Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before I call the member for Banks, I remind the House that it is the honourable member’s maiden speech and I ask the House to extend the normal courtesies to the member.

David Coleman (Banks, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, democracy and free markets are the two greatest forces for good in human history. You cannot have real political freedom without economic freedom; you cannot have real economic freedom without political freedom. I believe that we are here to provide strong national foundations so that every Australian can pursue their dreams. We should always remember, though, that, while government helps to secure the foundations of the nation, the people build the house.

Today I stand here for the first time as the member for Banks. Since it was created in 1949, the seat of Banks has had only four members. Most recently, Daryl Melham served the electorate for more than two decades. Mr Melham is a good and honourable man, and I wish him every success in the future. I am the first member of the Liberal Party to be elected in Banks.

A government member: And not the last!

Government members: Hear, hear!

The people of the electorate have placed great trust in me. They expect and deserve to be provided with a high standard of representation. They will be.

Everybody likes to expand their domain. It is only human to want to make your sphere of influence bigger. But it is critical that government understands what it does well, and what it does not. Clarity of thought leads to concentration of effort, and concentration of effort leads to success. The role of the federal government is clear. Firstly, it is to secure national defence. Without security, we have nothing. Over time, the nature of conflicts will change, but the forces that lead to them are timeless. There is no such thing as the end of history. At some point in our future, we are likely to face serious security challenges. We cannot be sure of what those challenges will be, but we can be sure of a few things. We can be sure that it is better to be prepared. We can be sure that it is better to have friends who share our values. And we can be sure that our military will do the job we ask, if we give them the resources they need.

In a secure nation, we are free to turn our thoughts to the future. We think about the amazing things that our kids are going to do one day. We think about the job we are going to get, the place we are going to visit and the people we are going to help. We think about our parents and how we will care for them as they age. We do not think much about economic issues for their own sake. But so much of what we care about is tied to our economic strength. After securing our national defence, the government must focus on the economic foundations of our nation. It is no accident, of course, that the nations of the world with the highest living standards are those that have embraced free political and economic systems.

We all have our dreams. Our dreams are best realised in a free society. When nations do not get the foundations right, good actions go unrewarded. The most innovative idea can be squashed by a too-keen bureaucracy; the most principled act can be thwarted by corruption. We are fortunate to have great natural resources in this country. These resources have contributed to our wealth. But our resources are much less important than the strength of our system.

Many countries around the world have vast natural resources, but without the right national foundations those resources are often squandered. Our laws and processes need to be transparent. Everyone must play by the same rules. Complex regulations which favour the well-advised should be avoided. Corruption should be non-existent. Government should focus much of its energy on these foundational issues. I do not believe that government should focus as much of its energy on making decisions within the economy itself.

Most of the time in business, you do not think about the government. Government does not help you to design better products. It does not help you to sell any better. It does not help you to hire the best people. And it does not give you helpful pointers on how to beat the competition. As the vast majority of your time in business is spent thinking about these things, you do not think about the government very much. You do think about the government when tax makes a new project uneconomic to pursue. You do think about the government when it imposes unworkable constraints on you. You do think about the government when you are filling out forms for it. You do not expect the government to solve all your problems, but you do expect it not to create new ones.

The fact is that the economy constantly changes in ways that no government can predict. A century ago, one in three working Australians were employed in agriculture. Now just one in 40 of us work in that field. Twenty years ago, virtually nobody had heard of the internet. Today, millions of Australians rely on it in their work every day.

I have spent the majority of my career in internet businesses, most recently as chairman of ninemsn. The internet's rise is a perfect example of the extraordinary power of free markets. Entrepreneurs have raced to create new businesses making it easier for people to shop, travel, and learn. Open, online platforms have made it easier for families to communicate and harder for dictators to dictate. The change brought about by the internet has hurt some traditional industries—newspapers being a prime example—but nobody would seriously argue that we would be better off without the digital world.

