Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It has been almost three years since I was elected to the House of Representatives and what an incredible journey it has been. Representing the people of Bonner is a great honour and I am pleased to report that over this time I have been able to work with the community to deliver results and real outcomes for the electorate. The bayside of Brisbane is a key community in Bonner and I am committed to the revitalisation of Wynnum.

In 2005 I fought hard to deliver a local Medicare office to the area; a service that was desperately needed not only by the people but by the local economy. Since opening its doors in September 2005, the Medicare office has been a welcome achievement and has played an integral role in helping to stimulate what was a struggling local economy.

In cooperation with the community I have also been able to open an Australian Hearing office in Wynnum, which has proved to be a great asset to the local senior and veteran community. Late last year I also announced over $400,000 in black spot road funding for the bayside and $1.2 million towards the costs of a planning study for the future extension of the Port of Brisbane Motorway.

In the southside community of Bonner I have worked closely with local schools and their P&C associations to deliver practical outcomes through the Investing in Our Schools Program. Eighteen southside state schools have now received funding for projects specifically designed by the schools to address the needs of students and staff. Throughout the whole of Bonner over $3 million has been provided to 33 schools in the past year alone, and I plan on working to increase this number over the coming months.

I am also pleased to report that the southside now has access to a family relationship centre, which was opened on 2 July. This is an invaluable new service to the southside community. This centre will play a key role in supporting local families and single parents. These are but a few examples of what has been achieved over the past 2½ years. While the Bonner community can be proud of the progress that has been made, there is never time to rest and always more to be done. I am committed to improving our local roads and infrastructure, to addressing the needs of our environment and to combating local crime. With the support of the community I plan to deliver funding for the upgrade of the Port of Brisbane Motorway, just as I plan to ensure that all clubhouses and scout halls in Bonner are given the means to install CCTV and combat crime in their local area. I am committed to Bonner. As the 2007 federal election draws closer, I am determined to work even harder to ensure that on a national level this country retains the best government it has ever had so that at a local level even more positive outcomes can be delivered to the community.