Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I too rise to endorse the cognate debate on the appropriation bills before the House, which will ensure that every Australian has the opportunity to access services and support which will generate growth in their own prosperity and the prosperity of this nation as a whole. It is a budget that builds on the coalition's long-term standing as, one, the party which knows how to balance the budget books and protect Australia's economic future, two, the party which protects its citizens and residents both on a domestic level and from threats abroad and, three, the party which supports small business, which, as members know, in turn builds both business and consumer confidence and generates employment opportunities throughout Australia. Whether it is health, education, industry, innovation, infrastructure or welfare, the appropriation bills before the House are the building blocks of Australia's future in infrastructure, regional development and domestic trade and as an internationally competitive exporter in a range of service areas.

The development of northern Australia is just one example of this government and the 2015-16 budget's focus on creating long-term growth—I know you hold the development of the north of Australia dear to your heart, Madam Deputy Speaker Griggs, and it is a very important part of the coalition's strategy—rather than the implementation of policies that are nothing more than short-term fixes, as we saw under the six long years that those opposite were in government. I am thankful to say those six long years are now behind us, but the impact is still being felt in every Australian's hip pocket because of Labor's mismanaged, cash-splashing policies.

We have seen some of those on the opposite side come here and talk about our budget and then talk about their budgets, none of which ever delivered a surplus, as though they were the Holy Grail. Yesterday, the member for Lingiari came in and spoke about the tax cuts that we are giving to small business. What amazed me was that the member for Lingiari said that we copied their idea. He said they introduced a one per cent tax deduction for small business five years ago and then he blamed the coalition for blocking it, but what he forgets is that they were in power—they were in government. They had the numbers in the lower house to get that through, but, because they were getting no money from the mining tax, they had to drop it and they blamed the coalition for it. I just cannot believe how the member for Lingiari could stand up there like that and absolutely misrepresent the truth and blame it on the coalition. That is what they have done; they have held up their previous budgets as the Holy Grail. There was not one surplus in any of them. In fact, given the Labor Party's history of economic mismanagement, I highly recommend that it be listed as their new national platform. They could even have a new slogan to go with it. I am not trying to channel the Prime Minister, but it could be: 'Vote waste, vote Labor, vote for welfare'—as we heard the Prime Minister say, it is the welfare party.

Unlike those opposite, the coalition is a government which is focused on rebuilding the economy and developing new trade agreements that will benefit consumers domestically and our exporters, who are competing on a global scale. We are focused on creating new jobs and encouraging new and established businesses to take advantage of the concessions and subsidies this government is offering. But, to achieve this, policies must be implemented and legislation such as the appropriation bills before the House must be passed in this place and in the other place. They are policies that, if passed, will put Australia back on a sustainable growth towards surplus, which, as members know, is something that those opposite systematically stripped from this country during those long six years. They are six long years that we will never forget because never before has one government managed to put this country so far into debt. And never before had a government managed to introduce policies that had the potential to destroy one of our biggest export industries through a fiscally unstable and competition-destroying mining tax. Fixing this mess will take time, but I am pleased to be part of this government as we can hold our heads high and say that we are absolutely focused on, and on our way to, achieving just that. This is not just on a national level but also on a local level.

In my electorate of Swan, you cannot get into your motor vehicle without witnessing how this government is investing in every resident's future. The billion-dollar Gateway WA project is just one example of a project which is generating business growth and new jobs, particularly within the construction industry. This project, I am pleased to inform the House, is now more than 60 per cent complete, ahead of time and below budget, and has enabled us to increase the amount of roadworks it has been doing. And, I might say, it does not rely on the mining tax to fund it. This project alone has employed more than 600 Western Australian businesses and created about 1,300 construction jobs. Also in my electorate of Swan is the Kewdale-Welshpool industrial hub. It, in particular, will significantly capitalise from this investment through key local road modifications in Kewdale to accommodate the Leach Highway upgrade.

