Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for Disabilities and Children's Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My electorate of Maribyrnong is in Melbourne’s west. Before I talk a little further about that, it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge that the member for Dawson has turned 49 today and I wish him the best of birthday wishes. Returning from Mackay to Maribyrnong, times have been tough for many in the west over recent years. There is no point in denying it. The decline of manufacturing in particular and the neglect under the Howard years have hit us hard. But I believe the tide is turning. I believe the old powerhouse and workhorse of Melbourne is rising again. Just look at the representation of this area now in the federal government: four ministers and a lowly parliamentary secretary, being me, in the adjoining electorates covering the west and north-west. This is not in itself a magic wand, but we will not engage in the pork-barrelling of the conservatives in their areas and seats.

What it does mean is that a large proportion of the Rudd government, unlike the former Howard government, do not need a street directory to navigate the streets of the western suburbs of Melbourne—a nice change from the last 11 years. In fact, the region was shamefully neglected by the previous national government. But there is a rebirth of pride in the west and it is not hurting that until yesterday the Western Bulldogs were 8-0 up in the AFL. We have got 70 different nationalities living together in what I believe is astonishing harmony, adding immeasurably to our cultural and social life. These things may be summed up in the style of that famous advocate from The Castle, Denis Denuto, as ‘the vibe’.

There is something more tangible going on. To me it is encapsulated by the launch of a new group called LeadWest. LeadWest is chaired by the Hon. Ralph Willis, who this House will remember well. Its foundation members are the Brimbank, Hobsons Bay, Moonee Valley, Wyndham and Maribyrnong city councils; Melton Shire Council; Victoria University; New Farm; City West Water; and Moonee Valley Racing Club. Last week I launched their direction strategy and I was very impressed with the work that they have done. They call it a road map to create a prosperous, sustainable, healthy and fair region and improve the lives of our people.

The western suburbs is one of the fastest-growing regions of the nation. Infrastructure, however, is sadly lacking. There are bottlenecks on our roads and we need added capacity on our suburban and freight rail lines. I am looking forward to the Victorian government’s response to the Eddington report, because I think this will make a big difference. And I welcome the Rudd government’s commitment announced this week of $12 million toward a joint Commonwealth-Victorian study of projects to improve connections between the east and west of Melbourne. There is the telecommunications infrastructure to be built. The internet is vital for both education and business. We need high-speed broadband and we need it quickly—something which the Howard government failed to deliver. It will boost desperately needed business investment in the west.

At the moment, too many of our workers commute into the city and beyond for work. It is a little-known fact that we have 16 per cent of Melbourne’s population but only eight per cent of the jobs are in our region. Unemployment, particularly youth unemployment, is unacceptably high. We must give the unemployed the opportunity to re-skill to ensure that children get the education they need and that this is not based upon the postcode in which they live. They need quality education and access to it. We need to promote a culture of lifelong learning. There is no such thing as a job for life anymore.

We know that job growth in the west long ago shifted from traditional areas such as manufacturing towards the services sector. We have 12.3 per cent of the state’s manufacturing and transport jobs but only 6.5 per cent of the knowledge based services jobs. The government’s trade in schools program will make a difference, and I am glad that the schools in my electorate are for once on the list to benefit from the Computers in Schools commitment, unlike in previous years.

It is fantastic also that the Brumby government is building a new selective school in Wyndham Vale. This will give talented children in the massive western growth corridor the same opportunities for a selective education that those in the inner city of Melbourne currently enjoy.

The Minister for Health and Ageing, the member for Gellibrand, and I cohosted a western suburbs 2020 summit last month. It proved that there are many smart people doing a lot of smart thinking in our suburbs. More than 100 people contributed their time and thoughts, many of which mirrored the ideas of the LeadWest strategy paper. I find it comforting and inspiring that so many minds are focused on the future wellbeing of our region. There is a lot to be done and it will take leadership on all levels. Federal, state and local governments must work with community leaders and business to build a future we can all look forward to. Of one thing I am sure: the western suburbs does not deserve any more than any other part of Australia, but we should never receive any less than any other part of Australia. I believe the tide is turning in the western suburbs.