed, local government are generally some of the best providers of services. I am really pleased at the way this gov-ernment is trying to re-enhance relationships with local government. A partnership with the states and territories and, indeed, our local governments is crucial to this and the COAG Reform Fund is a vital part in delivering this partnership and the efficiencies it can provide into the future.

As I said in my introduction, this is a major step forward for the government and it is much more important than when it was first put into motion, particularly given the serious economic circumstances that we all face, share and want to do something about. We as a parliament have a responsibility to do whatever we can to improve the relationship with other levels and spheres of government, state and local. Let us join together, all parties and the Independents, if they can raise a vote and get into this House to support us, in supporting this important piece of legislation which is one of the building blocks to help to sustain this great nation and to see it go forward strongly into the future of the 21st century. I commend the COAG Reform Fund Bill 2008 and related bills to the House.

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