Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is with great optimism that I stand in this chamber to begin the parliamentary new year with a reflection on the address-in-reply to the Governor-General's speech to this parliament—many months ago now, it is fair to say.

I'd like to offer my congratulations to all members who have been elected in this place and, indeed, the other place. Of course, I celebrate a Labor government victory. I'm very heartened to see the incredible work that Labor has done already. After a wasted decade, we are not wasting a single day. It was Labor Prime Minister Paul Keating who remarked that, when you change the government, you change the country. How right he was. From the moment the Labor government were sworn in, we've been working to clear away the mess and chaos of the previous government. We have hit the ground running. We are restoring security to the national energy grid. We're delivering support to flood affected communities. We're implementing the strongest ever biosecurity measures to protect our agriculture sector from foot-and-mouth disease. We're establishing the Defence Strategic Review to make sure that our Defence Force has the capability to meet our changing national security environment. We're backing a pay rise for workers on a minimum wage. We're lifting our climate change ambition and rebuilding Australia's reputation in the region and in our international relations.

We've also moved to change the way that government functions, making parliament a better place to work for everyone. I had a look at my previous address-in-reply speeches ahead of writing this speech, and, in 2016, I spoke about the serious lack of diversity in the 45th Parliament. Out of 150 members, only 43 were women. In the other place, there were 30 women senators out of a total of 76 senators. That, thankfully, is not the same as what I see here today. I am so heartened that in the 47th Parliament, there are now 58 women—almost 40 per cent in the House of Representatives. In the other place, there are 43 women, which is now 56.6 per cent of the Senate make-up. Our work is not done, and there are parties who still have significant discrepancies in their representation, but it is nonetheless a heartening difference, and I applaud the women who have put their hands up to run for parliament. Like my colleague the member for Dobell who sits at the dispatch box, I am extremely proud to stand in a government party room where we are now the majority. Fifty-two per cent of our party room are women—exceptional women, I might add.

Many of us have come back to this place after an election campaign. This is now my fourth term in the Australian parliament, and I am deeply indebted to the people of Newcastle for returning me to this place and placing in me their trust to be their voice in this place. A majority of Novocastrians clearly understood Labor's plans for Newcastle, and they voted for it. They saw the vision that Labor had especially for carbon-intensive regions and economies, like the one from my hometown of Newcastle and the Hunter region. They understood Labor's plans to use our energy smarts to diversify our economic base and make Newcastle a new energy superpower; rather than burying our heads in the sand on the new energy, like the coalition did previously.

My electorate of Newcastle knows better than most the importance not only of reaching net zero by 2050 but also of diversifying and strengthening our economy with renewable energies. The Labor government's Powering Australia plan will deliver on our commitment to ensure that five out of six new jobs will be in regions like ours. Those are regions that, of course, have always been at the heart of energy production and distribution in this nation. The Newcastle and Hunter region has powered Australia for generations, and, under Labor, we will continue to power Australia into the future.

The people of Newcastle are over the moon to see the back of the climate wars. They know that it's time that we take action and transition our economy, rather than leaving behind thousands of people directly and indirectly employed by fossil fuel industries. That is not the Labor way, and the people of our region have entrusted the Labor government with that transition process. The Business Council of Australia, the Australian Industry Group, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Greenpeace, the Australian Conservation Foundation, the National Farmers Federation and the Clean Energy Council have all said they support our legislation, and they have called for parliament to pass that legislation. I was delighted to see this place and, indeed, the other place commit to those new, more ambitious targets in law when the legislation passed in the House.

Novocastrian people, businesses and industry groups that I meet with are regularly telling me how excited they are about the opportunities before Newcastle and the Hunter now. Newcastle and the Hunter is rapidly becoming a centre for green hydrogen. There are quite a few projects on the horizon. The Albanese Labor government is partnering with the University of Newcastle to invest $16 million to build a new facility to test and invent solutions to a range of global challenges when it comes to the use of hydrogen and many of these new energy industries and technologies. The skills, techniques and technologies developed by this project at the University of Newcastle will enable local industry, including hydrogen investments at the Port of Newcastle, to reach their full potential.

There's been a lot of thinking as to what will be required, what industry is going to need in a skilled workforce and also about places to test, accredit and ensure safety in the use of these new energy technologies. There are also two green hydrogen projects that federal Labor committed to help fund, with $41 million going to each of those two projects. One is with Orica and Origin and another one is based with the Port of Newcastle.

There are huge opportunities for the production and export of green hydrogen. It makes sense for the Port of Newcastle to play a substantial role in Australia's bid to become a significant exporter of renewable energy, especially green hydrogen. With its existing access to global energy supply chains, world-class infrastructure, strong industry partnerships, proximity to existing demand, links to domestic rail and road networks, a local, highly skilled workforce and proximity to renewable energy zones, the Port of Newcastle is well placed to develop a hydrogen hub and to export hydrogen as a tradable energy commodity. I look forward to Labor supporting the port in its significant work to ensure the future of the port and all who work there and rely on it.

The diversification of the world's biggest coal port is important to both the people of Newcastle and our entire region. There is an exciting opportunity for the port to diversify further by building a multipurpose container terminal. A deepwater container terminal is a critically important project for the economic future of Newcastle and the Hunter, and it's one that I strongly support, as do my Labor colleagues in the region.

