Richard Marles (Corio, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Pacific Island Affairs) Share this | Hansard source

Let me say at the outset that in a speech which is principally—at least, for my part—about giving thankyous to many people who have helped me in the last three years and, in particular in the last election, it is a great privilege to be able to make this speech in the presence of the member for Corangamite, who holds the other seat within Geelong. He and I work very closely together in representing the interests of Geelong within this place. I think we operate as a good team, and we have certainly become very good friends. I know that he has worked incredibly hard here in this building over the last three years in representing the interests of the constituents of Corangamite, and that of course was very deservedly rewarded by his re-election to this place.

The 2010 election was a gruelling election, for many reasons. I suspect the member for Corangamite will feel that more than I do. One way in which the election was particularly gruelling was by virtue of the weather, it being a winter election. So I would like to start by thanking everybody in every party who participated in this election—those who handed out pamphlets on that cold day, those who got up early to go to train stations in the morning and those who letter-boxed into the evening—because, no matter which party they did so on behalf of, they deserve the thanks of the Australian people. Engaging in the act of democracy is a hard thing to do. It is particularly hard to do it in the middle of August.

I would like to thank the officials of the Australian Electoral Commission for what they did during the election. I would particularly like to thank the parents and friends of the Clifton Springs Primary School who, on the afternoon of election day, were conducting a sausage sizzle from a caravan which had one of those flaps which came up to provide some form of shelter. As a storm came through, their generosity of spirit meant that in a very bipartisan way ‘hander-outers’ from every colour and persuasion of the political spectrum were huddled under that veranda and that prevented us all from being soaked, so I thank them.

The election ventilated a number of local issues in Geelong—the future of Avalon Airport and the extension of the dual carriageway on the Princes Highway towards Colac—and there was debate around some local priority projects such as the library and Skilled Stadium. There are two observations that I would like to make about the local election debate. The first, as I have mentioned, is that there are two electorates in Geelong. There is the electorate of Corio, which has been held by the Labor Party since 1967, and the electorate of Corangamite, which, I think I am right in saying, at this election returned the closest result of any electorate in the country. Naturally, in that context, the local media focused very much on the electorate of Corangamite, as it should and as we expect it to do. But it is important to note that, since 2007, much work has been done by this government in the electorate of Corio. Indeed $163 million has been spent in the Corio electorate on things such as education, health, industry, development, transport infrastructure—I could go on. It is important that, whilst media attention is going to be on the more marginal electorate, the work that has been done in the other electorate should not be forgotten. It is all too easy for the local media to come out with a line that nothing happens in the north because it is not a marginal seat. Of course, nothing could be further from the truth.

The second observation that I would like to make is the differing attitudes that were taken by the two main contestants in this election—the coalition and the Labor Party—when it came to local promises around particular local priorities. I am referring to the development of Skilled Stadium and the development of the Geelong Library, in particular. The Labor Party certainly made no commitment to the future funding of either of those projects. On the face of it, the opposition appeared to make a commitment in relation to both of them. Of course, that commitment formed part of a raft of commitments that were made across the country, which were unfunded. We now know there was an $11 billion black hole in the costings across the country. Funding for the local projects was spread out over a very long period of time, a fair part of those funds not being accounted for within the forward estimates. I think it is fair to say in hindsight that had the opposition formed government after the election there would have been a very real doubt as to whether or not those commitments would ultimately have been delivered.

From our point of view, as the Prime Minister said, we did go into this election saying that every dollar committed through an election commitment in the lead-up to the election would be met by an equivalent dollar in savings. That was the right thing to do. The fact that we did not make a commitment in that context to these two projects does not mean that they were not worthy; nor does it mean that they never, ever will come to fruition. But it does pay to remember that projects of this kind have no right to public expenditure on them; that, in the aftermath of the global financial crisis, after the necessary spending in the form of the stimulus, it is important to get the budget back into the black, and so we do live in a time of restraint; and that locally we were living the commitment that was made by the Prime Minister nationally. The proponents of these projects will continue to argue for them, as of course they should, as it is important for them to do because they are worthy projects. While there can be no guarantee that they will be funded until a decision is ultimately made about them, what can be guaranteed is that no funding will ever come forth without the very good advocacy which is being mounted on their behalf.

