Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Tourism) Share this | Hansard source

I commence my remarks today by congratulating Ken Wyatt, the member for Hasluck, our first Indigenous Australian member in the House of Representatives, on a very moving and impressive speech. Ken Wyatt, you have done all Australians proud today with your address. I also rise today as a very proud elected member of this parliament. It is an honour and a privilege to continue to represent the people of the Paterson electorate, many of whom I have come to know personally and all of whom I serve with pride. I certainly think that I have one of the best electorates in the country but, then again, I may be a little biased.

This is the fifth term that I have had the pleasure of committing to fight for my constituents, and yet it is with equal if not more passion that I do so here today. I say that because I am absolutely committed to holding the Gillard Labor government to account. This is a government which has already broken a major promise to the Australian people just weeks after being elected and is now determined to impose a carbon tax that will drive up power bills and the cost of living. I will fight this unjustified tax, as I am sure it will be one of the major issues in this term of government.

Before I address some of the other priorities for the next three years, I would like to acknowledge the changes that have been made since I last stood here. Firstly, congratulations to you, Mr Speaker, on your deserved reappointment. To the Deputy Speaker, the Hon. Peter Slipper, and the Second Deputy Speaker, the Hon. Bruce Scott, my congratulations also. I would also like to officially welcome back to my electorate of Paterson the areas of East Maitland, Luskintyre, Hillsborough, Rosebrook, Melville, Maitland Vale and the parts of Millers Forest, all of which I have represented before in this parliament, all of which have been constantly shuffled through redistributions. To the Gloucester shire, I bid goodbye. While it is with sadness that I say farewell, I am confident that my colleague the member for Lyne will actively represent the needs of the Gloucester community. In particular, I look forward to working with the member for Lyne on future projects, including the ongoing campaign for the much-needed federal roads funding for the upgrade of Bucketts Way.

In my time as the member for Paterson we have come a long way and there have been great achievements and improvements across the electorate. However, there is always more that can be done. At the top of that list are the promises that the Gillard Labor government made to my constituents during the election campaign. These promises must be met as soon as possible.

Promise No. 1 was the redevelopment of the Birubi Point Surf Lifesaving Club. The government had committed $2.2 million to help build new offices, function space and a kitchen. I will also continue to represent the Fingal Beach Surf Life Saving Club, which missed out on the $1 million funding needed to replace its burnt out surf club. Both provide great services to our community.

Promise No. 2 was the $1.25 million that the coalition pledged to implement the Great Lakes Water Quality Improvement Plan, which the Labor Party also matched. Quality water is important not only for our environmental health but also as a strong tourism drawcard for the Great Lakes region, and that is why I will be ensuring that this government keeps its promise to fund this important initiative.

Promise No. 3 was for $7 million for a GP superclinic in Raymond Terrace. I would never refuse any funding for health services in the Paterson electorate but I have been discussing this matter with various local health providers—including the Hunter Rural Division of General Practice; GP Access, representing the urban division of general practice; and the community alike—and they are unanimous in their opinion that this funding would be better distributed across a range of areas resulting in better health outcomes for the population.

The overall consensus is that the $7 million should be divided and invested in at least three areas of critical need. Firstly, I believe a portion of the $7 million should be invested in the already approved HealthOne clinic in Raymond Terrace, which has been a work in progress by the New South Wales government since 2005. Hunter New England Area Health Service purchased the old swimming pool site in Raymond Terrace for this project. Capital works documentation has been sent to the state Department of Health. Preliminary concept plans have been drawn up and a development application has been prepared to lodge with the Port Stephens Council. The plan is to commence building in 2011, opening in June 2012. The HealthOne facility will accommodate GPs, community health and allied health together with visiting specialists and other ambulatory care providers.

The Gillard Labor government made a rash decision as a grab for votes and promised $7 million for one GP superclinic—mind you, the one at Nelson Bay was only $2.5 million—without any community consultation. It makes no sense to duplicate a clinic that is already well into the planning stages and would be up and running well before a GP superclinic could be. After all, the Gillard Labor government has only completed a tiny fraction of the 36 clinics it promised during the 2007 election campaign, let alone in this latest round. I briefly raised this with the Minister for Health and Ageing yesterday and will seek a formal meeting in the coming weeks. I will indicate that it would be far more beneficial for the federal government to put a portion of the $7 million towards the HealthOne clinic and to use the rest for other projects.

Value for money is important, especially when other communities are screaming out for GP services. Recently the last GP service in the area of Clarence Town closed due to the retirement of its doctor. Community groups such as the Dungog/Clarence Town Country Women’s Association and Clarence Town Lions Club have written to me concerned that their community has now lost both medical practices. I have had the opportunity to meet with these community groups and with the CEO of the Hunter Rural Division of General Practice, Alison Crocker, to discuss options and a way forward to ensure growing communities like Clarence Town and the surrounds recover these important services. The residents of the Medowie-Salt Ash area have also been vocal in their need for increased GP services. The RAAF personnel around this area have already missed out because of the breaking of the Labor Party’s promise at the 2007 election to build a defence family healthcare clinic—a facility which would have eased the pressure in getting to see a GP in that area.

