Darren Chester (Gippsland, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to highlight the need for increased investment in regional infrastructure to assist economic development and help withstand the job losses that are predicted to flow from the global financial crisis. I take the opportunity while the Minister for Youth and Minister for Sport is in the room to highlight a project in the Wellington Shire with which she is familiar. The Wellington Shire Council is well advanced on a plan to relocate outdoor netball courts and establish a multisports venue in Sale. During the Gippsland by-election campaign a community rally was attended by several hundred people, and I am aware of a petition being prepared with the simple message: ‘give us five’. The community is clearly saying, ‘Give us $5 million and help us get on with the job of building better facilities.’

The project is well advanced and it has the financial backing of state and local governments. All it needs is a commitment from the federal government in the future. The Minister for Youth and Minister for Sport visited Gippsland during the by-election campaign. She appears to be a passionate advocate for the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, particularly for young people. I urge the minister to put in a good word for the people of Gippsland and help to make the case for $5 million to develop this outstanding project in the Sale community.

At a time when the unemployment rate is trending in the wrong direction, many Gippslanders are concerned about the economic outlook. The small business and tourism sectors, which are such critical elements of the Gippsland economy, are facing uncertain times. It is against this backdrop that I have supported the $10.4 billion economic stimulus package from the Rudd government in the belief that it will help to kick-start the regional economy. The job is by no means complete. The one-off bonuses do buy some time but there still need to be permanent increases in these support payments. The job is still not done in terms of investing in improved regional infrastructure.

I read with interest in the Australian this week that the government was planning to fast-track up to $600 million of spending on small infrastructure projects. I agree with the basic premise of the plan that the short lead times for smaller regional projects mean the work can begin almost immediately, but $600 million will not be enough. Since the current government abolished the Regional Partnerships program, there has been a vacuum in regional areas in terms of opportunities to access major project funding. I am not seeking a debate about the merits of the previous program other than to say there were many excellent projects completed in the Gippsland electorate. I strongly urge the government to move quickly and consult with local government, which is best placed, I believe, to deliver these projects in the future. In my electorate, the Wellington shire, the East Gippsland shire and Latrobe city each have a range of projects that could come online immediately.

I close my comments with a quote from the President of the Australian Local Government Association, Mr Paul Bell:

In many cases, this is spending we have had to continually defer, so this money could hit the ground very, very quickly. It would boost local economies and replace and maintain the kind of infrastructure that really provides the glue for these communities.

Investing in regional infrastructure will help local communities to withstand the worst of the global financial crisis and I encourage the government to act quickly in this regard.