Melissa McIntosh (Lindsay, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am so pleased to be able to talk about all that we are delivering, all the commitments we're delivering for Australians, and particularly for Australians in my community of Lindsay. The member for Chifley will be pleased to hear that, when you fight for something really hard, not only do you get the commitment you promised during an election campaign but you double that and you get it fully funded and delivered in a budget. That's what's happened with Dunheved Road; there was $63½ million promised in the election campaign, and I delivered that. We wanted that road fully upgraded. There was $427 million from the Morrison government, and that road is being delivered for our community in Lindsay.

That is not my only commitment. I have seven pages of commitments that are being delivered across Lindsay. These include commuter car parks so people can park their car and get to where they are going safer and quicker, to ease congestion on our roads. It also includes something I am really passionate about: healthy, active living. We're investing in Penrith Valley Regional Sports Centre, investing in our local sporting fields so kids can have those opportunities to play sports, to stay active. That is something I am really passionate about because in Lindsay we have more than the state average levels of obesity in both kids and adults. I think that is a really important issue that we need to address, so I will be fighting hard for more funding for healthy, active living in my community. Another really important commitment that is being delivered is a mental health hub in Penrith, which is a much-needed investment in our community, particularly during coronavirus and as we emerge from the pandemic.

In addition to all of these commitments, it was really great to have had the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Housing come to Lindsay not too long ago, just the other week. That's where we announced the extension to the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme. We visited a building site in Mulgoa that's going to employ 40 to 50 people on this one site—tradies, contractors coming in, local people and, most importantly, local jobs. We are delivering the support people in our community need to get their foot in the door and into the housing market—the First Home Loan Deposit Scheme, the HomeBuilder Program, the First Home Super Saver Scheme. We are delivering for our communities and we are delivering for Australians. We are helping more people—those aspirational people that we're working really hard for—to purchase their first home. For our tradies, the investment means more building sites and, as I said, more local jobs.

As we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic, creating more local jobs is really at the heart of our economic recovery, so we're delivering support and incentives for small businesses to grow, to expand, to scale up and to explore opportunities. Something I am very passionate about is supporting our manufacturing industry. In Western Sydney, that really is about advanced manufacturing. We're investing in the manufacturing of the future. I really do believe that Western Sydney holds the key to the new era of manufacturing. I am so pleased that the Morrison government is backing our manufacturers.

I was very pleased that the Treasurer made his very first stop after handing down the budget to my electorate of Lindsay. We met with small-business owners, manufacturers, local families and members of our community and we heard firsthand how our investment and support programs are helping people—from swim schools to hotels, child care, industry and more. Very much the feedback from them is that JobKeeper has been a real lifeline through the coronavirus pandemic. They are so grateful that they have been able to keep local people employed and doing their jobs.

We have delivered tax relief for over 80,000 people in Lindsay. This is delivering for our communities, meaning more people get to keep what they earn. We have extended the instant asset write-off, and over 15,000 businesses have access to that. It is so pleasing. I went to a manufacturer the other day and they told me they're investing in their business and the equipment that they need to emerge and be really successful post coronavirus. That's fantastic. This is what this is all about: backing our local businesses so they can employ more local people. We're delivering for everyday Australians, aspirational Australians and the hardworking, resilient small businesses that will employ and lead our economic recovery.

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