But it is not just through road infrastructure and new jobs that Swan is benefiting. This project has also significantly boosted a local family-owned business which is based in the Kewdale area, as they were awarded the contract for all of that steel used to construct the new interchanges. This Swan based organisation, called the Fero Group, is a national steel manufacturing and anticorrosion service company and a leading provider of products and services to the oil and gas, mining, civil marine, commercial industrial and residential industries. They are based in Queensland as well. They are a true family-owned business which has worked hard to implement good business strategies that have ensured that they remain domestically and internationally competitive within the manufacturing industry. But this is far from the only initiative supporting Swan residents and businesses.

There is also the coalition government's new $45 million commitment over two years to fund small capital projects in local communities under the Stronger Communities Program. Under this initiative, all federal electorates will receive funding of $150,000 per year over two years to assist organisations to implement projects that will deliver social benefits.

Is that the opposition I hear saying, 'Thank you for that money,' which they all got for their own electorates as well, which they can use to benefit their own local organisations? I have not heard one member of the opposite side say anything good about that $150,000; so, obviously, they do not want it.

It is an initiative that I know the local government authorities in my electorate of Swan will welcome, as will the local organisations like the Belmont Toy Library which I visited on Saturday which needs some extra funding to put in some playground equipment and a barbecue for their toy library and the local childcare group. So I am hoping that we can channel some of that money down to that local toy group.

This will also work hand-in-hand with the more than $1.6 billion in vital infrastructure projects that are already being rolled out in Swan or are soon to commence, including: $2.7 million to fix seven dangerous black spots across the Swan electorate, including Spencer Road in Langford and Shepperton Road in Victoria Park, which have long been identified as dangerous roads for motorists, cyclists and pedestrians; up to $5 million in Roads to Recovery funding in the next financial year to assist Swan's local government authorities to maintain and upgrade their local roads; and $45,000 in funding under the Community Development Grants Program for the City of South Perth to undertake an aquatic centre feasibility study which I am looking forward to seeing and reviewing the results of very soon.

In this year's federal budget, there is, however, one project in particular that I would like to highlight in this place, as it involves funding for an initiative which one of the local government authorities in my electorate of Swan has been planning and trying to gain funding contributions toward for the past 11 years. After this wait, I was pleased to see that once again this coalition government has recognised the value of investing in job-generating projects and projects that will boost local economic growth by committing $6 million toward the much-needed upgrade of the Belmont business park's transport infrastructure area. This project was put forward for funding by the City of Belmont under the coalition's National Stronger Regions Fund which is contributing $212 million in funding toward 51 priority infrastructure projects across Australia under round 1 alone. I was very pleased that, as the city's federal representative, I was able to not only inform the city about this initiative and lend my support to the project but also deliver the funding they need to get the works underway.

This $6 million will fund 50 per cent of the $12 million project which overall includes upgrading Belmont Avenue cycle and pedestrian paths and streetscapes, the creation of an additional 800 parking bays within the Belmont business park, undergrounding the power on Belmont Avenue and the upgrade and addition of bus stops with improved shelter provision. This will help resolve traffic problems and allow for more sustainable public transport and create a more functional main thoroughfare within the business park area to ensure the region is able to continue developing as a vibrant hub for business to invest in and operate. It will also complement the work of the other government investments in the area, including the Gateway WA project, the Perth Freight Link project, and the Great Eastern Highway upgrade, which was completed a few years ago.

I previously mentioned the Fero Group, a local manufacturing business in my electorate of Swan, which has been very successful through the booms and downturns of the Australian economy and that of the global market. Even though the local manufacturers gain vital business from infrastructure projects such as the Gateway WA, they definitely are not resting on their laurels and waiting for business to come to them, and they are not asking for bailouts or handouts. In fact, I would encourage any members in this place who claim that manufacturing is finished in Western Australia to come to my electorate of Swan and visit this business.

