Jenny Macklin (Jagajaga, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Families and Payments) Share this | Hansard source

I am very pleased to join the debate on the appropriation bills 2016-17 and to particularly emphasise the issues in my electorate of Jagajaga that we would like to see given priority by this government. However, I want to start by thanking the people of Jagajaga for, once again, giving me the opportunity to represent them here in the House of Representatives. In March this year, I celebrated 20 years in the House of Representatives and I have never forgotten that it is, of course, my first duty, like it is every member's first duty, to represent the people of my electorate. I want to take this chance to say a very, very big thank you to all the volunteers who helped me. I have listened to many of the first speeches in the parliament over the last couple of months and it is wonderful to hear the thanks given to the volunteers. But even in one's eighth election, you still need lots of volunteers and I want to say a huge thank you to all of those who helped me.

I cannot thank them all, but I do want to name a few. It was a very, very long and cold winter campaign in Melbourne, so to all of you a huge thanks: Di Douglass, David and Loretta Pound, James Gaffey, Duncan Willis, Liz and Adriana Georgiou, Carol Lim Bradish, Sandra Macneil, Jim Bogle, Keith Staples, Wendy Morris, Judy Edwards, Isobel Creed, Terry Mooney, David and Barbara Mackenzie, Helen Morrison, Jason Garufi, La Trobe University ALP club and many volunteers from the Australian Services Union. I thank all of you very, very much, especially for everything you did at the train stations early in the morning in the dark, doorknocking in the afternoon and with the many, many street stalls. I also want to say a big thank you to my personal staff led by Antony Kenney and Alistair Webster. My very, very sincere thanks to each and every one of you.

It would no surprise to anyone in the parliament, especially on our side of politics, that Medicare was the biggest issue for us in our area. Everywhere I went, whether it was Eltham in the north of the electorate or Eaglemont, Heidelberg West or Watsonia, people were concerned about the future of Medicare. Many people, families and older people, are especially concerned about the cost pharmaceuticals and the cost of going to the doctor. One doctor in particular I want to make mention of today is an extraordinary woman in Heidelberg West, Dr Francis. The need for bulk-billing in Heidelberg West is acute. Dr Francis, a single mother of three, took out a second mortgage on her own home so that her practice can continue to bulk-bill following the Turnbull government's decision to freeze the Medicare rebate and to continue to freeze that rebate for some years to come. As GPs in my area know—and GPs around the country are aware—Labor made the commitment to unfreeze these rebates. In this debate, I call on the government to unfreeze the rebates so we do not see a reduction in bulk-billing, particularly in areas like Heidelberg West, which are so needy.

The centrepiece of our health system in our area is the Austin Hospital and Mercy Hospital for Women in Heidelberg. These are world-class hospitals that deliver outstanding health services not just to people in Melbourne but also to people in many parts of Australia. I want to thank the long-term CEO of Austin Health, Brendan Murphy, for his outstanding leadership over the last decade. I want to wish him well: he has just been appointed as the Chief Medical Officer here in Canberra. It is a great addition for the Public Service in Canberra. Hospitals are, of course, at the heart of Medicare. Sadly, since the Liberals came into office in 2013, we have seen billions of dollars taken from our public hospital systems. There is no doubt that at our hospitals we are seeing the results of people having to wait longer to get into the emergency department—a very, very busy emergency department—and to wait for elective surgery. Labor went into the election promising to improve funding for our public hospitals so that we would see reductions in waiting times. I very much hope that, when we are debating the appropriation bills next year, we will see this government improve public hospital funding.

Jagajaga is one of the most well-educated electorates in the country, and parents certainly want to make sure their children get the best education. Parents know that education is a prerequisite to a good job. That is why Labor campaigned so hard for the Gonski reforms. In my electorate alone, that would have meant an extra $24 million if Labor had been elected. Sadly, we see this government deaf to the aspirations of parents, such as those in my electorate, who really want to make sure that their children get the best. I really cannot understand how it can be that this conservative government thinks that investing in our children's education is not worth it. I would say to the Minister for Education and Training: come to Greensborough College or Bundoora Secondary College and say to the parents, teachers and students of those schools that you want to give them less. I think they will demonstrate to you how that Gonski money is being well used now and would be well used in the future.

