Jason Falinski (Mackellar, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Sorry, I did not mean to insult the good people of Melbourne. Apparently he's not from Melbourne; he's from somewhere else. I'm not sure if those opposite are suggesting that where he's from is a tax haven. I'm sure that's not true. We all know that, under Daniel Andrews, Melbourne is not a tax haven; that's for sure.

In the seat of Mackellar, there have been some incredibly important advances on these goals. In education, which is the very core of providing equality of opportunity, we have increased funding per student by 52 per cent. When you look at schools such as Kinma School, St Lucy's at Narraweena and St Martin's Catholic Primary School, we have made sure that we've upgraded the IT equipment that they have there. We have made massive improvements to classrooms, with new furniture, whiteboards and, importantly, air-conditioning. Even schoolyards at Galstaun College, Kambora Public School, Collaroy Plateau Public School, Maria Regina Catholic Primary School and Mona Vale Public School, Elanora Heights Public School, Frenchs Forest Public School, Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School, Narrabeen Lakes Public School and Yanginanook School—all these schools have benefited from taxpayer funded opportunities to improve the experience of education that our children are having. We know that equality of opportunity starts not just at the school but in families. But that is an important core principle.

I also say to you that it is not good enough that we just do this here in Australia. Under our foreign aid programs we are ensuring that women and girls around the world have access to education that they've never had before in any of those parts of the world, because, regardless of your gender, you deserve the same opportunities to develop your God-given skills, no matter where you live. It shouldn't be determined by whether you were lucky enough to have been born in Australia. Wherever you were born—in the South Pacific, in Africa, in South-East Asia—if you're a girl, you should have as much opportunity to get an education as a boy.

In my area, one of the biggest things that we face is traffic congestion. Under this government we have provided $7 million to local roads. We have boosted the opportunities for and efficiency and productivity of local businesses with new phone towers at Belrose and Cottage Point. They provide assurance not only for business but also locals, so that they can always reach their friends and families, and, if an emergency occurs, they can get in touch with people.

When it comes to net zero, this government has done an extraordinary amount to give community groups, surf clubs and rural fire brigades access to the best that we can in renewable energy, including installations of new solar panels at the Newfrontiers Grace City Church, Sunnyfield and the Peninsula Senior Citizens Toy Repair Group. The skilled older retired gentlemen of the Peninsula Senior Citizens Toy Repair Group take toys that have been thrown out and rejuvenate them, fix them, paint them and send them to countries where people do not have the same opportunities that we have—once again, the South Pacific, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. South Narrabeen Surf Life Saving Club now have solar panels on their roof provided by the Australian taxpayer, so they can spend less money on electricity and more money on saving lives. That's what this government is about. It's not about telling people what to do; it's about enabling the future, giving freedom and empowerment back to individuals. Big governments create small people. This government is about being small and making sure that we have the most empowered citizens anywhere in the world.

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