Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak on Appropriation Bill (No. 3) 2014-2015 and Appropriation Bill (No. 4) 2014-2015. These bills seek approval for appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund for the ordinary annual services of the government. I am pleased to speak on the appropriation bills today because they help provide a road map that aids us in achieving sensible, responsible budgetary measures. I note that standing order 76( c) provides that, when we are debating appropriation bills, members of parliament are able to speak freely about issues in their electorate. When considering these bills, I think about the concerns and funding needs in my electorate of Paterson.

Our future depends upon what we as a nation do today. Every generation before us has contributed to the quality of life that we enjoy so much today. Our nation's prosperity is not just a matter of luck. Prosperity needs to be earned; it should never be taken for granted. It is our turn to build, it is our turn to contribute, so that the generations to come may enjoy a prosperous quality of life. As 2015 has well and truly commenced, I am looking forward with renewed vigour, energy and enthusiasm to working with my coalition colleagues to produce real outcomes as we continue to build a strong and more prosperous economy for a safe and secure Australia.

I want to take this opportunity to update the House and my constituents of Paterson on what action has been recently taken to advance their cause, as we have recently seen some great outcomes in my electorate and, indeed, across the Hunter. I am absolutely pleased to report on a number of road and infrastructure projects that are taking place within the electorate of Paterson. I know that the government had a clear mandate prior to the 2013 election, and this mandate was to reduce road fatalities, to make our roads safer, and to increase the efficiency and ease of use of our roads and our motorways, in particular for road freight and traffic movement.

I am proud to announce that the coalition government is delivering on this promise. One such example is through $325,000 of federal funding to update Woerdens Road Bridge near Clarence Town in my electorate of Paterson. This funding is part of the government's new Bridges Renewal Program. By way of background, I sat and talked with the Mayor of Dungog Shire Council, Harold Johnston, and the General Manager, Craig Deasey. We sat down and we had a look at the bridge that was there. It was an old bridge. It was in tatters. It was unsafe, and it was actually propped up with a temporary bridge structure that they had bought from an army disposal. This funding of $325,000 will go towards the cost of replacing this bridge, which will provide certainty of access for the farmers and the community there. And it is good that that temporary bridge structure will now be moved to support another failing bridge. More work needs to be done, and I make the minister aware and I warn that I will be knocking on his door regularly, seeking funds to help repair and rebuild bridges in my electorate.

We have also seen a great example of the fusion of council and the federal government, coming together to develop infrastructure projects that will benefit the community. Recently we committed $28.5 million, matched by proponents, to 29 projects across New South Wales as a part of round 1 of the Bridges Renewal Program. This coalition government has also recently delivered $100,000 to fix an extremely dangerous black spot within my electorate through the government's Black Spot Program. The intersection of Head Street and West Street in Forster has been in dire need of urgent attention for years. The dangerous intersection has seen six accidents—sadly including one fatality—and three injury crashes in the five years to June 2012. This upgrade will see the installation of a concrete median island and signage on both sides of West Street at the intersection, reducing the risks of accidents. This is all about putting safety first. The additional works on the existing narrow concrete median and the line marking on Head Street will increase lane width for vehicles turning right from Head Street into West Street.

This funding follows a number of funding packages in the past year for my electorate of Paterson to upgrade roads, to ensure that my constituents have safer, better driving conditions and to make travelling around my electorate much easier and, as I said, much safer. Last year, $265,774 was allocated for Phoenix Park Road in Maitland; $350,000 was allocated for the Pacific Highway from Gates Road to Swan Bay Road, as there were eight dangerous crashes on this stretch of road in the five years prior to 2012. There was $195,943 for Maitland Vale Road and Melville Ford Road, as there was 2.2 kilometres of road along this stretch that caused six serious injury crashes in the five years to 2012. There was $100,000 for Gresford Road, as there have been, in tragic circumstances, one fatal crash and two serious injuries on this stretch of road.

I know that more work needs to be done. I know how hard it is for councils to fund roadwork, and I am sure that this federal government will, in the process of time, provide much needed support to upgrade these roads. But these funding announcements are on top of the $13.8 million that was announced by the Deputy Prime Minister through the Roads to Recovery funding. The $13.8 million is to give councils in my electorate the discretion to use that money based on local needs—to ensure that this funding was directed to where it was most needed within our community. I am proud to report that Paterson electorate has received a 22.31 per cent increase in funding under the Roads to Recovery program since between 2009 and 2014, an increase on what was outlined under the previous, Labor government. I am amazed that they could spend so much money and create so much debt and deficit and not deliver road infrastructure projects to my constituency. The 22.31 per cent increase is a welcome injection of funds into roads and infrastructure in Paterson, and it is necessary to ensure upgrades to our rural and regional roads and bridges to make them just a bit safer and a bit better.

