Russell Matheson (Macarthur, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the appropriation bills, and how they will help build a strong, safe and prosperous future for all Australians. The government has delivered a budget for families by providing a $4.4 billion Jobs for Families package that will give more than 1.2 million families more affordable access to quality child care and early childhood learning, especially for low- to middle-income families.

There is a budget for education that increases Commonwealth funding for schools across Australia by $4.1 billion, a 27.9 per cent increase from 2014-15 to 2018-19.

It is a budget for states, in particular my home state of New South Wales, increasing total annual funding over the next four years by around $5.6 billion. New South Wales hospitals will receive 25 per cent more funding on top of the growth of 12 per cent in 2014-15. Schools in New South Wales will have their funding increased by 26 per cent over the next four years on top of the growth of 10 per cent in 2014-15.

It is a budget for infrastructure, with the government investing $15 billion to build the infrastructure of the 21st century for New South Wales. That includes a $2.9 billion Western Sydney Infrastructure Plan that will dramatically reduce travel times and boost productivity in my electorate of Macarthur. It is a budget for rural communities, in particular farmers and farm businesses in drought-affected areas across Australia, who will receive more than $400 million in targeted support. This budget is for small business, providing a $5.5 billion Growing Jobs and Small Business package that delivers $3.25 billion in tax cuts, which means Australian small businesses will have the lowest company tax rate since 1967, as well as $1.7 billion in accelerated depreciation measures.

It is a budget for families, providing a $4.4 billion Jobs for Families package that will give more than 1.2 million families more affordable access to quality child care and early childhood learning, especially for low- to middle-income families. This budget is the beginning of our children's future. The actions we take today will have a long-term legacy for our children. This budget will directly help young families in ensuring that mums can return to work almost immediately after their children are able to be in a childcare service. The 2015 budget has delivered on the government's commitment to support families by making child care more affordable, accessible and flexible for parents. The family package will provide greater choice and opportunity for parents in Macarthur who want to re-enter the workforce by delivering more affordable access to child care and early childhood learning. The coalition understands that child care plays a pivotal role in parents being able to re-enter the workforce. The government is committed to investing $3.5 billion over five years on childcare assistance for families.

I recently had the pleasure of hosting the Minister for Social Services, the Hon. Scott Morrison, in my electorate of Macarthur. We visited Pied Piper Kindergarten in Campbelltown and Bambinos Kindergarten in Oran Park to meet with parents to discuss how the Abbott government is improving the childcare system by providing quality early learning for low-income families and disadvantaged and vulnerable families in my electorate. Children are our future, and early childhood learning is crucial for a child to reach their developmental targets. We want to ensure that our children have the best possible, strongest start in life, which is why the government is investing $843 million in 2016 for preschool programs right across Macarthur and Australia.

We also need to encourage parents to re-enter the workforce so that more people are contributing to our wonderful country and the economy. Now, thanks to the Abbott government, more parents are able to work and receive affordable access to child care and early childhood learning. Parents in Macarthur will now be able to maintain high quality standards for their children. The government is also committing over $400 million in the new inclusion support program. The program will benefit parents in Macarthur and across Australia who have children with additional needs to access child care much more easily. Families need our support more than ever. With the government's commitment, families will be better off.

In this budget, we have also taken positive steps to create a healthy operating environment for the two million plus small businesses in our country. Small business is the backbone of our economy and must be supported by the Commonwealth. Since the coalition came to office, around a quarter of a million new jobs have been created. But we recognise that there is always more we can do to improve the economy. It is through the responsible actions of the coalition government that Labor's debt and deficit have now been cut in half. The coalition is now able to focus on providing Australians with better services and more opportunities for economic growth and development.

