John Murphy (Lowe, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to support the motion moved by my friend and colleague the member for Oxley and thoroughly reject the assertions and scurrilous claims made by the member for Mitchell. I ask the member for Mitchell to put a search engine through his conscience and have a look at what Premier Fahey or Premier Greiner did on the very issues he has raised here tonight.

It is often said that the productivity of today is the prosperity of tomorrow. The Rudd government understands this, and that is why we are investing an unprecedented $26.4 billion over six years to ease the infrastructure capacity constraints by building road, rail and port projects as part of our national building program. This investment will drive our productivity by promoting the efficient movement of goods within and between our cities. The Rudd government also acknowledges that supporting our economy and tackling climate change are not conflicting policy objectives. For this reason, the 2009-10 Commonwealth budget includes $4.5 billion investment in the Clean Energy Initiative to assist Australia’s transition to a low-pollution economy and help us create green jobs. This includes $2 billion over nine years for carbon capture and storage, demonstration projects, $1.5 billion over six years for solar electricity generation projects and $465 million to establish Renewables Australia, an independent body set up to support leading-edge renewable energy technology research and development.

My electorate of Lowe has been affected immensely by the government’s investment in infrastructure. Perhaps the member for Mitchell is listening to this. As part of the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program, the largest ever one-off federal investment in local infrastructure across Australia, local councils have received grants designed to improve social capital and support jobs by improving local infrastructure. For example, Canada Bay Council has received $5.3 million for the upgrade of the Drumoyne oval, and that was very warmly received. In addition, some of Sydney’s busiest roads are located in my electorate. The Rudd government’s infrastructure investments are targeting dangerous black spots on these roads to improve the passage of vehicles, which in turn enhances our local productivity. As a result, the government is spending $180,000 to upgrade Centenary Drive in Strathfield, Concord Road in Rhodes and Punchbowl Road in Belfield.

It is not only my electorate that is benefiting. I know that in suburbs throughout Australia local infrastructure projects are being carried out that will drive up productivity and boost our future living standards. One very exciting project which I wish to draw to the attention of the House, particularly the member for Mitchell, is the $3.5 million investment for the University of Sydney’s Clinical Education Centre at Concord Hospital’s Clinical School, which was announced last week. Perhaps the member for Mitchell has not caught up with that. The funding is part of the Australian government’s $71.5 million Capital Development Pool Program. The Capital Development Pool Program provides funding for higher education institutions to build capital infrastructure. Concord Hospital’s Clinical Education Centre will provide clinical teaching for undergraduate and postgraduate specialist medical, nursing, allied services, pharmacy and dentistry students. The $3.15 million in federal funding will assist the centre to develop world-class educational facilities in the field of medical science.

I spoke on Friday to Professor Robert Lusby, Associate Dean of the University of Sydney’s medical school and Professor of Surgery at Concord Clinical School. I can assure the House that Professor Lusby and his colleagues at Concord Hospital and the University of Sydney are extremely excited about this infrastructure project which will improve the education experience provided to Australia’s future doctors and medical specialists.

The $3.5 million is an excellent investment in our nation’s health infrastructure. A healthier nation boosts our productivity and prosperity, and that is what nation building is all about. The unprecedented level of infrastructure investment by the Rudd government stands in stark contrast to the indolence of the Howard government. The Howard government was idle when it came to our nation’s infrastructure. Rather than investing in our roads, ports, railroads, schools, universities and hospitals, the Howard government’s infrastructure policies constituted nothing other than bribery, as they spent millions of dollars on buying votes in marginal coalition seats whilst starving Labor seats of funds. The contrast between the policies of the Labor and Liberal parties could not be clearer, and I hope the member for Mitchell is listening. Labor is a party of nation building—(Time expired)

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