Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services and Disability Services) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2016-2017, Appropriation Bill (No. 2) 2016-2017 and Appropriation (Parliamentary Departments) Bill (No. 1) 2016-2017. The combined total appropriations being sought by these supply and appropriation bills is just under $100 billion. This is an important budget, but it is also a budget unlike others. This is a budget that has been put before the people of Australia at the last election. Notwithstanding the deliberately dishonest scare campaign by Labor and their union bosses, on any quantitative measure this budget has been endorsed by the majority of Australians.

Let us put this clearly on the record. Bill Shorten and Labor did not win the election. Labor has 69 seats in this House while the coalition has 76 seats—a clear majority. We may not always agree with the way our fellow Australians vote, but we must always respect the collective statement of intent by the Australian community through the ballot box. Clearly there will be some qualitative differences on certain budget measures; but, simply put, Australians do not want the government to spend more than Australian taxpayers can afford.

We all have a moral responsibility to restrain spending, boost investment, encourage economic growth and guarantee a strong social safety net. Today's budget position is not what it was when the Howard government lost office, and it will take some time to reign in public spending in a responsible way. There are some important truths we must acknowledge, and we need to cut Australia's suit according to our cloth. Labor's magic pudding economics that underwrote year-on-year promises of a non-existent budget surplus resulted in increasing deficits and left disappointed Australians genuinely concerned about our economic future.

The last time Labor delivered a budget surplus was in 1989, 27 years ago. Instead of delivering a secure economic future to Australian taxpayers, all Labor offers now is their most-appropriately-named leader—short on vision, short on policy and short on integrity. While I recognise the current Labor leader wants to run the government like a union, Australians do not want their government to spend their money like a union boss with a union credit card. More debt is not the measure by which I want future generations of Australians to judge us. The parliament must work for Australians now and, especially, for future Australians. I reflect on a saying attributed to St Francis of Assisi which seems appropriate given the enormous challenges facing the 45th Parliament of Australia: 'Start by doing what is necessary, then do what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.'

For government, money to make things happen can only come from three places: increased taxes, increased borrowings or savings. The critical importance of adequately funding the National Disability Insurance Scheme is especially important to me. In May this year I spoke on the National Disability Insurance Scheme Amendment Bill 2016, noting that the website of the member for Jagajaga claimed that the NDIS was properly funded when Labor left office. This was simply not true. Savings that Labor claimed were to be directed to the NDIS were simply returned to consolidated revenue. They were not set aside for the NDIS. You simply cannot direct the same funding if it has already been used.

My colleague on the other side the member for Lilley promised a surplus many times. And that, he claimed, was where additional disability service funding would come from. So, despite distributing campaign brochures claiming they had actually delivered a surplus, let me just remind you once again: Labor has not been capable of delivering a surplus since 1989, 27 years ago.

On the other hand, the coalition government takes our financial responsibilities to the NDIS very seriously. Those with disability, their carers and individuals and organisations involved in the provision of services within the disability services sector depend on adequate funding for the NDIS. To meet the future costs of the NDIS, we are establishing an NDIS savings fund, which will hold unspent funds from the NDIS, as well as the proceeds of savings measures from better targeting our welfare spending. These funds can then be reinvested back into delivering the NDIS and can contribute to filling the existing funding gap.

Let me now turn to my electorate of Ryan—this special part of Australia. I want so much more for my electorate than what I could justifiably ask for at a time when responsible government demands that we rein in spending. But in this budget I have many things to celebrate, including a never-ending pipeline of innovative projects and exciting and inspiring local entrepreneurs to champion.

Our National Innovation and Science Agenda will create a modern, dynamic, 21st-century Australian economy that will transition the Australian economy from a winding-down mining boom to a burgeoning ideas boom. With one of the world's leading universities, the University of Queensland, now ranked 55th in its academic ranking worldwide and second in Australia, there has never been a more exciting time to be the member for Ryan. Already in the top 10 in the world for commercialisation, the University of Queensland is well positioned to leverage Australia's natural strengths in science, innovation and technology to secure Australia's future prosperity and high standard of living.

In my previous role as a local councillor, I was part of the team from Brisbane City Council that put forward a very effective way to deliver first-rate internet services for South-East Queensland, especially in Brisbane. In effect, the whole of Brisbane would have had fibre-to-the-premises services by now if it were not for the previous Labor government's arrogance, incompetence and spite. While I understand that residents are disappointed that the roll-out of the NBN has not occurred sooner, the use of HFC network and fibre-to-the-node and fixed wireless are part of the government's multitechnology mix approach to building a network which uses the most appropriate technology to deliver the NBN sooner and at less cost to taxpayers.