Change is hard. Once great industries can disappear. The dislocation caused by this is painful, and there is a role for government in softening the impact. But government cannot stop the change from occurring. In business nobody is really sure what's going to happen in their industry five or ten years down the track, and business leaders are much closer to markets than government. So, if business leaders don't really know how their industries will evolve, how can the government know? Government's line of sight in this area is very limited, and we should never pretend that it can see around corners.

Tax matters because it restrains economic activity. The more money that families keep, the more they have to spend. The more money that businesses keep, the more they invest. Over the years, I have worked on many business proposals—from multi-billion dollar transactions all the way down. Sometimes I have been the decision maker; sometimes I have been the one building the 10 megabyte spreadsheet. These analyses, no matter how big or small they are, all try to work out the same thing: is it viable to do this?

When you make the decision whether or not to proceed, tax is always on your mind. There are many projects that would go ahead but for the impact of tax. Most business ideas are not revolutionary, and you do not expect them to produce revolutionary returns. So the decision about whether or not to take the risk is often finely balanced. The impact of tax is frequently the thing that tips a proposal over the edge one way or the other. Less tax means more investment.

The best economic system is one with clear and transparent regulation, limited government intervention, low tax and low government debt. For governments, going into debt is always alluring but usually a bad idea. It is always possible to come up with plausible-sounding reasons about why a government should go into debt just this one time more, just for this project. But we know that most of the time, when something goes seriously wrong with the finances of a family, a business, or a nation, debt is involved. Debt acts as a dead hand suppressing our firepower and blunting our confidence. I saw up close the havoc that excessive debt can cause in the private sector when my employer, the Nine Network, was almost brought to its knees. In recent decades, once great economies have been made feeble by debt. We must never let that happen here.

A strong economy helps us in so many ways. For the government it means that revenue has a sound, sustainable base. Sustainable revenue means we can build the defence force we need; it means we can care for those who need care; it means we can better educate our kids. But a strong economy also allows us the freedom to pursue our personal goals. Maybe you want to send your son to a soccer camp, to help him follow his dream. Maybe you want to take that year off and drive around the country together, as you have been saying you will for decades. Maybe you want to volunteer at the local hospital. Whatever the goal, it is so much more achievable when the economy is strong.

I mention some examples of our goals because I think they demonstrate the sort of people that we are. We are not a materialistic nation. We do not stand on ceremony. We are not sure about grand solutions. We know that fashions come and go but the important things endure. We can spot a fake.

We have achieved so much. We are a member of the very small club of nations that has never wavered from democracy. We have generated much more than our fair share of world leaders in fields as diverse as science and the arts. We have dramatically increased our living standards, so that the children of today enjoy opportunities that were unheard of a few generations ago. Because we have largely embraced political and economic freedom, our nation has grown stronger over time. We live longer; we earn more; we fear less.

We have made our national foundations stronger by allowing more people to build upon them. My grandfather could not get the job he wanted because he was Catholic; now we have Catholics in the most senior roles in the nation. There was a time, of course, when Aborigines could not vote, married women could not work, and non-whites could not immigrate. In recent decades we have made many important changes to our laws to give people the freedom to better build on our national foundations. We should never legislate for outcomes, but we should always be open to removing constraints that stop people from pursuing their dreams. It is the people of Australia, not the government, who make us great. Our role is to provide the stable and secure foundations that allow every Australian to be their best.

In a remarkable speech, Calvin Coolidge once advised his parliamentary colleagues to have faith in Massachusetts. We should have faith in Australia. I believe that this faith in ourselves should extend to an Australian head of state. My daughter Caroline can aspire to be a great doctor, homemaker, police officer or teacher. But she cannot aspire to be the head of state. The notion that our head of state should be determined based on who one's parents are is, in my view, patently wrong. It is not a small matter. It is important. Imagine if you could only get a job at the local bank if your dad had worked there; or if you could only enter parliament if your mother had held the seat before you. I see no difference in relation to the head of state. This job should be opened to Australian applicants. I would like to think that one day someone from Banks could be our head of state.

