Mike Symon (Deakin, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Continuing on from where I left off yesterday, the subject that I was up to in my speech was Springvale Road, a project very dear to my heart. My concern, as noted yesterday, was that there had actually been in an attempt in the House to put amendments up that would have taken funding away from this very important project. This road is something that has been a source of great concern and great congestion in my electorate for years.

As I mentioned yesterday, during the division on the Nation Building Program (National Land Transport) Amendment Bill 2009, we saw the National Party put up amendments that would have taken funding away from the Springvale Road underpass. And they were supported by the Liberal Party. Fortunately for my electorate, those amendments were defeated in the House. But it is laying it on a bit thick for them to have campaigned on this issue for so many years and gone to elections promising that they are going to do it and then in the House turn around and vote against the funding when it finally appears. That is amazing.

The Springvale Road grade separation is not the only road work that the Rudd government is contributing to in Deakin, however. The government is also contributing $1.9 million to Maroondah City Council and $2.09 million to Whitehorse council over the coming five years for local roads funding. That is an 11 per cent increase over what was there previously, a great improvement. These construction works will provide not just important improvements to local roads but will be ongoing sources of employment in our local area.

In particular, I note the $396,000 in Black Spot Program funding for the notorious Dublin Road and Railway Avenue intersection. There have been many accidents there over the years due to the lack of visibility when driving out from Railway Avenue onto Dublin Road. It is so close to the railway line that there is always the potential for something really bad to happen at that intersection. I have often met with constituents of mine who use this intersection. They always tell me about the need for traffic signals. It is a longstanding issue. This funding will provide for new traffic signals, pedestrian crossings and line markings, boosting safety not just for pedestrians and commuters but also for motorists—and even the ducks that sometimes cross the road to go the lake.

The provision of this funding is a tribute to the hardworking local community members like Vivienne Bolitho and Lyn Donald, who have worked for years to see the intersection made safe for all. Their hard work and efforts in gathering some 1,400 signatures have paid off, with a $396,000 investment being made in local traffic safety. I congratulate Vivienne and Lyn and everyone else involved in campaigning for this funding over such a long period of time.

The Rudd Labor government is also investing in our vital community facilities, providing local jobs that help boost our economy and leave valuable and much needed infrastructure for the next generation at the same time. I am especially proud of this government’s $2.9 million commitment to Ringwood’s Jubilee Park. Added to contributions from the Victorian government and Maroondah City Council, the soccer arena will be completely refurbished in a $3.55 million redevelopment. What we have there now is a building that is on its last legs. It was built in 1962 and it certainly looks like it has never been touched. If left much longer, it would certainly hit the ground by itself. This funding will pay for the demolition of the old building and then the building of a state-of-the-art facility that will boast new change rooms with disabled access, a boxing gymnasium, terraced sporting areas, pole lighting for the field and administrative areas for regional sporting organisations, as well as modern environmental measures such as solar power, water tanks and recycled water systems. The ground will be done up with a synthetic pitch. In summer it is brown and dead. In winter it is patchy and lumpy. It is not always an attractive playing surface, by any means.

When this project is completed we will have a state-of-the-art facility in Ringwood. The popularity of soccer continues to grow, especially junior soccer and women’s and girls’ soccer, and that is a great thing to see. This is a case of government doing it once and doing it right, working closely with the local council to ensure that the facility meets a range of needs, not just those of the soccer club. It provides a visionary facility for the coming generation and not a patch-up job of something old that may only last the next five years. I know that this facility will be a boon for the local Ringwood City Soccer Club and I am sure that it will increase the usability and use of their facility. The redevelopment of this facility will also become a home for the MVC Boxing Association, a group I know the state member for Eastern Metropolitan, Shaun Leane, has worked very closely with. This is fantastic news for their club.

Then there is the $2.3 million Wembley Park redevelopment in Box Hill South, which is the adjoining electorate to my electorate of Deakin. It is a ground that is used by constituents of both electorates and is also in a similar state. It has not been maintained as well as it should have been over the years and the fact is it is just old. So local soccer in my area is growing in popularity and will grow even more with this investment in community infrastructure.

Moving on, I would like to note especially this government’s commitment to social housing. For too long policy action by federal governments in this important area was left in the too-hard basket. This government has recognised what needs to be done to assist those that need a hand and that the social housing stock of this nation needs a boost. Members of the House, I am sure, would be aware of the Rudd government’s $6.4 billion investment in creating 20,000 social housing homes across the nation. This is a magnificent commitment and one that I want to make clear my support for.

Recently I was pleased to host the Minister for Housing and Women’s Affairs in my electorate to see first-hand the work being carried out to improve social housing dwellings in my area. Some 66 homes will receive upgrades and maintenance, totalling $410,000. Some of these homes were built 19, 20 or more years ago and really had received no maintenance whatsoever in that entire time. They have actually been made into very nice, livable places that have not got rotting gutters or paint peeling off the walls. They are attractive, and so they should be so that people can live decent lives in them.

Sixty-six properties may seem quite insignificant in the national scheme of things, but of course locally they all add up. Even better, that is just the first round of funding and the first round of houses put up under this program. It is not just refurbs and refits of these houses; there are also new social housing dwellings getting built in electorates right across Australia. I commend the government’s efforts in this area and I look forward to more good news on the social housing front after years of neglect.

