Bruce Billson (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Speaker, thank you, and I congratulate you on your role since assuming the high office of Speaker. It has been a pleasure to be part of your parliament.

Last week, I was bringing this House up to date on all the things happening in the Riviera of Melbourne down on the Mornington Peninsula and in the Frankston area of the electorate of Dunkley. I was imploring the state Labor government to seize the opportunities of a number of projects, moving parts and funding avenues to transform its thinking from just a bit of a tart-up of Frankston Railway station, and a bit of a refurbishment, to seeing it as a catalytic opportunity for change, transformation and new opportunities in our city.

I was urging the state government to enable the Metropolitan Planning Authority to take over the oversight of that project—and a number of others that I detailed in this place—to seize this opportunity for a transit orientated development focused around the Frankston railway station. I was urging them to see the transport linkages and the opportunities for the future and our educational focus as the Fremantle of the east coast—these are all things that we could do. I was told by the state government, 'No, Bruce, you've got this all wrong. It's just a rejuvenation. A bit of a lick and paint job on the Frankston railway station. It's just a project. Let's not get too strategic.' That was the very point. It is not just a project, or it should not be just a project. It was about lifting the ambition and the opportunities, and I was outlining how we would do that.

Sadly in response to that, it is my melancholy duty to tell you the state Labor MP has given me a slap on Facebook. How is that for constructiveness? The Facebook slapper has come out and said, 'Bruce, you've got it all wrong. It's just a project. How could you possibly think about the longer-term vision and ambition for the city? You've got it so wrong, and, besides, we'll just blame the federal government for not putting money into our little tidy up of the Frankston Railway station.'

A couple of things come to mind: a fully owned asset of the state government, and a transport project that they are saying is 'just a project' in an area of constitutional jurisdiction they have on their own. There is a distinct lack of interest. They have no appetite whatsoever to try to lift the ambition and the opportunity, which would enable us to then engage federally around regional solutions and other funding avenues. The state Labor government and their front-of-house person—the state Labor MP—do not want to do anything that would make this project something more than simply a bit of a shine for the railway station. That is very disappointing.

To cap it off, what do you do when you are in trouble and you have no argument? He goes personal. He is a rookie. I accept he is finding his feet. But what a waste of an opportunity this seems to be. Sadly, he has swallowed the Labor 101 game plan book on if anything is not going right just lash out at everybody else and take no responsibility yourself.

Sadly, it segues into somewhere else where this has happened. There was another Facebook campaign where I got another slap. Isn't it terrible, the 'Facebook slapper' was after me again about the Frankston and district basketball stadium. This is a $12½ million project in and around the Kananook railway station. It is a fantastic facility that we needed to redevelop to turn it into a community hub, a focal point not just for basketball but also for participation, a resource for our community, something that would help keep our kids in schools and find pathways for new job opportunities. Guess what? Our coalition government has stepped up. I hoped I would get $5 million to support the project. I failed. I got $4.95 million. That is not a bad effort. In fact, it was nice to read on social medial I was known as the 'member for slam Dunkley' because it was such a huge boost for basketball and this facility in our area.

What was happening? I was getting slapped around on Facebook with people saying, 'Where's the fed's money?' There is the money—an important lion's share contribution. The biggest single contributor to this project is the coalition federal government—$4.95 million. Frankston City Council has contributed $4 million, the former state coalition government has contributed $2.5 million and the basketball association has contributed $1 million. Do you know what? We are $2½ million short. Do you know what the state Labor government could do? Anything—just turn up. They have not contributed a dollar. There has been lots of slapping on Facebook of people who are contributing to this project, but at this stage the state Labor government has not contributed one dollar to this project. At the state government level the only one who committed any resources was the previous coalition government—Dr Napthine's government.

Here is another opportunity. Rather than get all hot, sweaty and angry on social media the local Labor members of parliament—part of the state Labor government—could actually do something. They could make a contribution to see this project achieve its full potential to make sure we can invest in those extra stages of the works that would make sure it is a high-performance centre. It would be a chance to host some of the highest levels of competition and would be a real jewel in the crown of our community.

Similarly, we are getting on with other key projects. The Dunkley Community Safety Plan is progressing extremely well. It is great that the Mornington CCTV project is well-advanced. The final stages are coming together now—more cameras, better coverage and street lighting. This outstanding village of Mornington is a great retail, hospitality and family entertainment area during the day and turns into a nightclub and entertainment precinct in the evening—both making a great contribution to our local economy.

We need to manage the transition with care in the village main street area around Mornington. We have done that by the smart deployment of Commonwealth funded and backed CCTV technology, making sure the laneways from the main street to the car parking areas are safe, that the cameras are the best of breed and that it is all integrated.

The Mount Eliza project, which we have hoped for some time to get done, is also nearing operation and that is very exciting. In Frankston city itself, the CCTV rollout around the Beach Street Macca's and South East Water area is moving on. That is part of the Dunkley Community Safety Plan. There is a great initiative to put CCTV technology at the Mahogany centre and also at Seaford—that great alfresco dining area down on the foreshore.

At the Langwarrin shopping area the change in ownership has delayed our progress there, but this needs to be done to cover not only the shopping centre but also the area around the community centre and skate park. This is all happening. The anti graffiti technology, the kit on the vehicle and all of the supporting infrastructure that is needed is also underway, but we are not done.

I have got a few more months in this place. I accept that I might not look like an athlete but I am trying to mimic what athletes do: whenever they are in a race they try to run their hardest near the finish line. That is my approach. We have got more to do. We are not resting on 20 years of public service. There is more opportunity to carry forward the Dunkley Community Safety Plan, to really support what is happening in the revitalisation around the foreshore precinct—again supported by funding from the Commonwealth. We want to get some secure lockers for the most popular beach in Melbourne, which is down at Frankston, so people can store their stuff there. There is lots happening. It is the Riviera of Melbourne, it is the place to be. There is a reason every season to come to the greater Frankston and Mornington Peninsula area, and I hope this account lets you know all the things that are happening in my community.

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