Under the Roads to Recovery program the Dungog Shire Council received $2.4 million. Great Lakes Council received $4.5 million. Maitland City Council received over $3.5 million, and Port Stephens Council received $3.2 million. I have also campaigned hard for upgrades to the Tourle Street Bridge. Although I note that this bridge falls outside my electorate, it directly services the thousands of my constituents who utilise it and commute daily into Newcastle for work, study at the schools and universities, or for leisure and recreation. The $51.9 million that has been allocated to the Tourle Street Bridge under the infrastructure and investments program is being matched by the New South Wales coalition government, and I congratulate them for that.

I want to point out that the members opposite will try and say that this funding was always going to be matched by Labor, but this is grossly untrue. It is grossly untrue because Labor's so-called commitment was predicated on a mining tax—a mining tax to fund a bridge; a mining tax that delivered little or no revenue. How were they going to fund these projects when, indeed, there was no revenue from a mining tax? The mining tax was a poorly conceived tax that actually stymied investment in the industries that support my electorate so well. This $51.9 million, promised and being delivered by the coalition government, is based on real dollars for this project—not whimsical promises based on non-performing and burdening taxes. Under Labor's reign, road funding in my electorate eroded and the people needed affirmative action—not spin and news articles, but real action and real dollars—delivered on roads. It was time for the rubber to hit the road. I am proud of these funding announcements, as they demonstrate that the Australian government's focus is not just city centric, but that this government is committed to upgrading regional and rural roads and infrastructure. Each of these funding announcements are in direct action to the mandate given by my constituents to target road upgrades to save lives and reduce road trauma.

I am also pleased to update my constituency on projects that pertain to my portfolio as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment. I welcomed the announcement that my electorate of Paterson will be hosting four new projects under round two of the government's Green Army program. I am passionate about the Green Army, as I was of the previous Green Corps, and about these recent developments for two main reasons. Firstly, my electorate of Paterson features some of the most beautiful coastlines, rivers, creeks, forests and national parks in New South Wales, if not Australia. I, like all of my constituents, want to only see this natural beauty preserved, developed and maintained.

Secondly, I see that the Green Army provides opportunities for young Australians aged 17 to 24 to gain training and experience in environmental and conservation fields and explore careers and future studies in conservation management, while participating in projects that generate real benefits for the Australian environment and their communities. It is a win-win. I see this as a great fusion of educating and providing practical, hands-on experience for the next generation with fostering and cultivating our existing and fragile beauty.

In round two of the Green Army projects being rolled out in my electorate, Minister Hunt announced $11,000 for habitat regeneration at Clarence Town wetlands, the ex-pony club and Wharf Reserve to reverse years of neglect and environmental degradation; $10,000 for Caring for the Dungog Common Recreation Reserve to protect and preserve the locally listed eucalyptus glaucina through weed removal; $10,000 for Enhancing Littoral Rainforest Connectivity and Wallis Lake Clean-up Project; and $9,560 for Living in Harmony with Nature for the Port Stephens Koala Corridor Restoration to protect and enhance habitat vital to the survival of our koala population in Port Stephens. That does not sound like a lot of money, but each of these projects is backed up by over $190,000 in wages, support and training. That money I announced was for the capital aspect of the project; there is more to it.

This is very welcome funding that will help young people in Paterson to be a part of an outcome that directly benefits our community and delivers important local conservation outcomes. I look forward to visiting and meeting with these teams and observing and monitoring the results through the six-month program. I welcome and encourage applications within my electorate and, indeed, from across Australia for round three of the Green Army projects, which are now open until tomorrow, 17 March 2015.

I am also proud to announce that the Myall River, Corrie Island and Jimmy's Beach in New South Wales—which are in my electorate, around the Port Stephens area—will benefit from $750,000 as part of the Australian government's National Landcare Program, which is being matched by $743,000 from the NSW government's Coastal Management Program. That is part of $3.1 million project that is supported by Great Lakes Council to dredge the channel at Corrie Island. Importantly, it is to rehabilitate, provide restoration and get rid of feral animals that have been going across because of the siltation that has occurred, which are affecting this Ramsar wetland. This is a complete package that will deliver for the long-term. It is placing much-needed dredging infrastructure in on a permanent basis to help rehabilitate Jimmy's Beach. It will also provide protection for Corrie Island.

I congratulate the Myall River Action Group on their work in bringing this project to fruition. This area around Winda Woppa and Jimmy's Beach has some of the worst erosion issues in Australia. The siltation of the channel near Corrie Island has had a very detrimental effect to the health of the whole Myall lakes and river system because of the lack of flows. It will also provide a great benefit for tourism in my electorate, as constituents and businesses alike will be able to safely navigate these waterways. Again, I congratulate the Myall River Action Group.

Time limits me from being able to speak about the many more projects that have been delivered. I want to give this commitment to my constituency: while each and every one of those projects may not be able to be spoken about in parliament because of my restricted speaking abilities as a parliament secretary—which means I do no adjournment debates, et cetera—I want to assure my constituency that I have no shortage of time for them. I am knocking on ministers' doors, demanding that their projects be funded and putting forward the best case. I will continue to do that, as I have done in the past, because I believe I am fortunate to represent the very best area in Australia with the very best people. They deserve the best of representation.

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