As someone with a background and personal interest in information technology, I want to take this opportunity to remark upon the government’s National Broadband Network. This $43 million superfast network featuring fibre-to-the-home coverage is one of the greatest national infrastructure projects ever undertaken. Apart from bringing Australia’s information networks into the 21st century after years of neglect and a complete lack of foresight by the previous government, the network will be a boon for businesses of all shapes and sizes.

It will also be a great thing for homeowners. Having access to real broadband fibre to the home will open up possibilities that simply are not there now even if you do have a fast ADSL connection. It certainly means that more people will be able to work or do business from home. That can also be a very good thing for people who may not have to go into the office, but at the moment do because their communications are simply not up to scratch.

I recently received an email from the proprietor of an accounting business that is close to my electorate office. He wrote:

I would like to applaud the announcement of yesterday regarding the National Broadband Network—

and he went on to say—

This must be the first time in years and years that a government has done something worthwhile.

I would like to think that this government has done a lot of worthwhile things—the removal of Work Choices and Building the Education Revolution just for starters, and I could go on with a list all day. My local accountant supports the government’s action on broadband because he sees the benefits that will come to his business. Maybe it means he will get to spend more time at home rather than commuting to work when he really only has to do a desk job most of the time. The National Broadband Network is a visionary step forward in communications technology. I certainly commend the Rudd government for taking this bold step.

A number of local small business owners that I have met with in past months have also indicated their support for another government initiative—the now 50 per cent tax break for small business. In fact, they are very happy with it. The questions they ask are: how soon can we get it? Why is it finishing so quickly? Of course, the explanation is that it is about bringing forward demand, and it is certainly working. This measure supports local businesses, improving cash flows and then in turn, hopefully, allowing some small businesses to keep staff on during the global recession.

This measure, along with the reduction in pay-as-you-go tax that will benefit 1.5 million small businesses in Australia, and the doubling of incentives to invest in research and development through the research and development tax credit are acts of a government that is actively assisting the small business sector of the economy that supports jobs. This government, unlike the last, has steadily turned an eye to the future and is investing heavily in innovation, research and development.

The government will dedicate $3.1 billion over the next four years, focusing on university level research, the sciences, business innovation and infrastructure. This investment will raise the government’s investment in science and innovation to $8.6 billion in 2009-10. I was particularly pleased to see that this budget provides a $51 million increase to the Australian Postgraduate Award stipend. That is a rise of 10 per cent a year in 2010.

Along with $51.6 million from 2012 to replace the inadequate indexation arrangements that currently exist for research block grants to an index that recognises better the cost pressures on Australian universities, there are many other measures in this budget that will support jobs in high-tech industries. That is a total of $3.1 billion invested in public and private sector research over the next four years. The Super Science programs will enhance our nation’s research and technological development in the areas of astronomy, climate studies and future tech and, importantly, in bringing through our next generation of scientists, with $27.2 million for 100 new Super Science Fellowships.

I have mentioned briefly the simplified research and development tax credit, which will replace the R&D tax concession and open up access to an estimated $1.4 billion a year for businesses looking for ways to innovate and improve. I am proud to be part of the government that has showed a renewed appetite for both science and innovation.

All members of this House will be keenly aware of the Rudd government’s $14.7 billion commitment to Building the Education Revolution. As a government, we have backed up our words on education with a once-in-a-generation—some have told me a once-in-a-lifetime—investment in our school system. The building works have already begun at some schools, supporting jobs in the local area.

Over the past four months I have worked closely with school principals across my electorate on their applications for funding under the Primary Schools for the 21st Century, the National School Pride Program and the science and language learning centres program. I commend the efforts of the principals in conjunction with the school councils and parent associations for advocating for what it is that their school needs and for their great interest in the programs. My local schools are brimming with community-minded people who, by and large, are dedicated to providing better outcomes for the students in their care.

Recently, round 2 of the National School Pride Program was announced, bringing our total commitment to Deakin schools under this program to $8.925 million across the 39 schools in my electorate. I know that this funding will go a long way in ensuring that local schools can address their maintenance needs and enhance their facilities. What is the flow-on effect of all this construction work? It is jobs. It is not just jobs in the construction industry; it is jobs for all of the industries that operate alongside the construction industry. Suppliers, engineers, architects and even local lunch shops will benefit from this. It is a great thing for our local area.

As part of round 1 of the Primary Schools for the 21st Century program in Deakin, Blackburn Primary School received $3 million; Burwood Heights Primary School received $2.5 million from the federal government, along with another $2.5 million from the Victorian government; Burwood East Primary School received $2 million; and St Luke the Evangelist Primary School received $2 million for new constructions.

I am proud to be part of a government that has set the wheels in motion for the introduction of paid parental leave. From 1 January 2011, the primary carer of a newborn or adopted child will be able to access 18 weeks paid parental leave. This leave will be paid at the level of the federal minimum wage, and parents can combine paid parental leave with existing employer provided paid leave. Approximately 148,000 new parents will be eligible for the paid leave each year. Remember that, aside from the US, Australia was the only OECD country that did not have a paid parental leave system.

Over the past year many pensioners have told me that they felt like they were left behind after the good economic times over the previous decade. Especially, their pension has not kept pace with the rises in living costs. This is especially the case for those pensioners who rent and who have laid down their roots over many years in an area, only to move because of rising rents. This government has listened and will introduce a weekly $32.49 increase in the single pension and a $10.14 per week increase in the couple pension. This will benefit approximately 19,200 pensioners in my electorate of Deakin.

This government has got it right after years of mean penny pinching during the years of plenty under the coalition. I commend the bills to the House.

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