In relation to the national issues that were ventilated during the election—along with, I think, a desire to see at last a national health system across our country and to make sure that Work Choices never returns to Australian workplaces—in my view the economy formed the key issue. That the Labor government were able to save 200,000 jobs through the way in which the economy was managed during the global financial crisis is an incredible achievement. It averts a negative legacy which would have lasted for generations in our community. There were two particular local announcements—one by Ford at the end of 2008 to reverse a previous decision to close its engine plant and the other by Viridian glass to merge with MHG glass and overturn a decision to close its automotive glass plant—which were both very important in terms of keeping morale going during what was expected to be a very difficult year indeed in 2009.

The Building the Education Revolution was a very important initiative during the last term of government which of course continues today and, I think, did play out during the election. In the electorate of Corio, $114 million has been spent. I have opened the wonderful, state-of-the-art Katsumata Centre at Kardinia International College which on one day can be set up, as I saw it, as a scene from the French Revolution—I was there on the night of the school production of Les Miserablesand the next day can be converted into a basketball court. I have opened the multipurpose assembly area at the North Shore Primary School which has revolutionised the way in which activities are conducted at that school but has also helped engage that school with the community, as more community groups are able to use it. At St Francis Xavier’s School, a primary school, we now see modern classrooms which provide cutting-edge pedagogy for that school, as it should, in that part of Geelong. In addition, Diversitat, which is a community organisation that runs vocational education and training, now has a state-of-the-art media training centre in the heart of Geelong. This is a magnificent legacy for the youth of Geelong which will be experienced by young people in our city for decades to come, and it is the result of the Building the Education Revolution program. I do not think that that was lost on the voters of Geelong, not for a minute, when they came to express their opinion on 21 August.

The result in Corio was a swing to the Labor Party of 5.3 per cent, which now sees the margin in Corio at 14.2 per cent, which I think I am right in saying is the largest margin that has ever been returned in Corio. That is far from being my result; it is the result of so many people whom I would like to thank on this occasion: Roger Lowrey, my campaign director, of course; and the many people in my office, who do a wonderful job of representing and supporting me in the work that I have done to date as the member for Corio and previously as the Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation and Industry—Geraldine Eren, Grant Dew, Chris Balaam, Hayley Harrison, Ella George, Pauline Braniff, Saverina Chirumbolo and Karyn Murray, who is based here in Canberra, as well as Russell Menzies and Mark Donohue, who both worked in my office in the last three years.

The state MPs who are going through their own trial of fire at the moment have also given me great support over the last three years: John Eren, Michael Crutchfield and Lisa Neville, along with Ian Trezise and Gayle Tierney. There are many who worked on the campaign in Corio, and I would like to mention Cameron Granger, David Saunderson, Lou Brazier, Rod MacDonald, Chris Kelly, Vlad Selakovic, Leonie Sheedy, Tony Beck, Nandi Young, Peter Symons and Peter McMullen. I am blessed to have a number of friends from my days at school who retain a friendship with me and who have known me now for most of my life. We are in a sense the witnesses to each other’s lives, and that is a wonderful thing indeed. It was great to me that Ninian Lewis, Peter Little and William Reeves could be with me and help on election day, and I know that Darren Fox was there in spirit.

My sisters, Vic Marles, Jen Green and Liz Marles, were all there helping out on election day, along with my parents, Fay and Don Marles. Also, from my own family, my son, Sam, who is now 14, handed out at his first election with his cousin, Alex. My eldest daughter, Bella, who showed an unhealthy interest in campaigning at street stalls at the very tender age of six, my son, Harvey, and daughter, Georgia, are all incredibly tolerant of what I do and provide me with enormous love. I am a very lucky man indeed having them as my children. Of course, the person I would like to thank the most and to whom I am in the greatest debt is my wife, Rachel Schutze, who allows me to do what I do and provides me with enormous support in doing it, and much love along the way. I thank you, Rachel, for being with me every step along the way.

There are a number in the civic leadership of Geelong I would also like to mention in this speech, certainly not in the context of supporting my campaign because they of course stood aside from politics and act very much in a bipartisan way. I have worked closely with them, as the civic leadership of Geelong, over the last three years and I think they have made my life a lot easier. From the City of Greater Geelong: Mayor John Mitchell and the previous mayor, Bruce Harwood; CEO Steve Griffin and, before him, Kay Rundle. From the Committee for Geelong: the CEO, Peter Dorling; the chair, Michael Betts and, prior to Michael, Jim Cousins. From G21: the chair, Ed Coppe; CEO Elaine Carbines and, before her, Andrew Scott. From the Geelong Football Club, an important institution in Geelong: the President, Frank Costa, who finishes at the end of this year, and Brian Cook. From Deakin University: Vice-Chancellor Jane den Hollander and, prior to Jane, Sally Walker.

