Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Cabinet Secretary) Share this | Hansard source

As members are aware, this year's budget was framed at a defining moment for our economy against a backdrop of natural disasters at home and overseas, softer economic conditions in the near term and a return to boom conditions that will stretch our economy's capacity over the coming years. In this context, the government's focus with this budget has been clear: to bring the budget back to surplus, to invest in skills and training and to get more Australians into work.

This budget responds to Australia's workforce needs through better and more targeted skills and training and new measures to boost participation. The budget expands our healthcare system, invests in infrastructure, makes regional Australia a better place to live and continues to assist families. In line with these strategies, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet has 11 new measures in this budget, including the impact of the temporary increase in the efficiency dividend.

Furthering our commitment to mental health, the government will provide $24.4 million over four years to establish Australia's first National Mental Health Commission. This is part of very large new funding for mental health services. The Gillard government is strongly committed to planning more effectively for the future mental health needs of our country, creating greater accountability and transparency in the mental health system and giving mental health prominence at a national level. The National Mental Health Commission will be established within the Prime Minister's portfolio and, through the Prime Minister, will report back to parliament, bringing a truly whole-of-government focus to the task of mental health reform.

In addition to this significant new investment in mental health, this budget provides $6.5 million over four years to maintain support for the delivery of the Council of Australian Government's reform agenda—an important agenda which is aimed at improving the wellbeing of Australians now and into the future. This budget provides for a $5 million donation in 2010-11 to the New Zealand Red Cross earthquake appeal to help with the earthquake recovery effort. These funds are helping in the immediate recovery and in getting Christchurch back on its feet after one of New Zealand's darkest days. Indeed, we have had the opportunity this week, with the visit of New Zealand Prime Minister John Key and his address to a joint sitting of both houses, to convey our direct sympathies to the people of New Zealand for the events of this year, which regrettably are continuing.

This budget provides $2 million over three years to the United States Studies Centre at the University of Sydney to further inform policy discussions on Australia's alliance with the United States. The budget also provides for a departmental contribution of $168,000 over two years to fund the Commonwealth's involvement in the commission of inquiry into the Queensland floods.

In the arts, this budget provides $1.6 million across the forward estimates for the Contemporary Music Touring Program to provide grants for professional artists to perform original contemporary Australian music in regional and remote Australia where this otherwise would be commercially unviable. In order to support this new investment, this budget will deliver savings of $1.6 million over four years from the GetReading! program by promoting books and reading in a more cost-effective way, including utilising digital technology and e-publishing. This budget delivers on our election commitment to provide $10 million over five years in additional support for Australian artwork. In a significant contribution to Australian sport the government will provide up to $38 million to the organisation and staging of the 2015 Asian Football Confederation Asian Cup and to ensure the sustainability of football in the lead-up to the event. In addition, this budget provides some $4.6 million over five years to establish a task force to coordinate the Commonwealth's role in supporting the cup.

The government will achieve further savings of $5.6 million over four years from 2010-11 from the testing and research components of the Illicit Drugs in Sport Program and the research component of the Sport Anti-Doping Program. These savings will be redirected to support other government priorities such as the extension to the Active After-school Communities program. I commend the appropriation to the House.

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