Sarah Henderson (Corangamite, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is my great pleasure to rise to speak about our budget, which delivers our national economic plan for jobs and growth. There is some great news in the budget this year for Corangamite residents. I am very pleased that we announced last night, as part of the budget, another $25 million for the Great Ocean Road, building on the $25 million that we have already delivered—so important for jobs, for road safety and for our tourism economy; as well as $300,000 for feasibility planning for the duplication of the Midland Highway between Geelong and Bannockburn; $300,000 for planning to upgrade Grubb Road in Ocean Grove, which is under increasing pressure because of the growth in Ocean Grove; and $5 million to upgrade and plan the Forrest-Apollo Bay Road, with particular focus on passing lanes, or slow vehicle pullouts, which is a very big issue in that region. I am very proud to have delivered $30.6 million for Corangamite roads. That is part of our $1.5 billion Victorian infrastructure package, announced last month by the Prime Minister, which also includes $220 million for the Murray Basin freight rail project, a very important project for Victorian farmers and for Geelong Port.

I am also very proud to have had announced in the budget last night $1.5 million for Foundation 61, a wonderful organisation providing long-term rehabilitation beds in the Mount Duneed area. This $1.5 million is for capital works for a new women's rehabilitation facility—the first one for the region. It is a very important part of our local plan to combat ice addiction in our community, which is such a big issue. I am very proud, and I want to acknowledge and thank Senator Nash for all of her support in relation to that commitment.

Our national economic plan is so important for small business, cutting the small business tax rate to 27.5 per cent. It also increases the unincorporated tax discount from five to eight per cent, and increases the threshold for small businesses to $10 million. We know how important small business is as an engine room of our economy; as an engine room of job creation. It is incredibly important. We are also cracking down on tax avoidance with a new Diverted Profits Tax, and the Tax Avoidance Taskforce will raise some $3.7 billion—funding that can be spent on hospitals, schools and roads. We are also backing young Australians with $840 million for a youth employment package. It is so important to get young people into jobs, and we know that is important in Corangamite.

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