The government is reducing the tax rate for more than 90 per cent of incorporated businesses with a turnover under $2 million. These small businesses will have their tax lowered from 30 per cent to 28.5 per cent, and unincorporated businesses will get an annual five per cent tax discount up to $1,000. By the government doing this for small businesses, cash flow will improve and their capacity to participate in the economy will increase. Small businesses in my electorate will also get an immediate tax deduction for any new asset up to $20,000. In Macarthur, the growth centre of south-western Sydney, small business provides the bulk of employment. Nationally, over 95 per cent of businesses are small businesses. Small business is vitally important to Macarthur's success as a region and Australia's success as a nation.

I had the honour of hosting Assistant Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in my electorate last week. We had the pleasure of speaking to many small business owners in Macarthur. There is no doubt that small businesses are at the forefront of Australia's jobs and growth. We want to guarantee that Australians with small businesses can continue to develop and grow, to create jobs and build a thriving economy that inspires business confidence. By our continually helping small businesses to become profitable and viable, small businesses will be getting on the front foot by creating more jobs for the people of Macarthur and Australia. We all know that the men and women of Australia with small businesses are the main force driving a strong economy. We need the men and women of Australia to take risks and develop new products and new business ideas. We need to attract new customers and create new markets. On the back of the success of small businesses, the economy will thrive as more jobs are created, and we will be building a safe and wealthy future for all Australians.

The youth unemployment rate in Macarthur was 13.2 per cent in April 2015. The coalition is committed to supporting young Australians to find jobs, and the $330 million Youth Employment Strategy will see the 13.2 per cent youth unemployment rate in Macarthur decrease over time. The Youth Employment Strategy will take a work-first approach to Australia's youth, and the program will assist over 19,000 job seekers a year with job development and skills within the workforce that many young Australians need.

Last week I also had the pleasure of having Assistant Minister for Employment Luke Hartsuyker in my electorate of Macarthur visiting small businesses and speaking with small business owners and apprentices. It was a great opportunity for the assistant minister to speak with the people who employ the youth of Macarthur. These business owners understand the trouble that youth go to in finding jobs, and they feel the need to do their part and employ these valued young Australians and give them an opportunity that other employers may not. They, too, acknowledge the fact that the youth unemployment rate in Macarthur is too high. While speaking with many apprentices and young Australians in my electorate of Macarthur, we found that the consensus is that it is very hard to find employment. Many employers want experience, but how can you get experience if no-one gives you the opportunities to get it? Our budget is all about opportunities.

Panarottis Restaurant in Campbelltown and Clintons Toyota in Narellan take on many young Australians for work experience and as apprentices. These two businesses understand the struggles that youth in my electorate of Macarthur go through in trying to find a job. There need to be more businesses out there following in the footsteps of the small businesses in Macarthur willing to take on young Australians for work experience and as apprentices. As I mentioned earlier, small businesses provide the bulk of employment in Macarthur and Australia. We met with the youth who were completing a work experience course at Panarottis Restaurant in Campbelltown and apprentices at Clintons Toyota in Narellan, and all of them are grateful to their employers for giving them the opportunity to gain the relevant experience needed for future employment.

Youth not only in my electorate but in all electorates across regional Australia are finding it hard to get experience. The coalition's $330 million Youth Employment Strategy will deliver intensive pre-employment assistance to young job seekers—something that the Labor government was unable to do.

The Abbott government has committed $50 billion in road upgrades in every state, and my electorate of Macarthur is currently receiving major infrastructure upgrades. $293,000 has been announced for my electorate of Macarthur to fix dangerous black spots on local roads. Camden, Rossmore and Wilton are all receiving upgrades where major black spots were found. These black spot projects are projected to save an additional 13 lives and prevent over 650 injury crashes over 10 years.

Another major investment for infrastructure upgrades in Macarthur—never seen in the Macarthur region in the history of parliament—is for the upgrades to the Bringelly Road, which is a $509 million project; to the Northern Road, which is a $1.6 billion project; and to Elizabeth Drive, which is a $1.25 billion project. That is 80 per cent funded by the federal government and 20 per cent funded by the state government, with a total of $3.6 billion being spent over the next 10 years to deliver world-class transport connections for south-western and Western Sydney.

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