Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I'm pleased to speak to Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2021-2022 and the related bills before the chamber and also to the Morrison government's economic plan to secure Australia's economy from the COVID-19 pandemic. Our plan will create jobs, guarantee essential services and build a more secure and resilient Australia. It's already working. Unemployment has fallen to 5.5 per cent and the Australian economy has rebounded at the fastest rate on record, with more people in work now than at the start of the pandemic in March of last year. So, while there's more work to do, we do need to stick to this plan to support individuals, households and businesses to rebuild our economy.

This budget will deliver tax relief to 10 million Australians, support businesses in training new employees through the JobTrainer fund, commit $110 billion over the next decade to a national infrastructure pipeline, strengthen our communications network and boost workforce participation by investing in child care. The Morrison government is also continuing to invest in essential services, especially in our health and aged-care sectors—two very critical areas to my electorate. This includes a $17.7 billion investment into aged care following the recent royal commission, supporting hardworking providers to deliver improved care for our seniors.

A key measure of the budget is the extension of the tax offset for 10 million low- and middle-income earners for a further year, which means that eligible workers will benefit from tax relief of up to $1,080 for individuals and $2,160 for couples during the 2021-22 financial year. This includes around 55,400 residents in my electorate. This will result in more spending to stimulate our local economy and boost our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. For businesses, we are extending the temporary full expensing incentive for another year, which will allow around 16,600 businesses in my electorate to deduct the full cost of eligible depreciable assets of any value in the year they are installed until 30 June 2023 Around 5,700 businesses across the Robertson electorate will also be able to use the extended loss carry-back measure to support cash flow. These policies will allow our businesses to create more jobs and invest back into our local economy.

I welcomed recently the Minister for Employment, Workforce, Skills, Small and Family Business, the Hon. Stuart Robert, to the Central Coast to meet with some small-business owners in my local area and hear how these measures will directly benefit them. This includes a great local business, Cakes by Kyla. They do fantastic cupcakes and sell them from their shop in the heart of Gosford. When we asked how the Morrison government's budget would benefit her business, Kyla said that she was able to use the instant asset write-off to buy a new car, which will help her to deliver her cakes and cupcakes across the coast. I'm proud to be part of this government that is supporting local business owners like Kyla who give so much back to our community and who also help to create more jobs for local people.

The Morrison government's also supporting business through investing an additional $500 million into the JobTrainer Fund. This will support a further 450,000 new training places to upskill those seeking employment and meet skills shortages. We're extending the highly successful boosting apprenticeship commencements wage subsidy for a further six months with a $2.7 billion investment supporting new apprentices and trainees who commence before 31 March 2022. We're already supporting 1,740 apprentices in the electorate of Robertson, and these new measures will provide many more opportunities for employment as an apprentice or trainee on the Central Coast.

The Morrison government has a strong focus on investing in the nation's infrastructure, and in this budget we are delivering a record $110 billion in infrastructure pipeline over the next 10 years, prioritising and supporting local jobs and improving the lives of Australians through faster travel time and better access to services. The budget commits an additional $15.2 billion over the next 10 years to road, rail and community infrastructure projects across the country, including $52.8 million towards improving two intersections along Manns Road in West Gosford and Narara in my electorate of Robertson. Upgrades to this very busy arterial road will benefit both motorists and businesses across the Central Coast and are expected to support around 150 direct and indirect jobs.

There are so many local projects that are supported by funding from recent budgets, and I'd like to take this opportunity to update the House on a number of these across the Central Coast. We're transforming the Peninsula Recreation Precinct in Umina Beach with a previously committed $8.25 million upgrade of the existing Umina Beach Skate Park, including a BMX track and new sporting facilities for the Umina United football club, the Southern Spirit Cricket Club, the Umina Beach Bunnies Rugby League Club and the Umina tennis club. This recreational and sporting upgrade is really important to our community. I do hear and understand the frustration from sports clubs and community members that construction has not yet started on this project, but I'm assured by Central Coast Council, who is responsible for the delivery of these improvements, that they have advised that consultation on the facilities is underway and some design work still needs to be completed before construction can start. I'm certainly urging that this happens as soon and as quickly as possible and will continue to work closely with council to see this project completed.

The new digital scoreboard at Woy Woy Oval is complete. Five years ago, I was pleased to open the state-of-the-art facility upgrade at Woy Woy Oval. It included a 600-seat grandstand, change rooms, clubhouse, ticket booth and kiosk, but there was one thing delivering. Delivery of the scoreboard has completed this upgrade, making the oval a great destination for local and regional events across the peninsula. The Rogers Park amenities building in Woy Woy is also being redeveloped, benefiting hundreds of young people and their families, who have been asking for these facilities to be improved for far too long. We've committed $800,000 to improve the building for clubs like Southern Spirit Cricket Club, Peninsula Junior Touch Association, Peninsula Swans Junior AFL and the Woy Woy Roosters rugby league club. I've been advised by Central Coast Council that they expect to commence construction in August of this year and complete the upgrades by March of next year.

