Greg Combet (Charlton, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Defence Procurement) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Rudd Labor government’s first budget has delivered on a number of election commitments for my electorate of Charlton. During the election campaign, a commitment was made to fund a GP superclinic in the Westlakes or Southlakes areas of my electorate—that is, on the western or southern side of Lake Macquarie. The funding has been allocated for the superclinics, and we will now work assiduously to develop a funding application to deliver on the clinic in the region, where there is a critical shortage of general practitioners. The current ratio of GPs to the population sits at around one to 2,000, and there is extreme need for such a commitment in the area.

There are a number of other commitments that have been delivered in the budget. Another is the allocation of $118,000 for the development of a Police-Citizens Youth Club outreach program at Morisset, which we will be doing in partnership with the PCYC and the Lake Macquarie City Council. That will be extremely important for youth in the area. We are also hopeful of achieving funding for black spot treatment of the intersection of Dorrington Road and Wangi Road. I hope to be able to say something more about that in the immediate future.

The budget has also provided something important for the Wallsend region of my electorate: the installation, in partnership with the Newcastle City Council, of a flood early warning system. People may recall that, in June last year, there were serious floods in the area that caused enormous property damage and dislocation. At least the installation of a flood early warning system in the area is going to provide people with the opportunity to evacuate an area, for reasons not only of safety but also of saving stock for small businesses and a number of other things, of course, in people’s homes.

There is an extremely important additional commitment in the budget in relation to addressing the problem of climate change that is relevant to my electorate and the region. My electorate has within it seven or eight coalmines and a large power generator known as Eraring Energy. The establishment of a $500 million Clean Coal Fund, which includes within it $50 million for the development of carbon capture and storage capability, is extremely important for the Hunter region. It will enable the investment in research and development to take place to try and establish improved clean coal technologies, which is extremely important for the job security of families who depend upon the coal industry within the Hunter region.

These are just some of the important initiatives that directly impact upon my particular electorate. Another is the establishment of the funding for a PET scanner at the Calvary Mater Hospital in Newcastle. We are in an area where there is a high incidence of cancer, and this will be an important piece of diagnostic equipment which will help people of the region.

Ms Anna Burke (Chisholm, Deputy-Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

(Ms AE Burke)—Order! In accordance with standing order 193 the time for members’ statements has concluded.