Chris Hayes (Werriwa, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Today I rise to speak on the Rudd government’s commitment to support jobs and boost the local economy of the south-west of Sydney. The Rudd government last week approved more than $4 million to build and upgrade community infrastructure in and around my electorate of Werriwa. The Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, the Hon. Anthony Albanese, visited Campbelltown last week as part of the community cabinet meeting, where funding from the $800 million Community Infrastructure Program was announced. While he was in Campbelltown he took the opportunity to meet the mayors of Campbelltown, Liverpool, Camden and Wollondilly councils to discuss a number of issues of local concern, including the sound barriers along the new freight line being constructed by the ARTC along the Casula corridor and a bridge at Cambridge Avenue, which is a main thoroughfare but one which regularly goes under water every time it rains. These are matters that are very important to our local mayors, and it has been reported to me that at that meeting the minister was very responsive to looking at making plans to better facilitate those pieces of infrastructure.

The Rudd government is acting decisively on local community issues to support jobs and improve the quality of local infrastructure, and I think what we saw from the community cabinet meeting was that commitment writ large. A new and vibrant partnership between federal and local governments is emerging. I am pleased to see that the funding that has been announced is being quickly targeted. These projects will not only improve our local community but also will support jobs, particularly at this time of global financial crisis.

In the time I have left I would like to inform the House of some of those projects that were approved for Campbelltown and Liverpool city councils: $142,000 for redevelopment of sporting fields to provide improved recreational use at Eschol Park; $125,000 for refurbishing and improving Macquarie Fields Park and its change rooms; $120,000 for the refurbishment of playing fields at Bob Prenter Reserve; $120,000 to install playground equipment and softfall rubber for children at Rizal Park; and $120,000 for the new Woodlands Road baseball complex, including change rooms and a canteen.

There will be $120,000 to construct an infill watering system for playing fields at the Clarke Reserve, $100,000 for the development of a cycleway and walkways to enhance access to local rail services at Bow Bowing, $100,000 for the upgrade of amenities and change room facilities at Bradbury Park, $100,000 for the refurbishment of change rooms and showers in the Campbelltown Swimming Centre, $100,000 for the refurbishment of amenities at Koshigaya Park, $100,000 for the renovation of the existing community hall at the St Helens Park community facility, $90,000 to restore the playing fields at Blinman Park to provide improved facilities for the Glenfield community, $90,000 to upgrade and refurbish the community hall at Kearns and $80,000 to construct new playing equipment and soft-fall rubber at Mawson Park.

In Liverpool, at the other end of my electorate, $400,000 was approved for the renovation of existing retractable terraced grandstand seating at the Whitlam Leisure Centre; $160,000 for the construction of a new adventure playground at Greenway Park; $160,000 for structural repairs to the exterior of Collingwood House; $100,000 for the internal renovation, including kitchens, lighting and ceiling, for the Chipping Norton Community Centre; $100,000 for the internal renovation, including kitchens, lighting, ceilings and floors, for the Moorebank Community Centre; $100,000 to install a state-of-the-art gym and training equipment at Wenden Centre, Miller; $93,000 for the installation of security lights at various community centres; $40,000 for the renewal of synthetic grass for the Craik Park tennis courts; $35,000 for the construction of a new children’s playground at the Sydney Neville Reserve; and $35,000 for the construction of new playing equipment at Freeburn Park.

These are fantastic projects. They will create local jobs. We are seeing that locally now. This is our commitment to our local community.