David Gillespie (Lyne, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

In speaking to these important pieces of legislation, it is important to see them in the overall context of our budgetary and policy agenda. Many here would recall the six years of week-in and week-out chaos of the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd governments as one of the worst periods of budget and economic management in our nation's history.

At the end of 2007, when the coalition left office, the previous Labor government's debt had been repaid. There was $25 billion in the bank and a $75 billion Future Fund had been established, along with multibillion dollar perpetual funds for communications and higher education. The Howard coalition government was also able to deliver record investment in infrastructure and regular tax cuts and created families and seniors initiatives.

By the time the Australian people threw out the Labor-Greens-Independent government in 2013, the money in the bank had been spent and debt was forecast to grow to $667 billion, based on Labor's spending trajectory. The task for the incoming coalition government therefore was to fix the mess that the Labor Party had created and begin implementing policy decisions that delivered greater efficiencies within government, reduced red tape and delivered overall confidence in the economy, so that businesses could grow and more jobs could be created.

As we anticipated the changes in the Senate in the lead up to the first budget, there was an expectation that, with a change in the Senate composition with a few more people who had actually had some life and business experience, there would be a greater understanding of the risk and of the task confronting the government on behalf of the people of Australia. The risk being the huge debt that we had inherited.

It was with this expectation that the government pursued the passage of a legislative program necessary to rein in the budget deficit as part of the overall plan to repay Labor's debt and eliminate the projected $20 billion annual interest bill on that debt. There are varying degrees on how we could implement such a program, but through critical analysis and through discussion with senators there is the ability to deliver good policies and reform to get our country moving.

We have succeeded in abolishing the carbon tax and the mining tax. We have stopped the people-smuggling racket which saw hundreds, probably at least 1,200, of people die at sea. We have begun rolling out our $50 billion infrastructure package. We are fixing the initial botched rollout of the NBN and are actually delivering it. We have opened up many new business opportunities for Australia in securing three new free trade agreements. We have so far abolished up to $2 billion worth of red tape. We have already been able to achieve some significant savings in the budget through the passage of over 80 per cent of our budget measures, but there is still much more to be done, and this legislation is important to the overall task.

Recently, the Prime Minister announced a plan to build on our efforts to deliver growth and jobs, and this year's budget will assist in that process. Coalition MPs are working on a range of policy initiatives throughout the 15 portfolio committees to address many of the challenges confronting the budget. These policies will be announced and implemented throughout the remainder of this term. The Abbott-Truss coalition government is also focused on developing a broader strategic plan for growth in key regional areas. These strategies will be based on sound, evidence based policies informed by a broad suite of white papers, including: the White Paper on Developing Northern Australia, the Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper, the Energy White Paper, the tax reform white paper and the White Paper on the Reform of the Federation.

There is so much to be done. Just as it did under the Howard coalition government, our policy agenda will take time to implement, but I am confident that, as our policy work continues in tandem with our budget work, we will see significant improvement to our economy, delivering hope, reward and opportunity for all Australians.

In my electorate of Lyne, since the election, we have had a number of local achievements, with the federal coalition government delivering funding for a range of projects, including $10 million towards the replacement Dyers Crossing Bridge on Wallanbah Road and Dickenson Bridge on the Moto Road, and upgrades to Manning Point Road from Old Bar Road to Bohnock Bridge and Gloucester Road from Boundary Road to Dollys Flat Road, Killawarra Station Road to Killawarra Bridge and Bo-Bo Creek Bridge for one kilometre south. Over $17 million towards the Bucketts Way upgrade between Taree and Gloucester. This year, Greater Taree City Council will receive $7.45 million, Port Macquarie-Hastings Council will receive $8.89 million, Gloucester Shire Council will receive $2.21 million and Kempsey Shire Council will receive $5.62 million for local infrastructure and services in the Manning Valley under the federal Financial Assistance Grant scheme. A further $7.1 million has been secured for the Manning, $7.4 million has been secured for Port Macquarie-Hastings, $2.4 million has been secured for the Gloucester Shire and $4.9 million has been secured for the Macleay Valley in Roads to Recovery funding to improve the local road network between 2014-15 and 2018-19.

The Gloucester High School Metal Industries Trades Skills Centre received $920,000 in federal funding, which will help to give students qualifications including the certificate I in Manufacturing Pathways and the certificate I in Engineering.

