Jill Hall (Shortland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

No. I visited Gwandalan Public School, and the principal and the president of the P&C showed me the school’s classrooms. There was mould on the floor. There was rotting carpet and mildew. The roofs leaked. But the Building the Education Revolution has now delivered new classrooms to this school, and the school is so proud and happy with what is taking place. The rooms are not quite completed but when they are they will be classrooms for the 21st century with smartboards and every other educational aid needed for student success. This is a far cry from what happened under the previous government.

It is important to recognise that the Building the Education Revolution was also about creating a stimulus for the economy. I have had a number of construction companies come and talk to me about what it has meant for them. They have been able to keep their workforce intact as opposed to having to shed the jobs of construction workers. It has been a big boost for those companies. Instead of only one or two people remaining employed, the three companies who talked with me have managed to retain the workers employed by them—16, 50 and 80 people respectively.

Under the previous government, there were plans to build an Australian technical college on the Central Coast. There was a lot of talk but there was no action. Under the Gillard government, Australian technical colleges have been devolved to the local high schools. Northlakes, Gorokan and Lake Munmorah High Schools in the electorate of Shortland now have Australian technical colleges. In addition, they each have trade training centres. They have state-of-the-art training centres for young people prior to their entering the workforce. This is a great boost for young people in an area where there is a very high level of unemployment. There is 40 per cent youth unemployment. Furthermore, young people have great difficulties with travel because the area is made up of a series of little villages. Now those students can get the education they need in their local school.

The Gillard government delivered a Medicare office for Belmont, one that the Howard government closed and ripped out. The Howard government refused also to give any money to the Fernleigh Track, whereas under the Gillard government we have now concluded the track, taking it to its end. It is nearly 20 kilometres of cycleway and walking track and the Gillard government has put $2.85 million into it.

The Shortland electorate is an electorate where people live. Young people attend university in Newcastle, and the government has put a lot of money into Newcastle University. Belmont Hospital has benefited under the health and hospital reforms, and enormous amounts of money have also gone into John Hunter Hospital, Wyong Hospital and Gosford Hospital—all hospitals that people in Shortland electorate use and that will benefit from this extra money. The Gillard government has also put money into the Hunter Medical Research Institute, which is delivering to people within the Shortland electorate, and the CSIRO. These are all investments that benefit the people of Shortland electorate.

The main sectors of employment for people in the Shortland electorate are: retail, construction, light industrial, service and health. The commitment of the Gillard government to apprenticeships will definitely benefit the young people in Shortland electorate. We can see that there is a need for young people to be able to train and to develop skills, and that will address the skills shortage that was allowed to develop under the Howard government.

The Gillard and Rudd governments have delivered a strong economy to the people of Australia. Australia has one of the strongest economies in the world, and that is something that we should all be proud of. We came through the global financial crisis with flying colours. It was because of investment in programs like Building the Education Revolution that this came about.

What we on this side of the House want to see develop is a fair and resilient society, where people with disabilities have the kinds of opportunities that other people have and where older Australians can actually get the services they need and not be discriminated against. We make a commitment to look at putting in place policies and programs that will help people with mental illness and people that are disadvantaged. I remind the House of the additional money that the government gave to pensioners and of the paid parental leave scheme.

I believe Australia is a nation with a great future, a future that all Australians can share in. The role of the government is to see that this comes to fruition. I seek to table a list—it is not an inclusive list by any means—of investments that have taken place in Shortland electorate under the Gillard and Rudd governments.

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