Gai Brodtmann (Canberra, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Minister for Cyber Security and Defence) Share this | Hansard source

Another coalition government budget, and yet another kick in the guts for Canberra. Last year, we saw next to no—well, it was less than one per cent—investment in infrastructure in the budget from this government. It was a paltry $3 million out of a $75 billion spend. And that $3 million went to business reviews, business cases, upgrading lighting and upgrading air-conditioning systems. Yes, some could extrapolate those things to be infrastructure. Most people would probably just regard them as being for a facility upgrade or maintenance of a particular service. But that was the slap in the face that Canberrans got last year from this government, from those opposite, in terms of the infrastructure spend: $3 million out of $75 billion. Deputy Speaker, do you know what that works out to in terms of percentages? It was 0.004 per cent of the infrastructure budget invested in Canberra last year!

This year, we were doing handstands: this year, we got 0.2 per cent of the infrastructure investment budget in our nation's capital—in Canberra. So we were absolutely doing handstands after the appalling level that we got last year. But, again, it was less than one per cent, and it just goes to show the complete and utter disdain that those opposite have for our nation's capital—their complete and utter disdain and their sustained attack. We saw it in 1996, when the government basically decimated the town. The Howard government decimated this town, with 15,000 public service jobs cut, local shopping centres closing down and people leaving town. We went from three federal electoral seats to two, and we've only just got one back, after all this time—after more than 20 years. That's what coalition governments mean for Canberra: decimation, loss of population, loss of jobs and less than one per cent—next to zero—investment in infrastructure.

Compare that to a Labor government. When Labor were in power, we invested in the Majura Parkway—a $144 million investment. The Majura Parkway, after 40 years, finally connected Canberra, from north to south, for the first time. We had one side of Canberra connected, but we had to wait for 40 years for the other side of the town to be connected. That's what Labor's investment in the Majura Parkway did. Labor invested $18.5 million in the Monaro Highway, improving traffic safety congestion and travel times around Canberra. Labor invested $2 million in community infrastructure to upgrade Eddison and Glebe parks.

We invested in education, including $300 million for upgrades and new facilities for primary schools, high schools, and education and training facilities. These investments included $131 million for 136 BER projects in Canberra. This benefitted 67 schools by providing 17 new libraries, 23 multipurpose halls and 29 covered outdoor learning areas. We invested $5.7 million in the Canberra region Pathways training centre at St Mary MacKillop College, St Clare's College and two other schools on the north side. And we invested $8.1 million in the Tuggeranong Sustainable Living Trade Training Centre.

The list goes on. We invested $600,000 to fix six dangerous black spots on local roads. The Regional Cancer Centre at the Canberra Hospital was the product of a $29.7 million investment from a Labor government. Canberra Hospital is a hospital serving not just Canberra, but the capital region. Even our national institutions were better off with a Labor government: $39.3 million was spent to protect historical artefacts and artworks; $20 million went to the National Arboretum; $42 million was spent on the Constitution Avenue upgrade; and $2. 5 million was spent for better lighting at Manuka Oval. These are just some of the important investments Labor have made to Canberra, because we understand that a prosperous nation depends on a prosperous national capital. That requires investment in schools, in hospitals, in roads and in infrastructure. Sir Robert Menzies understood that; it's a pity those opposite don't. (Time expired)

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