Also, as part of our Mobile Black Spot Program, new mobile base stations in Mount Crosby and Karana Downs will bring a much-needed boost to mobile coverage, providing benefits to emergency service operators, businesses and residents. These areas were overlooked by mobile network operators due to commercial factors, and the former Labor government refused to invest in fixing mobile black spots in regional and remote Australia.

In this special part of Australia, small things do lead to bigger things. Who here has not tried some of the fine jerky products produced by Geronimo Jerky? Starting their business in 2011 as a side project of four friends, Geronimo Jerky now turns over literally tonnes of beef each month to produce large quantities of the product in eight different flavours that fill orders with the Australian Defence Force and various mine sites and in more than 400 locations across Australia. As a local business resident in Blackwood Street, Mitchelton, Geronimo Jerky—along with other traders—is also benefiting from the coalition's announcement that they will be providing $208,000 for CCTV in the area. This project, committed under the coalition's $40 million Safer Communities Fund, was secured through an ongoing campaign by the Blackwood Street chamber of commerce and will enhance security of patrons and businesses.

Another great success story of innovation and entrepreneurship in the Ryan electorate is that of Opengear—an innovative leader in the next generation's smart solutions to protect and manage critical ICT infrastructure. Starting in 2004 with just two employees at ilab in Toowong, Opengear now employs 64 staff worldwide and has offices across Australia, the USA, the UK and Europe. From humble beginnings, Opengear now boasts many international customers, including tier 1 companies, DFAT and Queensland Police, and has been recognised with many product and technology awards.

Governments can never hope to fund the literally millions of hours of work, care and support provided by tens of thousands of volunteers. The Ryan electorate not only has some of the smartest and brightest people in the world; it also has some of the most truly beautiful souls who continue to warm our hearts with regular acts of human kindness. I would like to again say a big and very public thank you to the dedicated network of Meals on Wheels volunteers, who pride themselves on providing more than just a meal to some of the most frail and vulnerable residents living in our neighbourhoods. We have some of the most inspiring community-spirited volunteers in our electorate. Every day of every week volunteers from the western suburbs—Kenmore, Ashgrove and Mitchelton—Meals on Wheels organisations ensure that members of our community who are sick, elderly, frail and disabled benefit from this valuable community service.

Recently, I had the pleasure of also paying tribute to three members of the Wests Junior Rugby League football club. Erica Quinn and Ron Raper were recognised for their tireless contribution to the club with an oval named in their honour and, with more than 40 years of association and still being an integral part of the club today, Margaret Carl, who has held the position of president, secretary and treasurer, has also been recognised with an oval named in her honour. The contribution of so many volunteers in the Ryan electorate is humbling. Indeed, actions do speak louder than words.

Since coming to office, the coalition government has honoured our strong commitment to building Australia's future defence capabilities while also recognising the enormous contribution and personal sacrifice made by our veterans to our country. As most members know, the federal electorate of Ryan is home to the Gallipoli Barracks and one of the largest populations of serving Australian Defence Force personnel. We are a community that supports our defence force personnel, past and present, and we are committed to recognising the significant contribution of our veterans in protecting and enabling the way of life and the quality of life we all enjoy.

Current and former defence force personnel and their families have welcomed the coalition's decision to reverse Labor's cuts and to increase defence spending by $29.9 billion over the next 10 years. This marks a significant contrast between what a coalition government will do and what a Labor government did not. Indeed, it would be difficult to find any serving Australian defence service personnel or veteran who would consider the Rudd-Gillard-Rudd government anything but the worst in our nation's history in this area. While Labor increased non-defence spending sharply over its six budgets, the defence budget was slashed by 10.5 per cent in 2012-13—the biggest single cut since the Korean War. In that one year Labor ripped $18 billion out of the defence budget and cut defence spending to its lowest level since 1938. This resulted in 1,200 job losses in the ADF alone and delays to 119 defence projects, then another 43 projects were reduced and eight projects cancelled. Not surprisingly, Labor's defence budget cuts, deferrals and procrastination, and a growing lack of opportunity for local suppliers meant our local defence industry also shed more than 10 per cent of its workforce.

Only a coalition government will ensure Australia's national security and economic prosperity both now and for decades to come. In doing so we will maximise the opportunities for our defence industry to participate in our historic shipbuilding programs.

In closing, I repeat the phrase attributed to St Francis of Assisi, which offers some guidance for all members and senators in this 45th Parliament of Australia:

Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

I commend this bill to the House.

See this speech in context