Securing access to GPs and specialist medical services for the people of Paterson electorate has always been a priority of mine. In Paterson we have a rapidly ageing population, while the median age of our doctors is also increasing. This means that demand for health services is becoming greater while more doctors are nearing retiring age, creating a doctor shortage as currently evidenced in Clarence Town. For all of the rhetoric that we have heard from this Labor government over the past couple of years regarding the overhaul of our health system, very little has changed or improved. However, now the Gillard Labor government has a chance to improve the lives of our regional patients by working with our local communities, and I urge it to do so.

The final promise that I would like to draw attention to is to alleviate the effects of planned aircraft noise from the introduction of the Joint Strike Fighter program at RAAF Base Williamtown. The Australian Noise Exposure Forecast, 2025 ANEF, was introduced in October 2009 and superseded by the draft Australian Noise Exposure Concept, ANEC 2025, released in May 2010. This has created a great amount of anxiety within my constituents, and it is the government’s responsibility to deliver a fair outcome for residents and for the RAAF alike. During the election campaign, Labor promised to convene a strategic task force of government agencies and local residents to explore all options and to remove the 2025 air noise draft mapping. This announcement contained absolutely no tangible ideas to shift the current mapping and, worse still, only sought to duplicate the Williamtown Consultative Forum which was already in place.

As a result, I will instead be fighting for the Gillard Labor government to adopt the coalition’s four-point plan, developed in consultation with the community, to alleviate the effects of aircraft noise and provide greater certainty for RAAF Base Williamtown. That includes installing a second instrument landing system to increase the number of aircraft approaches from the sea rather than over developed residential areas. Secondly, it should extend the runway towards the sand hills by the maximum amount to move the noise footprint away from the Raymond Terrace and Brandy Hill areas. Thirdly, the 2025 mapping should be immediately repealed and replaced with a new ANEC, incorporating all of the above measures. Finally, an independent audit committee should be established to examine all proposals to mitigate the noise effect, including the grandfathering rule used by Ipswich council to address construction and development issues under noise affected areas. It is simply unacceptable that the people of Port Stephens should be burdened with the potential impacts on their health and property values when they simply do not have to be. The government needs to address the concerns of our community and provide for the operations at RAAF Base Williamtown for the long term. Neither residents nor I will allow Labor to forget its responsibilities.

As member for Paterson I pride myself on knowing the needs of my constituents, because I am out and about in the electorate almost every day talking to them and taking up their fight here in Canberra. For that reason I will be making representations on behalf of my constituents to the government to act on all the commitments made during the election campaign, whether by the ALP or the coalition. Those commitments made by me were based on months of discussions with my constituents. The worthy projects include a hydrotherapy pool and chemotherapy units at Forster-Tuncurry so that patients do not have to travel to Taree for treatment. Travel is the last stress patients need when they are battling illness.

Digital television upgrades at Vacy and Elizabeth Beach: reception upgrades would ensure that my constituents can access reliable, local, clear digital television. This not only has impacts for news and entertainment but will also ensure that local businesses can advertise to local people. This is important for our local community.

I will continue to fight for skate parks for Wallalong and Paterson so that the children in those towns have somewhere safe away from traffic to ride their scooters, bicycles and skateboards. Skate parks also encourage kids to be social and to stay active—important lessons to be carried throughout life.

Crime and antisocial behaviour are issues that need to be addressed in the Paterson electorate and closed-circuit television cameras have a proven track record in combating illegal behaviour. As such, in 2007 I successfully fought to have CCTV cameras placed in vandalism hot spots in Nelson Bay, and now, following their success, other business owners have told me they would like to have security cameras rolled out as well. That is why I am pushing for federal funding to roll out a series of cameras across Dungog, Port Stephens, Forster and East Maitland.

I will also fight to ensure funding is allocated to three Green Army projects under whichever name this Labor government may deem to put them, those being the Pipers Creek Walkway, Tilligerry Habitat Reserve and Mangrove Boardwalk. Why? Because these projects are important to our community, important to the environment. These projects were to deliver significant training and practical experience in the vital areas of environmental management while delivering community benefits.

Last but certainly not least, I will continue to fight for the $71 million to upgrade roads between Paterson, Vacy and Gresford, the Bucketts Way, the Lakes Way, the Nelson Bay to Fingal bypass and Main Road 301 between Raymond Terrace and Dungog. Labor made absolutely no commitment to new road funding for the electorate of Paterson during the election campaign. All their candidate would say is that he would fight for funding, but not one dollar was committed. But it is an issue which is always at the top of my agenda. I have always believed that when you build a road you create a highway to opportunity. Good quality roads are a basic need for regional communities, which rely on roads to access health, education and other vital facilities. Quality roads encourage economic growth in smaller towns and safety for drivers. Every dollar invested potentially saves a life.