The people of Banks embody modern Australia. Many are young families raising kids—people in their 30s and 40s who do so much of the heavy lifting in our society. Some families have lived in the same home for more than half a century; others arrived in recent times from overseas. Banks has the highest proportion of people of Chinese background of any Australian electorate and people who trace their ancestry to all parts of the world. People in Banks are defined not by race or religion but by values. All that matters in Banks is that you play by the rules of Australia. Wherever you were born, the responsibility of all of us is the same. That responsibility is to live within our laws and to embrace our values. That is what the people of Banks believe; that is what I believe.

Banks stretches from Carlton in Sydney's south east to Revesby in the west. The mighty Georges River defines much of the area. In Hurstville we have one of the most dynamic, energetic centres in Australia. In Oakley we have a suburban paradise that fortunately the rest of Sydney does not know about. While Banks is already a great place, there are local issues where government can help to improve the lives of residents. Our river could be cleaner; our streets could be safer; our roads could be better. I am proud of the commitments that we have already made to help address these critical local issues and I look forward to delivering on them.

Madam Speaker, I have received so much support from my friends in Banks. It goes without saying that I cannot do justice to that support in this speech. I am indebted to literally hundreds of people, many of whom are here today. My job in the months and years ahead is to honour the trust that they have placed in me. I do want to pay special tribute today, though, to the member for Oatley, Mark Coure, who led our campaign with great expertise.

I have talked today about the country I love and the role of government within it. As this is my introduction to this House, though, I should say a little about myself. I have lived a lucky life. To be born in the 1970s, in Australia, is to draw a tremendous hand from fate. Because of the greatness of people who fought their battles long before I was born, I have grown up in a proud democracy where ideas flourish. I was raised by a loving mother, with values which have equipped me well for the world. I have been fortunate to progress to senior levels in Australian business, learning from the best in the process. From David Gold I learnt about drive; from Ian Law I learnt about professionalism; from David Gyngell I learnt about leadership. I did not grow up with wealth, but I never felt that I needed it. Madam Speaker, I have no excuses.

In recent years, I have had the wonderful privilege of raising a family. 'Awe-inspiring' is one of those terms that we use from time to time, but I did not really know what it meant until I saw my wife Dotte care for our children. The incredible love and energy she puts into them literally inspires awe in me. In a sense, my life did not really begin until I was a father. My children Caroline and Joseph are the best thing that has ever happened to me. Other people could be the member for Banks, but only I can be their dad. I will always remember that.

Madam Speaker, I wasn't raised to vote for the Liberal Party, let alone join it, let alone represent it in parliament. I became a Liberal because my experience of life and my reading of history led me to a clear conclusion. Most of the time, when good things happen they happen because of the hard work of a small number of people. They do not happen because a committee talked about them or because somebody published a discussion paper. They happen because people made them happen. Government should harness that creative energy by letting it be free. We all see something in the distance. Trying to get there is what life is all about.

Our nation's history is one of progress. From humble beginnings, we have built the greatest nation on earth. Some of our governments have been better than others—considerably so—but in the long run we have always moved forward. We do best when the government focuses on providing secure national foundations and giving people the freedom to pursue their dreams. The Abbott government's agenda of measured, mature, unpretentious leadership is exactly what the nation needs and I look forward to playing my own small part in it.

Finally, to the people of Banks, thank you for the faith you have shown in me. You are my boss. In Banks, I will listen to you. In Canberra, I will work for you. I will not solve every problem because no government can do that, but I will use every ability I possess on your behalf and I will never give up. Together, I know that we can make our great country even greater.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before I give the call to the member for Newcastle, I would again remind the House that it is her maiden speech and I would ask that the courtesies of the House be afforded to her as they were indeed to the member for Banks.

Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you Madam Speaker. I want to begin my first speech in the Australian parliament by acknowledging the traditional owners, the Ngambri and Ngunnawal people, on whose country we meet, and pay my respects to their elders past and present and to their future leaders. I thank them for their ongoing custodianship of this land—it is their traditional knowledge systems and beliefs that have nurtured and will continue to nurture these lands and waters for millennia.

