Melissa McIntosh (Lindsay, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Energy Affordability) Share this | Hansard source

Australians are feeling upset, they're feeling angry, and they're certainly—and rightly—feeling let down by this Albanese Labor government, because of the pure lack of leadership, because of the broken promises that have been made time and time again since the last election. It is true that all politics is local, and at the heart of this are the broken promises on a local level, the heartbreak on a local level. I know this, because there were promises made to my community during the 2022 election. The government stood up and declared: 'We will do this for you,' yet people are still waiting, and what they're getting is absolutely nothing.

The Albanese Labor government came into my electorate during the last election and promised that a road that I secured funding for would be fast tracked. It was due to start in the beginning of 2023, and here we are in 2025 with the construction nowhere in sight. This is a major road, and it is about the safety of people that are taking their kids to school or that are going to work. This Albanese Labor government seems to take no interest in the people of Western Sydney.

It's not just about this local road in my community. Major infrastructure projects have been cut across the board—$2 billion dollars in cut projects—when we have an international airport right on our doorstep due to open next year. There are roads around the airport, local roads, that are going to be major freight roads in the not-too-distant future, yet the infrastructure minister cut funding to upgrade these roads so they can deal with the trucks that are going to be driving along them. The local community are scared about the future that is coming. They should be excited about the future for our kids and the opportunities that Western Sydney airport will bring. Other roads have been cut around the airport in my community as well—major roads that take people to school, that take people to work and that keep them safe.

Another issue lacking leadership is that of airport flight paths into Western Sydney International Airport. We've been fighting hard. My community is the most impacted community of all out of all the electorates across Western Sydney. The flight paths were able to be moved for one electorate—the electorate of Macquarie, a Labor seat. It seems like no other calmness could be made for anyone else with the flight paths and the flights that would be going ahead. It is extraordinary.

From local to the portfolios I've been very fortunate to have since coming into opposition, the first was in mental health. Mental health in this country has been completely ignored by the Albanese Labor government. It took the opposition leader, a number of years ago now, to say, 'If we are in government, we will restore the 20 free Medicare funded sessions for people that need psychology sessions that have been cut in half by the Albanese Labor government.' There's an outcry from the sector, saying, 'Please support people with mental illness in this country.' Yet, from those opposite, there is absolutely nothing. We have the former chair of Mental Health Australia calling out the government for their lack of action on mental health. We have shown leadership in this space, and Australians can know that a Dutton led coalition government will restore the full 20 Medicare-subsidised psychology sessions.

In the energy affordability space, my second shadow portfolio, we had 97 promises to the Australian community that their power bills will be cut by $275 by this year. Yet, right across Australia, people are paying so much more for their electricity. Western Sydney residents are paying $1,000 more. This is on top of inflation that's causing higher grocery prices, and people are just struggling so much that they are now lining up at food banks to feed their families.

Finally, in my newest portfolio in communications, it took the opposition leader to come forward and say 'Kids' safety means something. We are going to protect kids online.' Every parent out there knows that this is a major issue when it comes to bullying online, and when it comes to exposure inappropriate content. We, as a government, will ensure that any child under 16 won't have access to social media online—that is, TikTok, Facebook, all social media platforms. It took us and Peter Dutton to take leadership on that, and for the government to come forward and make that same policy. These are just a few things where there is such a lack of leadership. Only a coalition government— (Time expired)

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