Rowan Ramsey (Grey, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2014-2015 and cognate bills. In an electorate like Grey there is always plenty to talk about—lots of worthy projects and lots of opportunities. While we never move as fast as we would perhaps quite like to, there have been a number of successfully concluded projects that were recipients of federal government assistance in the last 12 months. I would like to just to touch on a few of them.

The three major airports in Grey, at Port Lincoln, Whyalla and Port Augusta, have all seen major new works to their terminals completed or opened in the last 12 months. These airports are all owned by the local councils and this has made a significant difference. Port Lincoln Airport is the second busiest airport in South Australia, and all of them now present a very fine entrance to their cities. There have been major new works in aged care at the Yeltana Nursing Home run by Whyalla Aged Care, with $2 million in capital grants announced and a further $2 million in interest-free loans. $1.4 million has been announced for the Mary MacKillop Wing at Star of the Sea Aged Care Home in Wallaroo and well over $2 million each for the Barunga Village in Port Broughton and the Helping Hand Aged Care centre in Port Pirie. There has also been $900,000 allocated to Coober Pedy council for a new pipeline, and $5 million has gone to the Port Augusta regional community sports hub, which I will have the great honour of opening in a couple of weeks time. There is a raft of support for community organisations, right across the electorate and too numerous to mention.

Certainly some of this money was committed under the previous government, but whenever money is committed it must be delivered. I support those commitments and it is a good thing that we can support our regional communities.

But the nation has huge economic challenges and we must fairly inform the people of the challenges ahead. Some—even some in this chamber—say that debt does not matter; that Australia's debts are low compared with Italy, Spain or Greece. And that is the case, but those countries deal with 20 per cent-plus unemployment figures. They have rates of youth unemployment that top 50 per cent. You imagine what a scrap heap it is for young people to spend the first 10 years of their working life in an unemployment queue. It is paramount that we get the finances of Australia back under control so we do not end up like those European economies, in which I have no faith at all—I have very little faith that they will ever be able to get their debts under control.

A stitch in time, and that is the challenge facing this government. At the moment, we are borrowing a $100 million a day, and more than 30 per cent of that $100 million goes directly to pay the interest on our borrowings.

Mr Champion interjecting—

While I am facing interjections from the member for Wakefield—

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