Labor knows that good infrastructure serves communities. It creates secure, well-paid local jobs and connects our region with the national economy. Labor know it because we have built it. Labor also knows the value and importance of efficient public transport and of increased use of public transport to reduce emissions. However, when taking the train to Sydney adds over an hour to your travel had you done it by car, it's often hard to justify. That's why Labor will invest $500 million to begin work on high-speed rail, with the corridor between Newcastle and Sydney as the first priority. We will start with the fast rail corridor, but we will plan and build on that existing fast rail work to move to high-speed rail. Faster rail will see travel times between Newcastle and Sydney cut to around two hours. Once high-speed rail is up and running, this journey will take only 45 minutes.

I know the people of Newcastle have long waited for this project. Indeed, they would be amongst the first to say, 'We've heard many governments talk about high-speed rail in the past but fail to deliver.' I want to assure people that it was the current Prime Minister of Australia who put forward the proposition for high-speed rail in Australia, when he was the minister for infrastructure, so I assure the people of Newcastle that you have a Prime Minister and a government that are absolutely dedicated to ensuring that this high-speed rail project proceeds. That will make our region in Newcastle a more connected place. It will be giving businesses opportunities for much closer collaboration. It will bring economic benefits to local industries like tourism and hospitality. High-speed rail is a game changer for workers commuting to Sydney and further afield.

Families in Newcastle are also telling me just how hard and more expensive it has become to see a GP than it was last time Labor was in government. Families in Newcastle have been hit with the triple whammy of the area losing its classification as an area of doctor shortage; having the bulk-billing incentive cut; and, when the now opposition were in power, the outrageous attack on the GP Access After Hours service. Labor built Medicare, and the people of Newcastle have entrusted us to again fix this mess. Ten years of undermining universal healthcare systems in this country has come home to roost. It is extremely difficult for people. The primary healthcare system has been at great lengths now to demonstrate just how stretched, how underfunded and how under-resourced it feels. That's what 10 years of active undermining of universal health care has done to this country.

Already Labor has acted on the GP shortage crisis in the Hunter by making it a distribution priority area, a DPA; and providing the whole region with access to the Bonded Medical Program and overseas trained doctors, which has been reinstated. Labor will reverse the $500,000 worth of Liberal cuts to our GP Access After Hours service and restore the service to full capacity. The Department of Health and Aged Care is in discussions with the Hunter, New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network and GP Access After Hours about the implementation of that election commitment. I know that my constituents are greatly looking forward to these services being reinstated in full. We know we had the best service in the country for after-hours GP care, and we want to see that service restored, to be fully reinstated, so that we can continue to deliver best practice, high-quality services to the people of Newcastle.

Labor is also investing $1 million over four years to revitalise the Kaden Centre cancer exercise oncology clinic to ensure that they can keep their doors open. The Kaden Centre delivers custom targeted exercise programs prescribed by allied health professionals to drastically improve the long-term health outcomes for people living with cancer. This is an essential service for people living with cancer and chronic illness. The Kaden Centre has developed a groundbreaking model of care delivery for patients undertaking chemotherapy, involving a personalised exercise program to optimise a patient's fitness prior to the definitive cancer treatment. The program has seen a 50 per cent reduction in major complications, shorter lengths of hospital stays, reduced re-admissions and more patients returning to complete their intended oncology treatment. Under the Albanese Labor government the Kaden Centre will be able to support thousands more cancer patients on their pathway to recovery.

I want to give a big shout-out to all the people who work and volunteer at the Kaden Centre and the extraordinary people who use the centre, who mounted a terrific campaign to ensure the future success of the Kaden Centre in our region. I thank you. At a time when you were challenged by your own illnesses or those of your families, you took time to ensure that our community did not lose a vital service for cancer patients.

Labor also wants every child in every school to get a great education, and this Albanese Labor government will make sure that our children get the help they need to bounce back after COVID. The past two years have been tough on families in Newcastle, as is the case across Australia. Kids have missed out on activities and experience and many have been struggling with their mental wellbeing. It has also meant that P & Cs haven't been able to raise funds to help their schools as they would ordinarily. In Newcastle, Labor is investing more than $130,000 in Newcastle schools, committing to upgrades of playgrounds, air conditioning and an innovative outdoor learning facility in its first term. Labor will deliver $50,000 for upgrades to the outdoor learning space and environment at Heaton Public School. We will be delivering $50,000 for an air-conditioning and ventilation system at Mayfield West Demonstration School and $31,150 for playground upgrades at Belair Public School. Being able to learn and play outdoors is so important for the development of our children. I'm very pleased to be committing funding to improve the outdoor learning facilities at Heaton public and supporting the installation of a dry creek bed and nature play facility at Belair public.

We know that a good education is a ticket to a lifetime of opportunity and that being in a comfortable and enjoyable setting helps foster an environment that is conducive to learning. That's why our Schools Upgrade Fund will help students at Mayfield West with the installation of new ducted air-conditioning and ventilation systems to improve air quality, eliminate germs and cool down the classrooms.

Newcastle also loves its sports. Following COVID, Novocastrians are thrilled to be back out with their local clubs getting active and connecting with family and friends again. The Albanese Labor government are investing in community sports infrastructure in Newcastle because we know it's good for local families and local workers too. We're investing $285,000 to deliver much-needed upgrades to the Wallsend Park irrigation system. That place is home to Wallsend cricket club, Wallsend Football Club and Wallsend RSL Junior Cricket Club, some of the strongest sporting clubs in our region. Wallsend Park has hundreds of people who use that space on a regular basis.

We'll also provide funding of $625,000 for a new grandstand and sporting facilities upgrade for the Newcastle Olympic Football Club at their Darling Street Oval.

These are just some of the really important projects we are funding. We're also ensuring, of course, that women and children fleeing family violence are not being turned away from accommodation support services. We will be investing heavily in that space as well.

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