I also want to acknowledge the traditional owners of my home town, Newcastle, and the wider electorate—the Awabakal, Worimi and Wonnarua peoples. Your histories are testament to your strength and resilience and should be better known.

As a nation, we are uniquely grounded in the rich and complex cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This is one of the oldest living cultures in the world, a central—and sometimes confronting—part of our Australian identity and a significant component of how we present ourselves to the world. We have much to celebrate in partnership with Australia's first peoples, but we also have much to learn.

I stand here today as the proudly elected member for Newcastle. It is an honour and a privilege to be elected to represent the people of Newcastle in this 44th Australian parliament. I am grateful for the confidence and trust that my fellow Novocastrians have placed in me to be their voice in the national parliament. I take very seriously the responsibility that this entails and pledge to do my utmost to ensure that your voices, hopes and aspirations are heard.

Newcastle occupies a unique place in the Australian parliament and the history of the Australian Labor Party. Since its creation as a federation seat in 1901, Newcastle has only ever returned Labor members of parliament. And Newcastle is the only federation seat in the Australian parliament to have been held continuously by one political party. Even more remarkable perhaps is the fact that I am only the sixth person to have been elected to this position in 112 years. David Watkins; his son, David Oliver Watkins; Charlie Jones; Allan Morris; and Sharon Grierson have all proudly represented Newcastle and the Labor Party before.

This history speaks volumes about Newcastle's long association with industry and work, our place as an important economic, social and cultural hub, the Newcastle spirit and our dogged commitment to equality and fairness in pursuit of a shared vision for our future. And it is testament to Labor's steadfast commitment to investing in people, jobs and innovation. That is Labor's way of ensuring that the benefits of economic growth are being shared across our community.

I am proud to be part of a strong Labor tradition that recognises the active role of government in the pursuit of equality, social justice and a progressive reform agenda. As an elected member of this parliament, I commit to being a strong opposition, holding this new government to account, and to wholly devoting myself to the return of a Labor government.

I wish to make particular note of our first and most recent members for Newcastle, whose actions exemplify the spirit and strength of our community. David Watkins, a member of the first Commonwealth parliament and a representative for 34 years, was a miner before entering politics and was an active member of a number of art and musical societies. One of his great marks while in politics was at a royal commission on coalmining regulation, with his evidence resulting in improved mine safety and ventilation. While our history is deeply connected with the mining industry, we have always fought for the health and safety of workers.

And, secondly, our most recent representative, my friend and mentor Sharon Grierson, proudly served the people of Newcastle for the last 12 years. She was first elected in 2001 and was the first woman to represent the federal seat of Newcastle. Throughout her tenure, Sharon was a staunch advocate for her fellow Novocastrians. Her integrity, passion and commitment to Newcastle were unquestionable. We remain indebted for her vision of Newcastle as centre of excellence for clean energy research and innovation and thank the former Labor government for investing in our future.

The dedication and work of my five predecessors has forged the modern-day electorate that I now represent. Newcastle is very much my home town. I am a fifth-generation Novocastrian. Newcastle has always been a priority for me, and it has always been a priority for Labor governments. While I was campaigning, people would often ask me why I was putting my hand up for this job. The answer was simple: because my decision making has always been guided by strong personal commitment to three core Labor values—equality, social justice and democracy. Labor had a vision for Newcastle, and I knew it was a vision worth fighting for.

There are many aspects of my personal story that come to bear on my work in this parliament. My love of anthropology and the study of human culture, society and difference is just one, but it is one that has had a profound impact on my life. For almost a decade I lived and worked in remote Aboriginal communities in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, immersing myself in a very different political and social reality. Always taking a hands-on approach, much of my early work in the Kimberley focused on the large cattle stations that were the major source of employment for Aboriginal people and enabled them to maintain close links to their traditional country. I worked variously as a domestic, a gardener, a stock-camp cook and a jillaroo alongside the Aboriginal stockmen and women to better understand this important part of Aboriginal life in the Kimberley.