The only reason a state such as Victoria, which used to be known as the manufacturing state of Australia, is rapidly declining is because of the union groups over there that are constantly in the way and strangling growth and potential. I remember working for a national company that had a manufacturing base in Cheltenham in Victoria that had to shut down the manufacturing plant due to the pressures and work practices that were put upon them by the metalworkers union. They closed their family business down after 40 years.

Perhaps being family owned is the answer, because, comparatively, Fero Group is working hard to build their business so that they continue to grow in the long term. I am pleased to inform the House that the coalition government is helping them to achieve that outside of contract agreements, as well. Just last week I had the pleasure of visiting the Fero Group's Kewdale facility and meeting its founder, Mario, who immigrated to Australia over 45 years ago, his sons, Michael and Robert Franco, and the organisation's chief financial officer, Len Troncone, and gave this family business the news that the government had committed $4.9 million under the Manufacturing Transition Program to advance their manufacturing capability. They are working to build their own business so that they are not just relying on the government support to see them through. In fact, overall this is a $23.95 million project that the organisation is investing in, which will ensure that it remains a competitive and sustainable business, both domestically and on a global scale, and continues to employ local people in my electorate of Swan. This funding investment will specifically contribute towards the organisation's plans to design and build a new state-of-the-art highly automated galvanising plant that will result in an expanded range and size of superior galvanised products for local and export markets. By securing this Commonwealth grant funding, the timing of the project has been sped up, which will lead to a more competitive business, greater exports and more employment a lot quicker.

This funding is not just benefiting the manufacturing sector in Swan. Overall, this program is a $250 million investment by the government into the future of Australia's manufacturing capabilities, with $200 million being invested by the Australian manufacturers, and $50 million by the government, to boost the capabilities of 19 businesses across Australia.

The benefits of the 2015-16 budget also do not end with infrastructure and manufacturing in Swan. The coalition government is also working to design and implement initiatives in other policy areas, such as education and health, that will ensure our students are best placed to compete globally in the future marketplace. Earlier this month I welcomed the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education, Senator Scott Ryan, to Swan to officially launch the Early Learning Languages Australia trial, which aims to explore new ways to help children learn languages other than English, through language-specific apps. Redcliffe Primary School in my electorate of Swan was one of the pre-schools chosen for this trial, with students now learning Mandarin. With China being Australia's largest export market, it is programs such as this that will set up our students for future success.

Lastly I would like to highlight an initiative I have for the last five years been lobbying my federal and state government colleagues to fund and support. I have done this along with Senator Eggleston, who has now left the parliament, both in opposition and now in government, and I am very pleased to say that just last week it has come to fruition. Thanks to the coalition government, $20 million will be invested in a new Curtin University medical school to address the health workforce needs of Western Australia, which are currently well behind every other state, as well as the national average. For those members who are not aware of it, Western Australia continues to struggle with a shortage of about 1,000 medical practitioners, when compared with the national average, and has an over-reliance on overseas trained doctors, with 38.2 per cent of registrations, compared with the national average of 26 per cent.

We need more locally trained doctors in Western Australia, particularly in the state's rural and regional areas, which is exactly what the new medical school will achieve. This is because the key difference between Curtin University's medical school degrees and other medical degrees is the focus on addressing areas of health care that medical professionals are currently lacking. The five-year undergraduate degree will, therefore, specifically focus on such areas as mental health, primary care, chronic disease and ageing, which are in vital need of service support. I know the member for Shortland is aware that we are just kicking off a chronic disease management and prevention inquiry through the health committee.

I am sure many members of this place are aware of the Australian Medical Association's—shall we say—politely aggressive criticisms of this initiative in the media, particularly in regard to traineeship placements. If the AMA bothered to actually read what the initiative included, then they would know that their criticisms are completely baseless, thanks to the trilateral partnership between the Commonwealth, the WA state government and Curtin University with new clinical training internships and specialist training places that will be established for all students at the new school.

I recommend and commend the bills to the House.

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