Angie Bell (Moncrieff, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Australia's recovery is underway. On the Gold Coast, the mood has been shifting for many from gritty determination to a sense of cautious optimism. There's a shift taking place from the production of jobs to the creation of jobs. Many businesses and individuals have shifted from being supported to supporting themselves. All of that is about jobs for Gold Coast families. If there is a note of caution that I hear most often it's that businesses and families are still a little bit nervous about the prospect of state border closures being foisted upon them once again. But, overall, business confidence is up, consumer confidence is up and people on the Gold Coast have more spring in their step.

That spring is the national economy step two. Consider that nearly one million jobs have been added since the peak of this twin health and economic crisis. Australia is outperforming similar advanced economies and, in 2021, GDP is expected to grow by 5¼ per cent. To avoid lockdowns, state border closures and, most importantly, harm to the health of Australians, we will need to remain on guard and increase our resilience. To that end, the budget included an additional investment of $1.9 billion in the vaccine rollout, and Australia has secured supply of 170 million vaccine doses.

For some sectors, this process is slower and the support continues, such as the $1.2 billion support package for tourism and aviation, delivering close to 200,000 half-price tickets to the Gold Coast so that our local businesses have more customers. I was at the Blues on Broadbeach Music Festival on Sunday, and there were customers everywhere. Tourists usually spend 10 times what they spend on air tickets at their destination. Other support is in place for the arts and entertainment sector. As I said, Blues on Broadbeach proceeded last weekend with COVID-safe measures. It was supported by government funding to the tune—of course, a blues tune!—of $200,000.

Beyond the temporary support measures, the government is busy delivering major infrastructure investments like the additional $26.6 million in contribution to the Gold Coast light rail stage 3, announced recently on the Gold Coast. I see the smirks on my colleagues' faces across the chamber when I talk about the federal government coming to the rescue of the state government in Queensland. We came to the rescue—hook, line and sinker. The minister for communication and urban cities announced that big gaping hole and we covered that up with federal funding—yes, we did.

What the arts, urban cities and communication minister knows is that infrastructure investments not only are good for jobs during the construction phase but also help underpin long-term prosperity. The Gold Coast needs infrastructure to enable our growing city to grow at pace with the population whilst maintaining our enviable lifestyle. It's the most enviable lifestyle in the country, in my view. One of the mischievous refrains coming from those opposite is not to oppose the level of spending by the government but to feign concern about what we'll have to show for it. Well, $110 billion in infrastructure over 10 years is certainly something to show for it. That's what I would say to those opposite. On the Gold Coast, one of the greatest examples is the light rail stage 3, which is Broadbeach to Burleigh. It's the kind of world-class public transport that a world-class city like the Gold Coast, Australia's sixth largest city, needs and deserves.

Another is increased capability and potency for the Australian Defence Force. Labor's appalling neglect of the ADF was ended by the coalition coming to government. Can you imagine what it would be like now after eight years under Labor? Defence wasn't even mentioned in Labor's address on the budget. But we did not stop there. We are delivering the sustained funding commitment required and two per cent of GDP on defence to maintain and enhance the Australian Defence Force.

National security is without doubt a vital duty of federal governments. The prosperity and freedom of our liberal democracy and the security of our peace-loving, industrious people cannot be left to good luck. These require good management. They require commitment. My wise and resolute Queensland colleague, the Minister for Defence, is leading that commitment, and I will quote his words. He said:

In 2020, the Australian Government delivered on its commitment to grow the Defence budget to 2 per cent of GDP. The 10-year funding model in the 2020 Defence Strategic Update and 2020 Force Structure Plan builds on this by providing Defence with a total funding of $575 billion over the decade to 2029-30. This includes—

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