Lisa Chesters (Bendigo, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

There are a couple of points that I want to pick up on and ask questions about of both the ministers that we have present. Before I get to the Stronger Regions Fund or follow up on other comments that have been made, I want to seek some clarification about the allocated funding for Ravenswood Interchange as an infrastructure project. It first appeared in the MYEFO budget with $45 million allocated to the Ravenswood upgrade. A commitment was made by both sides of politics during the election campaign to fund this particular project on the Calder Highway in my electorate. However, while it was first allocated in the 2013-14 MYEFO, what we have seen since is Senator Bridget McKenzie, whose office in my electorate, continually reannouncing this project. As recently as 12 May, she said she was 'wrapped to announce new funding, more funding for Ravenswood'. I am seeking a point of clarification via a question to the minister: is this in fact new money coming to Ravenswood or is it just the same money reannounced? Is the government just reannouncing funding for Ravenswood? This is just another example demonstrating how this government continues to reannounce projects that are already committed to. What is it, Minister: is it new money that the senator has promised Bendigo, or is it the money that was allocated in MYEFO back in 2013-14?

Ravenswood is not the only project that the area is seeking help for in terms of infrastructure upgrades. I would also like to know if the minister is considering further rail projects in my state of Victoria. It was great to see you there at the ribbon-cutting for the Regional Rail Link—a vital infrastructure project that will help people from the regions and in the west get into Melbourne on time. The uncoupling of the metropolitan rail and the Regional Rail Link, making sure we get an extra 54,000 people into Melbourne on time—is there going to be a consideration by this government to put the funding back into Melbourne Metro? As we have heard, this was prioritised by Infrastructure Australia; it is a priority of the current state Labor government. It was also a priority of the former state government and the former federal Labor government.

My next question I have addresses the area of the Stronger Regions Fund. While $5 million—not $10 million, but $5 million—was allocated to the Bendigo Airport project, which was something the area welcomed, there were a number of other projects that did miss out on funding. They are seeking information about how they can reach the guidelines. When is the minister going to release that extra information on those projects? There were something like an extra nine projects in the feedback they are seeking—nine projects in the Bendigo electorate that applied for funding and were not successful. When will they receive the feedback? They are looking to resubmit the projects as we speak.

Linked to that, of course, are a number of local governments in my area that have written to you personally, Minister, upset about the freezing of the financial assistance grants. They are the City of Greater Bendigo, Mount Alexander Shire and the Macedon Ranges Shire. All are asking this government to reverse its decision around the indexation of financial assistance grants. These are the same councils that have already been hit by changes from the ARTF program to Stronger Regions. They had a number of projects that were committed to funding in round 5A that they did the work of under ARTF. Not these projects. These were local government projects under 5A—vital small infrastructure projects that they put forward that were approved and they had started the planning on. These are local government areas that have been hit several times by this government. They want to know if the government is going to listen to their calls. They are three of the many councils that have written to this government, saying those financial assistance grants are vital to ensuring our regional communities continue to build the infrastructure that they need. If we are serious about having stronger regions then we need to support our local government in building these projects.

My final question is to back up what the member for Franklin has said, and that is getting information about how the stronger communities fund will actually work and how the government sees that rolling out. I already have lots of community groups and local governments saying: 'Who will have access to this funding? How will we actually do it?' The government has suggested that this could help upgrades of pools and so on and so forth.

Mr Truss interjecting—

To be fair, Deputy Prime Minister, it is unlikely that this funding of $150,000 can go anywhere near helping local communities upgrade their pools. It is just not possible.

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