Roads are also one of the reasons I oppose the Tillegra Dam, which is sure to be an important issue during this term of government. The damage bill to local roads due to truck movements in construction has been estimated at between $30 million and $35 million, yet the New South Wales Labor government has committed just $1 million in repair work. There have also been serious questions raised about the dam’s effect on the local environment. All these issues have created division and uncertainty for local businesses and residents alike in the Dungog area. The most recent independent review by the Centre for International Economics, CIE, has rejected the $477 million dam as the best way to meet the Hunter region’s future water needs. I stand by my decision in 2009 to stand up against the dam, and in 2010 I am still yet to be convinced it is the best solution for the Hunter’s future water needs. I will continue to place pressure on our state Labor government and federal Labor government to stop work on the dam and reconsider other water supply options.

Finally, I would like to draw attention to the Greens-Labor plan to install Commonwealth marine protected areas up and down the east coast of Australia, including the entire coastal fringe of the Paterson electorate. The Gillard Labor government completely failed to negotiate with my constituents on this matter, despite the fact that much of the Paterson community lives, works and plays on the coast. I wholeheartedly support the protection of our marine environment. It would be natural; I come from the diving industry. However, I am also keenly aware of the rights of fishing and tourism communities which rely on our waterways for their livelihoods. That is why it is vital that the right balance be struck, through constant and thorough consultation. My constituents can rest assured that I will do everything within my power to ensure their coastal rights are protected.

As I have said before, it is paramount that we hold the Gillard Labor government to account. Regardless of any changes to parliamentary procedure, that is the job of the opposition and I am absolutely committed to it. Already, just weeks after the election, Prime Minister Gillard has broken a promise to the Australian people. Prime Minister Gillard categorically ruled out a carbon tax before the election; now she is working to impose one in this term.

There have been far too many broken promises under Labor, and Australia cannot afford another term like the last one under Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard. We as a nation are in record debt and we have seen record waste through mismanaged programs like the school halls rip-off and the insulation disaster. Interest rates are spiralling upwards because of the national debt, and grocery and power prices will skyrocket under the Julia Gillard-Bob Brown carbon tax. My pledge is to work every day to ensure that the Gillard Labor government cannot continue to break the promises it makes to my constituents. We as a coalition will also fight to ensure that Labor hears our voice loud and clear. Had it heeded our advice prior to rolling out the insulation scheme or the BER program, we would not have seen such waste and tragedy.

I am proud to represent the electorate of Paterson and work hard all year round to represent my community. Of course, even though the work level stays constant, stress levels have been high over the past several weeks in light of the election campaign. With that in mind I would like to say a few thankyous. I believe a local member is only as strong as the team behind him, and in Paterson my team produced an unprecedented result, with a swing of almost five per cent towards the coalition, winning the seat with 51.3 per cent of the primary vote. This was in spite of a redistribution which lowered our winning margin to under half a per cent.

To my staff members, chief of staff Sarah Harrison, electorate advisers Adam Olsen, Simon Ryan and Gary Hoson, media adviser Alexandra Wilson and my former defence adviser Richard Briedis: you all put your lives on hold and embraced the even longer working hours, unusual requests and constant stress that always accompany a Team Baldwin election campaign. You are an asset to the office. More importantly, your knowledge and contentment are assets to the Paterson community. To the family and friends of my staff: thank you for lending me your loved ones 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

To the volunteers who worked tirelessly and passionately for me throughout the campaign, doing everything from driving to stuffing envelopes to answering phones to manning the information booths, nothing was ever too much trouble. A special thankyou to Councillor Bob Geoghegan, my campaign director, Councillor Stephen Mudd and his wife Ros, Dennis and Elizabeth Martin, Pam and Alan Walker, Kim Cregan, Michelle Mexon, Susan Swords, Cassandra Ryan, David Lonie, Di Gibbs, Rob Olsen, Colin Haddow, Sonny Morris, and especially to Doreen Bradley and of course Lady, our little mascot. To the 700-plus local volunteers who turned out on polling day from the wee hours of the morning until the last vote was counted in the evening, time does not permit me to name you all but to all of you I express my sincere gratitude. You came from every corner of the electorate to champion our cause and it made the difference. It is a pleasure to represent you in this parliament.

To my immediate family—my wife, Cynthia, and my children, Robbie, David and Samantha—I say thank you. It is wonderful to be able to share this moment with you. I know that it has sometimes been difficult to spend time together. As a husband and a father I am often missing in action. But I do know that I always have your love and support, and you have mine. It is this support that allows me to properly serve the Paterson electorate, not only making things better for my family and my children but for all families and all children. In the words of William Shakespeare:

I can no other answer make but thanks, and thanks.

Finally, I say to my constituents: I am energised and ready to take on all the challenges of the future to make sure that Paterson continues to be a wonderful place to live and to work. I will fight to deliver the outcomes we deserve as well as hold this government to account. My door is always open. Thank you again for giving me the honour of being your voice in the Australian parliament. I will make sure our voice is heard loud and clear, because I listen locally and act nationally.

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