We also have an outstanding TAFE in the electorate, Melbourne Polytechnic, providing terrific education and training not just to traditional apprentices but also to those who have left school early for whatever reason. Melbourne Polytechnic is doing an outstanding job. I want to reassure them that Labor will continue to stand-up for TAFEs around the country getting adequate support.

Another big issue in my electorate is traffic congestion. It is a huge issue, particularly for commuters using Rosanna Road, Greensborough Highway, Lower Plenty Road, Fitzsimons Lane, and, of course, it is having a very serious impact on people's quality of life. Far too much time is lost in the daily commute. I made a commitment—and I am pleased to say it was a bipartisan commitment—to allocate $5 million towards an options study for the North East Link road project. Since the election I have written to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport seeking that this commitment be met. The government made the same commitment that we did. They should uphold the promise and provide the $5 million so that the options study for the North East Link road project can be pursued. I am sorry to say that at this stage we still have not got a response.

Infrastructure Victoria is of course an independent authority. It has recently released a draft report on the future infrastructure needs, including in our area of Melbourne, and building the North East Link is near the top of the list. It is recommending that the road be constructed over the next 10 to 15 years. This is clearly a long-term option, so I call on the minister again to release the money to the Victorian government to make sure that the appropriate studies can be done as quickly as possible.

Of course we do understand how important short- and medium-term options are and that is why I am very pleased that the state Labor government is pursuing the Bolton Street upgrade in Eltham; the Rosanna Road truck curfew, which certainly has reduced noise at night; and the removal of the level crossing on Lower Plenty Road in Rosanna. They are also going to get a brand-new train station at Rosanna. At last—it is extraordinary how long this has taken, given the age of the Hurstbridge line—the section between Heidelberg and Rosanna is going to be duplicated. I really do congratulate the Andrews Labor government in Victoria for allocating the $140 million to make sure that that happens and to also get the planning done for the further duplication of the Hurstbridge line between Greensborough and Eltham. That will be a very positive move.

We made a number of commitments to the residents in Melbourne's north-east to improve sport and sporting clubs. Like many communities right around the country, we all understand that local sport is really what brings people together. We committed $750,000 for a much-needed upgrade to the Research Park Pavilion. We added to that $500,000 to upgrade the facilities at Eltham North Reserve. That would help the soccer club and the cricket club and be a hub for the Scouts and U3A. There was $500,000 towards the upgrade of the Heidelberg United Football Club ground at Olympic Park. That is a fantastic facility that we would love to see improved. I look forward to working with them. Another great local club, the Eltham Football Club, needs $200,000 to upgrade the electricity supply at Eltham Central Park. We have committed to this. This is the home of the footy club and the cricket club. We certainly want to make sure that we continue to work with the local councils, the state government and the federal government to see each of these clubs improve.

Finally I want to make reference to something very important that is taking place in Eltham right now. I have spoken over many years about the importance of active citizenship where we can see a more secure and cohesive society as a result of people coming together to live in our strong communities. Last week we joined a broad coalition of community groups and local residents in support of the Eltham refugee project. It is a project being managed by St Vincent's Health and CatholicCare that will see 120 Syrian refugees settled in Eltham. I am pleased that the federal government is facilitating bringing these people to our country. The refugees will be a mix of single women, single mothers with children, and couples with one child. The accommodation to be used by the refugees, I want to emphasise, was empty and unused and had fallen into disrepair. No aged-care residents will be displaced and, after two years and as a result of St Vincent's Care upgrading the units, after the Syrian refugees have been resettled elsewhere this accommodation will be available for seniors.

I want to thank St Vincent's Care and CatholicCare for the support that they are going to be giving to these Syrian refugees but, most particularly, I want to say how proud I am of the way in which the people of Eltham are welcoming these refugees into this community. Eltham is a prosperous and compassionate community, and I am very confident that the local community will welcome our newest Australians in the way that only they know how. It is a very special time for them.

To conclude, in the few minutes I have left I want to emphasise that during this period in the parliament I will continue to pursue something that is very close to my heart—that is, to shine a spotlight on inequality in our country and how we can address it. So much more needs to be done to make sure that Australia really is the place of the fair go, and I will do everything in my power to make that the case.

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