David Gillespie (Lyne, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I fully support this motion. The support that the federal government gives to local government is quite substantial, whether it's the Roads to Recovery funding, the Financial Assistance Grant funding, the Black Spot funding, the Bridges Renewal funding or the Roads of Strategic Importance funding. There is another one which we help them with, and that's the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program.

To put things in perspective, I'm very proud to stand here and outline some of the bridge work that has happened in the Lyne electorate as a result of these policies. I would like this House to recognise the contribution of former Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson, who, in the Howard-Anderson government period, introduced Black Spot and Roads to Recovery funding, and also to acknowledge the work of Warren Truss, who initiated the Bridges Renewal Program and the Heavy Vehicle Safety and Productivity Program.

In the Port Macquarie-Hastings Council alone, there was financial support for three bridges, totalling $1.24 million. In the MidCoast Council, which is a merger of the old Greater Taree City Council, the Great Lakes Council and the Gloucester Shire Council, there was financial support for 11 bridges, totalling $5.57 million. In the old Taree City Council, which was in existence in my first term of representing Lyne in the parliament, there was another $800,000 for two bridges. I am very pleased to say that I also fought for and delivered a bridge across Dyers Crossing and one on the Moto Road over Dickensons Creek. These sound like names that don't resonate with people in this chamber but they certainly resonate with people in the Lyne electorate, because beef trucks and dairy tankers couldn't go over these regions. They had to make 10- and 15-kilometre diversions to get raw product out of these valleys. The old timber bridges that are being replaced are the lifeblood of regional Australia, and there are so many more planned: Abdoos Creek; Kellys Creek; Possum Brush Road Bridge No. 2 replacement; Milbai Creek Bridge; McQueen Bridge, which is also in the MidCoast Council; Kundle Creek Bridge; Emu Creek Bridge; Diamond Bridge; Little Cedar Party Creek Bridge; Burrell Creek Bridge; Bulga Creek Bridge; and Bobin Creek Bridge.

The Black Spot funding is a really important source of funds for local government. They rely on this extra funding from the federal government, which is granted on a points-by-points basis. Unfortunately, a black spot often means a death, a fatality, or a very severe injury, but some of the roads that have been improved have been quite substantial. To put things into perspective, in 2018-19, the Australian coalition government provided over $2.4 billion in untied funds to 546 local councils under the Financial Assistance Grant Program. That is another huge help that the Commonwealth government gives to local councils. I put the state governments on notice. A lot of them do cost-shift. All of you here would appreciate that. They cost-shift to the federal government and they cost-shift down to local government. Back in the early nineties, the state government of New South Wales, in their wisdom, bequeathed approximately 16,500 kilometres of hitherto state roads to local governments, and that's why areas that I have in the Lyne electorate are now suffering with huge road and bridge burdens that used to be the responsibility of the New South Wales state government. It's an absolute scam, and we need to call out our state colleagues to step up to the mark and support a lot of regional Australia, because they do need all the funds.

In addition to the Financial Assistance Grants program, the Building Better Regions Fund is a great help to local councils. $200 million went towards the third round of the Building Better Regions Fund. That's being extended out to 2021-2022. Many members here use the Stronger Communities Program to support a lot of the volunteer organisations, amateur sporting organisations and social groups that have nowhere else to turn. There's $22½ million in the fourth round being delivered as we speak. Whether it's Rotary clubs or people who have got groups together for bridge, for community support or for loneliness organisations, all these sorts of community groups come to look for help. This fund is vital. (Time expired)

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