James Bidgood (Dawson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

By raising this supposed MPI the member for Wide Bay has once again shown in this place just how out of touch he and his party are. The Nationals have shown that they do not want the government to invest in jobs and infrastructure for the future. They are a party of no ideas. They are more content to mock and block in opposition because when in government they never stood up for their communities. The Nationals today are a party without vision and a party that stands for nothing. The Nationals do not want the government to invest in education, schools, community infrastructure, roads, rail and ports.

I think the Nationals like opposition. They are comfortable there. It means they do not have to fully realise what is going on in the community. We, however, are listening. The nation-building economic stimulus plan includes $14.7 billion over three years for the Building the Education Revolution program. It will fund the building and rebuilding of primary and secondary school infrastructure and the maintenance of Australia’s schools, including combined schools and special schools. The government is listening.

I have a list of all the projects here, which the Deputy Prime Minister numbers at around 216. Millions and millions of dollars are being invested in the seat of Dawson, and the opposition are against it. I went to Victoria Park State School in my electorate and met with the principal of the school and the President of the P&C on Friday just gone. They were not against it. They were over the moon. Maybe someone in the National Party could explain to them why their school does not deserve the federal government funding they are getting.

The Australian government has also brought forward $110 million of funding for the Trade Training Centres in Schools Program from 2010-11 to 2009-10. This will provide additional support for the economy now and also fast-track measures to improve the skills base of the workforce. I am pleased to announce that a $6 million trade training centre will be built at the CQUniversity site. The previous member for Dawson promised and promised this but never delivered. We have delivered for the people of Dawson. Maybe someone in the National Party could explain to Mackay North State High School, Mackay State High School, Mirani State High School, Sarina State High School and Pioneer State High School why their schools do not deserve this federal government backing.

The National School Pride Program has now successfully been implemented, with the second and final round of funding announced on 21 May 2009. Together with round 1, the NSP Program will deliver $1.3 billion to 9,490 eligible primary and secondary schools across Australia for minor infrastructure and refurbishment projects. In Dawson that has totalled over $5 million in funding. I suppose the member for Wide Bay believes they do not deserve federal government funding either.

Round 1 of Primary Schools for the 21st Century saw 1,499 eligible primary schools across Australia receive $2.8 billion in funding for a variety of projects, including libraries and multipurpose halls. This is all targeted spending on infrastructure, important nation-building infrastructure, including $800 million for the Community Infrastructure Program. This is all about infrastructure for the future and creating jobs now—something which we, the Labor Party, have a core commitment to. We do not only give it lip-service; we deliver real dollars, real investment, for real projects on the ground that will serve this nation for generations to come. Shame on the Nationals for voting against it.

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