When I look at that group of people I know that Geelong is in very good hands indeed. They do make my life easier because from them emanates a power of ideas. For the most part they are very coordinated in the way they articulate the priorities for the Geelong region and they do make a real difference. They have provided me with great friendship over the last three years and I thank them for it. Many of them are here today as part of a two-day lobbying trip to Canberra—‘Geelong meets Canberra’. It is the fifth visit of its kind in a program that began via the Committee for Geelong five years ago. They are meeting with ministers, parliamentary secretaries and, indeed, shadow ministers and members of the opposition, raising the issues that face Geelong and the challenges that are presented to Geelong, as well as making an indelible mark on this place about Geelong in the context of our nation. It is right that Geelong should be seen on the national stage as one of Australia’s leading and largest regional cities. There are lots of issues, such as the Princes Highway West and the building of the Premiership Stand at Skilled Stadium, which began in conversations on trips of this kind in the past and which, in the case of the Premiership Stand, are now a reality. It is a program which has, very importantly, helped to place Geelong on the national map. I thank them for doing that.

In addition to those I have mentioned amongst the civic leadership, most of whom are here this week, I would also like to welcome to this building today Jason Trethowan, Kevin Roach, Mark Sanders, Kean Selway, Gabrielle Nagle, Mark Davis, Councillor Libby Coker, Michael King, Justin Giddings, Chris Dare, Bridget Connor, Amy Gibson, Jack Green, Bernadette Uzelac, Councillor Andy Richards, Councillor John Doull, Councillor Taanya Widdicombe, Pats Hannelore and Alli Murphy, along with Andrew Tillett and Danny Breen from the local media.

Tonight we have the third annual FedCats dinner, which is a centrepiece of this trip and is there to allow those in this building and in this parliament who support the Geelong Football Club to give expression to our innermost feelings. We will have in attendance tonight the new coach of the Geelong Football Club, Chris Scott, dual premiership player, Max Rooke, Bob Gartland, a member of the board, and his wife, Phillipa.

On a serious note, it is hard to overstate the significance of the Geelong Football Club to the city of Geelong. It is easily the most culturally unifying phenomenon that we have in Geelong. As we have gone through the glory days over the past few years, we have clearly seen the extent to which everyone in the City of Greater Geelong participates in the wonder which is the Geelong Football Club. We are proud and we are passionate, but aside from that emotional connection there is a strong economic side to the football club, as it brings many people to Geelong. It is also clearly, at a national level, the most recognisable Geelong brand that exists. It projects our city onto the national stage in a way that we could not hope to do without it.

Finally, I mention an issue which has gained some significant coverage in the Geelong media over the past few weeks: a debate about the revitalisation of Geelong’s central business district. The debate was sparked by a decision by the Kentucky Fried Chicken chain to close its store in the centre of Geelong, leaving the building it inhabited vacant. That building now joins many other shopfronts in Geelong’s CBD which are vacant. This has raised concerns amongst the people of Geelong, and these are concerns that I share. I commend the Geelong Advertiser for commencing a campaign around this issue of how we can revitalise our CBD.

I have spoken about this on a number of occasions in this place. I have said that the key to being able to revitalise Geelong’s CBD is to restore the enormous heritage value which exists within the Geelong CBD. There is an incredible history within the Geelong CBD. It is perhaps the best collection of heritage buildings which sits adjacent to greater Port Phillip Bay, and there is something very special about that. We also need to see a greater use of our CBD. That is in some ways to state the obvious, but I am talking about not only the shopfronts but also the area above that—levels 1 and 2, which are largely vacant in the Geelong CBD. If we could get more life into them—if we could restore the heritage value of the CBD—we would go a long way towards revitalising the heart of Geelong.

However, encouraging the use and upgrade of a private dwelling is very much the private decision of whoever owns that particular property—a decision which, of course, can be influenced by policies and initiatives of all three tiers of government, but which is at its heart a private decision. Providing encouragement and coordinating all of that become difficult issues. It is for that reason that on Monday, 6 December, I will be holding a summit on the revitalisation of Geelong’s CBD to get together all the people who can make a difference on this issue, to hear what problems exist in relation to the CBD—the problems experienced by the shop and property owners—and to get a sense of what has worked by talking to those who have restored their buildings to their former glory. There are a couple of examples of that, and those buildings look great. It would be good to hear from those owners why they restored their buildings, how much it cost and what benefit they got from undertaking that exercise. Most importantly, we need to get everyone around the table to see what solutions can be found to revitalise our CBD. It is the traditional heart of Geelong. The vital signs are still there; they need to be reinvigorated.

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