In Terrigal, the recently opened Trojans rugby clubhouse is set to become a centre of excellence for Australian amateur sports in our community after undergoing a comprehensive redevelopment, and this project was partly funded with a $275,000 grant under the National Stronger Regions Fund. Facility upgrades and new women's change rooms at James Browne Oval are now complete. This upgrade is so much more than just a place for sport. It's about enhancing team spirit, creating a place for players and locals to long and ensuring that women's sport is better supported on the peninsula. Federal government funding of more than $488,000 for the project also included redeveloping the club's canteen facilities, creating a better working environment for volunteers, parents, players and supporters. This project is in addition to the $120,000 federal government investment under the Community Sport Infrastructure Grant Program to improve and upgrade irrigation and drainage facilities at that oval.

Upgrades to the Lemon Grove Netball Courts clubhouse and amenities are on the way, benefitting hundreds of locals at the Woy Woy Peninsula Netball Association. Improvements include new change rooms with disability access, a club room so that members can hold functions after game days, a redeveloped canteen, a new first aid facility and a shelter and seating area for players and the public to watch games. The $1.45 million upgrade will be open to players in the next financial year. I look forward to joining players in the new clubhouse come next season.

We're also upgrading some of the Central Coast's worst roads and most congested intersections under our $86.5 million Central Coast Roads Package. Of the 29 projects that were funded in this package, 22 are now complete or under construction, and the remaining roads are in the planning stage with Central Coast Council. I'll continue to work with the Central Coast Council to ensure that the remaining projects are delivered across the Central Coast as soon as possible. A $35 million commitment for commuter car parking at Gosford and Woy Woy is locked in with detailed planning underway, which will help determine time frames for delivery. This work is being finalised, and I will have more to say once the final sites for each car park are identified.

The Morrison government recognises the importance of having access to reliable mobile and internet coverage, which is why we're continuing to invest in communications infrastructure to help make this possible. We're providing improved mobile coverage to thousands of commuters on the Central Coast and Newcastle line, and free wi-fi at 19 stations. The last stages of this project are now complete, and we're already seeing improved service on the train line for our hardworking commuters who leave early in the morning from their homes and return home to their families late at night. We're also delivering for residents along the Hawkesbury River in Spencer, Marlow and Wendoree Park with a new mobile base station recently turned on, which will significantly improve the ability of residents to make calls, browse the internet, stay connected with loved ones, conduct business, access education and, of course, remain connected, particularly during times of emergency when connection through the mobile network is so crucial.

This budget also includes reforms to the childcare sector to make it more affordable and accessible to families across the country and allow mums and dads to return to the workforce sooner, including an additional $1.7 billion investment over the next four years through the strategic reform agreement to cut the costs of living for about 250,000 families across the country, add up 300,000 working hours each week and boost GDP by $1.5 billion each year. Locally, these reforms will benefit over 1,590 families living in Robertson, meaning more affordable care for children and enabling parents to have more options for returning to work.

We're also delivering improvements in health care, including investments in respiratory clinics, pathology testing and tracing, and the continuation of the important telehealth services which have been really welcomed in my electorate. There have been, I understand, over 391,000 telehealth consultations in my electorate through Medicare since the start of the pandemic. I'm pleased to see these services are being extended. We've committed to fund every medicine on the PBS recommended by medical experts, meaning lifesaving treatments will be more available to Australians. Last year, there were more than 2.1 million free or subsidised medicines delivered in Robertson through the PBS, and I know what an important impact this has on the lives of residents and families across the Central Coast.

On aged care, we have committed to record funding, with an additional $17.76 billion over five years in response to the final report of the aged-care royal commission. This will help up to 30,918 senior Australians who live in my electorate of Robertson.

There are a number of fantastic initiatives underway to provide medical care and training to local residents. For example, the construction of the jointly funded $85 million Central Coast Medical School and Research Institute in Gosford, which is complete and ready to open to students, clinicians and researchers in July of this year. The building includes state-of-the-art facilities available for students on the Central Coast who wish to study medicine. Building on this project, we've committed $18 million towards stage 2 of the university precinct in Gosford CBD, with the funds going towards building a multicampus university. This is a significant step, and I'm looking forward to working with all partners involved, particularly the University of Newcastle, on the next stage of this important initiative.

Finally, the Morrison government has also committed $9 million towards a project that's very close to my heart: the Glen for Women, a drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation program. I'm advised that a tender for the construction of the centre has been signed and that the build is expected to be completed by early 2022. I really cannot speak enough, not only of the ripple effect that the work of Joe and the boys at the Glen do for those who go to the Glen and become part of the family that surrounds the Glen, but also of the ripple effect in our community and across our nation. It is an absolute honour to be able to have played a small part in being a voice for the community to see this very important funding made possible.

In conclusion, the budget is helping to secure Australia's economic recovery by creating jobs, guaranteeing essential services and building a better nation, which includes investing in projects that do matter to Australians in our local community, particularly in my electorate of Robertson. This recovery plan is working, it's driving down unemployment and boosting opportunity, and that's why I believe we should stick to this plan to build a better, stronger Australia. I commend these bills to the House.

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