Robert Oakeshott (Lyne, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

When the debate on the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2009-2010 and cognate bills was adjourned, I was talking about the impacts not only of the budget but also of the stimulus response from the government on the mid-North Coast. Some significant structural issues face our region that many of us involved in public policy in many walks of life on the mid-North Coast are working desperately to address. In the nine minutes I have left, I want to discuss the issue of education and bring to the attention of the House some of the stark challenges that are faced on the mid-North Coast.

In the electorate of Lyne, fewer than half of people aged 22 to 24 have completed their year 12 education. That is compared to the New South Wales average of two-thirds of people in the same age group having completed year 12. In the Lyne electorate only one in four people of all ages has completed year 12—a stark 26 per cent of the community—compared to New South Wales figures, which themselves should raise, I think, at least some discussion in this place. In New South Wales an average two out of every five people have completed year 12, which is still only 42 per cent. Likewise, in the Lyne electorate, one person in six has a degree or higher qualification at tertiary level. That is 17 per cent, compared to the state, where one person in three, or 30 per cent, has a degree or higher qualification.

The language that we have heard over the last 18 months to two years about the need for an education revolution is certainly supported and endorsed within our region as we try to address some of the structural issues in and around education. We do think it will be a bit of a meal ticket if our region can break the nexus of higher than average unemployment, which is currently floating above 10 per cent, and poverty. We, along with the three other electorates on the North Coast of New South Wales, are in the top 10 electorates in terms of poverty levels. We have the lowest income levels anywhere in Australia. In many ways, the breaking of that nexus is through education. So we certainly endorse and support this language of the government. We are watching very closely and trying to marry many of the good aspects of the post-Bradley review environment, which we are now experiencing as a result of the government’s response in the budget. There are many good aspects in the budget response for education that talk directly to the electorate of Lyne. For example, there is $437 million to support the participation of people from disadvantaged backgrounds in higher education. That talks directly to the mid-North Coast of New South Wales. The changes to the parental income test for youth allowance also talks directly to the people of the mid-North Coast of New South Wales.

However, I note an outstanding issue, and it is one that is causing a great deal of concern amongst gap year students; it concerns youth allowance reforms. The member for New England raised a question about it in question time today. I know that many members of parliament have been lobbied directly about it. I ask the minister and the executive government to reflect on the question of retrospectivity and look at the situation for those students who feel that they have been caught by the rules of the game changing halfway through their school year. Everyone who discusses this issue recognises the need for reform. There were individuals and families who took advantage of youth allowance when that money could have been better directed elsewhere. But leaving collateral damage in a reform program or in any aspect of public policy is, I think, something that the government needs to reflect on. Any form of retrospectivity which affects 18-year-olds who thought they were doing the right thing by the law of the land, who had started on that journey but were then caught as collateral damage, is a point on which the government needs to reflect. I certainly hope that the executive and the minister in question address the youth allowance package, at least by buying another six months or potentially 12 months in regard to the starting date.

For the mid-North Coast, the budget did not get in the way of what we were trying to do in relation to education. I think many opportunities can be found in the budget, in the stimulus response generally and in the government changes concerning the investment in schools and the trade training packages. We are working very hard on the ground to try and get engagement on as many fronts as possible in the education field. We were thrilled to learn last week that the mid-North Coast was made a priority area. A fellow called Mark Almond will now be based on the ground to assist in much of this work and will hopefully be able to assist in bringing many aspects of the education package and, as a logical extension of that, the jobs package home to the mid-North Coast.

Small business is the business environment in the mid-North Coast, and 95 per cent of all its businesses have five employees or fewer. We do not have too much big business in this area. Big business trawls the corridors of this place and seems to have a surprisingly powerful influence over policy generally, but it does not talk to our electorate. Ours is very much a small business environment. That is why the stand-out of the budget and the stimulus package in my eyes and in the eyes of the people of the mid-North Coast is the small business tax breaks. The 30 per cent tax break through to the middle of the year is great, and the 50 per cent tax break through to December is even better. Those, along with the increases in the R&D concessions that have followed on from the Cutler review, are certainly ones that I am encouraging my small business community to look at in terms of their personal situations. I hope they talk to their accountants about these tax breaks and tap into them to create jobs on the mid-North Coast.

I was also pleased to see the recognition of efficiency in the home—the $245.3 million increase for the Solar Homes and Communities Plan is very welcome. There has been a large uptake on the mid-North Coast. I was pleased that was recognised in the budget. That, along with the insulation plan in the stimulus response and the solar hot water plan, is really starting to put questions to every single household about what sort of efficiency plan they want to have for the future.

In wrapping up these comments and the previous comments I made before the break, in my speech in the budget reply, I hope everyone in this place recognises that the citizen holds the most important office in the land. In a lot of these programs delivered by government, we in this place can lead the horse to water but we cannot make it drink. I will therefore be spending an inordinate amount of time encouraging small businesses to tap into the various concessions and tax breaks on offer, encouraging every single household to look at the various efficiency plans available and encouraging everyone to consider their own education plan for the future—both as a family and as individuals. I would also encourage government to work overtime on this. I have been in this place for eight months. I see lots of good news and opportunities come out of this place. They are talked about in this place but still, at the most local of local levels, the information flow-through to communities is not as strong and as clear as it could or should be. There are a number of reasons why that may be the case, but I would certainly encourage government to make sure those who are most in need in communities such as mine do get access to the information and the opportunities on offer. That is certainly what I will be doing. (Time expired)

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