The federal coalition government is delivering on its plan to improve the rollout of the NBN. We are rolling it out cheaper and faster than the previous timetable. Many areas in my electorate of Lyne would have been waiting for at least 10 years under the old plan. But since the election, and over the course of the next 18 months, a further 15,000 premises will be able to access the NBN throughout the Manning Valley, Gloucester and parts of the Hastings Valley—in particular, Camden Haven, Wauchope and Harrington.

Wingham Scout Hall has received $50,000 towards its refurbishment.

There is $820 million for the upgrade of the Pacific Highway between the Oxley Highway and Kundabung and another $230 million for the section between Kundabung and Kempsey. That will improve travel times and safety. It will reduce the travel time from the Manning to Brisbane and bring new tourists and trade to our area more cheaply. There will be 1,000 direct jobs created by the civil works and 3,000 indirect jobs created in the region as a result of this $1 billion in spending.

The Cundletown Soccer Club has received $25,000 towards the upgrade of its facilities, which has already been achieved. The federal government has directed $75,000 towards the upgrade of Taree Motorcycle Club's complex.

In black spot funding for safety improvements, $300,000 has been spent from The Lakes Way to Seven Mile Road on the Pacific Highway.

The federal government has spent $2.97 million as part of a $4.25 million upgrade at St Paul's High School in Port Macquarie. We have spent $1.05 million on the operations and training centre of Surf Life Saving New South Wales. There has been $15 million of federal money contributed to the $30 million spent on the Sancrox Interchange and $2.8 million has been allocated to the Port Macquarie Regional Indoor Stadium upgrade, which I am looking forward to being delivered.

We have supported a new aged-care complex in Gloucester, which sorely needs this development. Nambucca Valley Care is progressing with plans to build the new complex. NSW Health currently holds many of the federally funded aged-care places and has recently put out an expression of interest for the places. I am hoping that Nambucca Valley Care, which has the same aspirations, will be successful in negotiating for those places.

Wherrol Flat Hall is the recipient of $4,600 to improve its honour board. There is funding for a number of other important veterans' and Centenary of Anzac projects, including $11,550 for the Wingham RSL Sub Branch, $6,920 for the Manning Valley Historical Society, $8,295 for the Friends of Wingham Town Hall, $4,000 for the Taree RSL Sub Branch to improve the Taree War Memorial Clock, $3,900 for the Harrington Crowdy Head RSL Sub Branch and $12,585 for the Taree RSL Sub Branch.

In the electorate of Lyne we have a local Work for the Dole program being rolled out in a number of community projects. There has been $2.4 million spent on the Wauchope Hospital palliative care unit. There has been $3,612 allocated to restore the Harrington Memorial Hall and Literary Institute's First World War honour board and install a Centenary of Anzac commemorative sign. There has been $75,000 allocated to the upgrade of the Tinonee Memorial School of Arts Hall. There has been $292,000 allocated for closed-circuit television in Taree's central business district—throughout Victoria Street and to the cenotaph east of Macquarie Street. There has been $9,500 allocated towards the construction of new, accessible paths and handrails for a classroom building at the Manning Valley Anglican College.

A number of Green Army projects have been announced in the Lyne electorate, with $22,000 going towards the Crowdy Bay National Park post bushfire Bitou Bush Control Landcare project and to undertake environmental restoration at the Cattai Wetlands in a weed control project. The Green Army Healthy Kooloonbung Creek project has been announced for Port Macquarie.

There has been a federal government contribution of $969,000 for the expansion and redevelopment of St Peter's Primary School in Port Macquarie.

This year, in the aged-care sector, there have been 10 extra residential aged-care places allocated to Old Bar's Banyula Lodge and 11 home-care places for Taree's Storm Retirement Village.

We are cutting the small-business tax burden on 1 July this year from 30 per cent down to 28½ per cent. Axing Labor's carbon tax is saving average households $550 a year.

The Gloucester High School P&C Association has received $45,000 in federal funds for the purchase of a new bus. There has been $90,000 contributed from the federal government towards the $125,000 upgrade of the Port Macquarie Tennis Club fencing and lighting, as well as access pathways and ramps. Eighty-five thousand dollars has been allocated for the Birpai men's shed in Port Macquarie.

One point five million dollars of federal funds has been used very wisely at the Port Macquarie Private Hospital, in Lake Road, where Ramsay Health Care have delivered a $4½ million project to multiply the effects of the $1.5 million grant. The Gloucester Project has received $4,000 to assist in its work in Gloucester.

Five thousand, seven hundred and thirty-one dollars has been allocated to the War Veterans' Remembrance Drive project. The association is going to install memorial plaques for 12 local schools along the Wingham to Wauchope Remembrance Drive. There are so many other things that I would like to announce. (Time expired)

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