My passion and commitment to social justice also led me to work with a community based disability service, where I helped establish a network of residential group homes, setting up independent living skills programs, and developed policy to assist the organisation at a time of rapid change and growth.

Finally, my role as an elected Newcastle city councillor and my work for the former members for Newcastle provide me with a solid background in community service, advocacy and representation, skills that I hope will serve me well in this new role.

My fellow citizens of Newcastle are proud and passionate people. We wear our heart on our sleeve, stand up for what is just, fiercely defend our rights and have proven to be incredibly agile and resilient when faced with adversity. Our stubborn resolve has been exhibited throughout our city's history. We always find a way to continue on and, moreover, prosper when faced with hardship. Living and working in Newcastle has not always been easy, but we always find ways to adapt. We renew. We transform. We innovate. We thrive.

The pillars that support our community are the envy of cities around the world. Our university, port, industry, beaches, sporting teams and research institutes are all world class. The University of Newcastle is ranked in the top three per cent of universities in the world and outranks many of its larger Australian counterparts. It is a national leader in the provision of opportunities for students from all walks of life, and it has a proud reputation of supporting students not just to gain entry but to flourish in their field of study.

This month I celebrated 30 years of the Wollotuka Institute at the university, a centre focused on fostering and developing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander study and employment. The Wollotuka Institute has overseen the graduation of 1,130 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, with more than 800 students currently enrolled and a further 322 listing the University of Newcastle as their first choice for admission in 2014. The University of Newcastle enrols more Indigenous students than any other university in Australia.

Almost half of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander doctors in Australia graduated from the university's medical program, with 51 more enrolled in the current entry program. And the university employs more Indigenous staff members than any other university in Australia, with more than double the industry average. The University of Newcastle is the leader of Indigenous tertiary education in Australia.

The university also serves as a central hub for ground-breaking research and is home to a number of Australia's pre-eminent research institutes, including the Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources, which is in the final stages of building a new facility funded by Labor. The collaborative centre is advancing research in clean energy production, energy efficiency and the minimisation of carbon emissions, producing real, viable benefits to business, the community and the economy. Their research is making a difference.

Another leading facility in the region is the CSIRO Energy Centre, a state-of-the-art research facility specialising in renewable energy and low-emission fossil fuel research. The CSIRO centre leads the Future Grid Cluster project, identifying low-cost pathways for the integration of renewable energy sources and technologies into Australia's electricity grid.

CSIRO and the university are also key contributors to the Smart Grid, Smart City project. Smart Grid, Smart City tested a range of smart grid technologies, gathering information about the benefits and costs of implementing these technologies in an Australian setting. The major analysis and findings from the project are due to be released in early 2014.

Clean energy research plays a critical role in our nation's commitment to the environment. Job cuts to CSIRO, a lack of direction without a dedicated science minister or a reduction in research funding will have far-reaching and ongoing impacts both to our economy and the environment.

The Hunter Medical Research Institute is another Newcastle-based world-class research centre. HMRI was built with more than $48 million of funding from the Labor government and is home to 400 of the country's leading researchers, who are making medical breakthroughs that are advancing science and transforming lives. Newcastle-led, Labor funded: this research is making a difference.

In the spirit of innovation and new enterprise, Newcastle is forging new ground. A number of organisations and collectives are firmly embracing and fostering innovative digital economy solutions. The annual Newcastle DiG Festival brings together leading minds to create a centre of innovative expertise and entrepreneurial excellence. Slingshot, a high-tech accelerator, that in its own words is 'where tenacious entrepreneurs turn killer ideas into remarkable companies', provides seed funding, a dynamic co-working space and mentoring programs that enable entrepreneurs to build companies that solve problems on a global scale.

Then there is the notorious Lunaticks Society of Newcastle, named in honour of the Lunar Society of Birmingham, who met to debate new thinking during the industrial revolution of the 18th century. Now, modern-day 'Lunaticks' gather to discuss the digital revolution, with social media enthusiasts, app developers and entrepreneurs replacing the philosophers and industrialists of yesteryear. These digital leaders are taking up opportunities that promise to propel Australia into the digital world, a digital world that is, of course, reliant on first-class digital infrastructure.

