Roger Price (Chifley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

From the outset, I want to say that I totally support Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2009-2010 and cognate bills and I support the government’s budget. Listening to the honourable member for La Trobe makes me think we need to go back a little bit. The member for Fowler might agree with me: I am not sure that we heard the words ‘global financial crisis’ in the contribution—not once. You would think that everything in the world is just plain sailing. That is not the case.

I am proud of this government for acting decisively in what, on the face of it, has been the worst financial crisis we have experienced world wide since the Great Depression. We have forgotten about the many banks in the UK and the US collapsing. There is a great debate in America where the federal government has effectively nationalised a number of banks. It is true to say that there was no rule book, there were no guidelines for these unprecedented circumstances, but this government took action.

Late last year the government took action with the first stimulus package. We have been criticised because a lot of that involved handing out money—to pensioners, which I think was a good thing. We do not apologise for that. In the second stimulus package, we provided up to $900 for a lot of struggling families. I think that was a good thing. What has been the result of these initiatives? We have seen a bounce in retail sales, which are up significantly. The proof of the government’s actions is in the pudding—it is reflected in retail sales.

Through our stimulus plan we have embarked on the largest infrastructure projects that I have ever seen in my lifetime. In fact, 70 per cent of the money that we have provided in our stimulus plans is going to infrastructure. What has that meant for Chifley? I can proudly stand here and say to the honourable member for Canberra that I have $47 million for my electorate. I am delighted about that. There are 1,854 projects for Chifley. Why is that important? The whole thrust of what we are doing with our infrastructure funding, particularly in Chifley, is really to ensure that our local tradesmen—our brickies, plumbers, electricians and small business people—have an opportunity, as the private sector work has dried up, to get involved in these infrastructure programs; and I am sure that they will. I repeat: 70 per cent of our economic stimulus is being devoted to building infrastructure. I think there is a growing understanding—and this is not just one of the criticisms made by the government—that there were wasted opportunities in the 12 years of the Howard government in relation to infrastructure. We are rectifying that.

More than $11 million has been allocated to provide much needed repairs and maintenance for all of the 66 schools in my electorate. I know that is very welcome, because when you visit these schools the principal, the teachers and the parents are very bubbly about what a difference it is going to make.

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