Dan Repacholi (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

They say you shouldn't throw stones in glass houses. Clearly no-one has told this to those opposite, who say this government is giving up on regional Australia. You've got to be joking, Deputy Speaker. It would be funny if it wasn't for the fact that those opposite really did leave regional Australia behind in their decade of waste and neglect. They left regional Australia behind so badly that it's shocking that they get up here and say that we have given up on regional Australia.

This government has rebuilt regional Australia. I see this every day when I'm driving around my electorate. When I talk to the people of the Hunter, I hear that they are relieved that this government, once again, has their back. We are a government that, once again, values the regions, a government that understands that regional Australia is the vital backbone of our economy. It is where our food is grown. It is where our products are made. It is where our energy is generated. People from the regions are hard-working, good people, and for too long they were let down by those opposite, who had nothing to offer them. We have been rebuilding regional Australia. We have been getting it done with zero thanks to those opposite. We have really put what has been needed back into the regions. We have delivered more for regional Australia than any other government in living memory.

Let's take a look at my regional electorate. It tells you what this government has done for the regions, particularly in the Hunter. This government has put over $268 million in for the Muswellbrook Bypass project. Over 26,000 freight and passenger vehicles will use this new route every day when it is completed—3,700 heavy vehicles will use it. People have been talking about this bypass since 1996, and we are getting it done with zero thanks from those opposite. Do you think $268 million sounds good? Wait until I tell you about the Singleton Bypass, Deputy Speaker. We have backed this project with $560 million, the largest road infrastructure investment ever in Singleton's history. Five sets of annoying traffic lights will be bypassed by this beautiful eight kilometres of road that is getting built right now in the Hunter. We're getting it done with zero thanks from those opposite.

We're rebuilding the infrastructure of the regions, with over $25 million in funding for roads and bridges across the Hunter. There is $10 million for a permanent dredge in Lake Macquarie. Almost every town in the Hunter has had NBN connection upgrades because of the wasted money that those opposite put into NBN. We are getting it done, with zero thanks to those opposite.

Almost every school in my electorate has had upgrades under this government, including huge upgrades such as the $1.2 million for Cessnock East Public School and the $4 million for Wakefield Public School. Under this government there is nowhere better to grow up than in regional Australia. There was 500 grand for the Cessnock BMX track and $1 million for the Cessnock Regional Skatepark. Not only are we getting it done, but we're making the regions fun again—with zero thanks to those opposite. When flooding hit our region this government stepped in with $47 million of funding for flood victims through the Back Home funding program. Those opposite said today that we've given up on the regions. Does this sound like we've given up on the regions? Those opposite have got to be having a laugh.

Every taxpayer in the Hunter has benefited from our tax cuts. Over 6,500 families in the Hunter benefit from cheaper child care that this government introduced. Over $7.7 million has been saved by Hunter residents, thanks to cheaper medicines. Same job, same pay has been an absolute life changer for workers in the Hunter, ending the exploitation of unfair work arrangements that blossomed under those opposite. All types of people in the regions are benefiting in all types of ways thanks to this government.

It is no surprise to anyone, other than those opposite, that Australians know that our government is truly a government for all Australians. We didn't pit regional Australians against city Australians or any other Australians for that matter. We don't play dress-ups and pretend to be farmers like the Nats do or rock up to the pub in a town, have a couple of beers and then never return like the Libs do. We are a government that genuinely governs for all Australians. We have revived the regions so the future is bright, and the people in the regions know that. This Labor government has their back.

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