I am a passionate supporter of urban renewal. The internationally-lauded Renew Newcastle program, brain-child of innovator Marcus Westbury and driven on the ground by Marni Jackson, recently expanded to become Renew Australia. The renew movement is a low-budget, not-for-profit urban renewal scheme that brokers access to vacant buildings for artists and aspiring young businesses to make a start and exhibit their wares. Renew Adelaide, Renew Townsville, Made in Geelong and Pop Up Parramatta have already spawned from this model, and Renew Leichhardt recently established their own program.

Newcastle has a rich history in the arts and is home to the largest number of artists per capita in Australia. So it is no surprise that when BHP closed its doors in 1999, we commemorated this significant event through the arts. Our tradesmen replaced their tools of trade for tools of the arts to mark this historic milestone.

I would like to acknowledge one particular individual who brings the arts, science and innovation together in a remarkable way. Wayne Stuart's unique pianos incorporate more keys and an extra pedal than the standard 19th century design to create a new voice that fully exploits the frequency range of an acoustic piano. Wayne's trademark instrument and ingenuity truly exemplify the innovative spirit of Novacastrians—pushing limits, breaking new ground. Newcastle is a city where great things happen.

Our national teams, the Newcastle Knights and the Jets, provide year-round sporting entertainment, and we are regularly visited by major music and theatre acts. Later this month we will host more than 2,000 athletes at the inaugural Special Olympics Asia Pacific Games, and in 2015 we will be a proud host city for the AFC Asian Cup.

Visitors also come to Newcastle to enjoy the splendour of our art gallery, home to a significant collection of works and travelling exhibitions. The permanent collection includes one of Australia's finest corpora of Japanese ceramics, a near-complete collection of Joseph Lycett's work, and the recently-donated Brett Whiteley sculpture, Black Totem II, one of just two giant sculptures Whiteley produced. Our gallery is key to the development of cultural tourism in our region.

Those who visit our city often stay for good. It is little wonder that Newcastle is now the fourth ranked city in the Property Council of Australia's liveability rankings and the leading regional city. And this liveability ranking is supported by the Hunter Valley Research Foundation's Wellbeing Watch. In Newcastle our overall wellbeing continues to improve and it is with considerable pride that I note much of this improvement has taken place during the last six years of federal Labor government. Key indicators that have influenced wellbeing in Newcastle include an increase in undergraduate degree holders, increased employment and significantly increased household income.

Newcastle is a city that continues to evolve, and I am here to push our cause. Under a Labor government, Newcastle was to benefit from a much-needed infrastructure project: the duplication of the Tourle Street Bridge to ease traffic congestion between the city and our airport and major industrial areas. Under the new government there is no guarantee this development will happen. The federal Labor government's contribution of $52 million was fully funded in the 2013-14 federal budget under the Nation Building Program. If Prime Minister Abbott wants to be remembered as the 'infrastructure Prime Minister', I expect this funding will be released, as budgeted for, so the project can proceed without issue.

Not only is my electorate of Newcastle in danger of losing infrastructure funding; we are set to lose our greatest public asset to private hands. The New South Wales Liberal government plans to cut the steady income stream generated by our port, the port of Newcastle, by hawking it off to the highest bidder. Just last year, the port reaped profits of around $22 million. It is envisaged that the sell-off, the 99-year lease of the world's busiest coal terminal, will bring in upwards of $700 million, of which the state government plans to generously invest less than half—just $340 million—in the Newcastle area, regardless of the actual sale price! That's right—less than half. Our assets are being stripped, our revenue stream is being removed and we are meant to be happy to receive the crumbs left under the table.

The port of Newcastle does not need to be sold, it needs investment to diversify. The addition of a container terminal or a passenger cruise ship terminal could bring new revenue to the port while keeping it in the public's hands. Surely the value of the port will appreciate over the next hundred years and, with increased revenue and diversification, jobs will follow.

The Newcastle of today is a city of opportunity. We are a city of innovation. A city that punches well above its weight in education, science, the arts and the digital economy. A city that is willing to try new things.

Finally, Madam Speaker, a vote of thanks. I stand here today because of the support of the Australian Labor Party—the oldest and greatest political party—and the trade union movement. In particular, I want to acknowledge the support of my own union, the CPSU, alongside the tremendous efforts of United Voice, the CFMEU, the AWU, the SDA, the MUA and the formidable MUA Veterans, the New South Wales Nurses and Midwives' Association and the Newcastle Trades Hall Council. Together we will always defend the rights of Australian workers to decent wages and conditions, to fairness and safety in the workplace, and provide a voice for the most vulnerable of workers in our community.

To the men and women of the Australian Labor Party, and Newcastle Labor in particular: I thank you for the trust you have instilled in me to be your representative. The success of the Newcastle Labor campaign grew from the grassroots up and the strength came from the many hundreds of dedicated Labor members, volunteers and supporters on the ground. While I cannot hope to name them all today, special mention must go to my campaign team, including Mitch Wilson, Phil Ireland, Amy Smith, John Graham, Mark Boyd, Kim Hall, Fiona Ross, Simonne Pengelly, Matt Murray, Donovan Harris, Nick Rippon, Paul O'Grady, Ted Bassingthwaighte, Victoria Phillis, Ross Coates, James Cameron, James Marshall, Barbara Whitcher, Deb Wood, Hugh Arjonilla, Bradley Burns, Steven Moore, Tegan Cone, Wayne Forbes and the incredible team of Young Labor activists who worked tirelessly on my campaign. Your endless enthusiasm, good humour and high spirits, even on the longest days, made it enjoyable, so thank you.

I also want to pay tribute to my New South Wales Labor members of parliament, Sonia Hornery, Clayton Barr and Lynda Voltz, and the Newcastle Labor councillors, Stephanie Posniak, Tim Crakanthorp, Nuatali Nelmes and Jason Dunn. Your friendship and support is much appreciated.

But my final thanks go to my parents, Kevin and Cath, who are here today. Your unconditional love and support keeps my world turning. You have instilled in me strong and abiding commitment to social justice, community service and rugby league, for which I am truly grateful.

In closing, I also pay tribute to the many extraordinary women in my life: my two grandmothers, who loved and nurtured me; my mother, who taught me the value of hard work and independence; my sister, Christine, and my three nieces, Rebecca, Tegan and Abby, who keep me smiling; my aunts and cousins, who are always there; the Bunuba women of Fitzroy Crossing, who taught me to look at my world with fresh eyes; my women friends, both old and new, who keep me strong; and all the women community activists who just keep giving. Collectively, you have shaped who I am today—although you can rest assured that I take full responsibility for all faults—and I sincerely thank you for being part of my life. Together, we will make a difference.

There is much work to be done. I look forward to an Australia with our own head of state, constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians, marriage equality and real action on climate change—just for starters. Thank you.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Before I call the honourable member for Eden-Monaro, Dr Hendy, I advise that this is his first speech and ask the House to extend the same courtesies as we have done for the previous two speakers.

Peter Hendy (Eden-Monaro, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise to support the motion, and may I take this first opportunity to congratulate you on your election to your exalted role. As I said at the declaration of the poll, the first thing I need to say today is thank you to the people of Eden-Monaro. I am greatly honoured to represent this region. I pledge that I will work to the best of my ability for the people whether they voted for me or not.

Secondly, may I say that Eden-Monaro is one of the most exceptional regions of the best country in the world. Eden-Monaro began as the land of the Yuin people by the sea, and in the Snowy River region and on the Monaro Plains, the home of the Ngarigo, the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples, amongst others. Indeed, Monaro is in fact an Aboriginal word meaning 'treeless plains', and Eden, if you did not know it, is a Hebrew word meaning 'fruitful and well watered'. As an electorate it covers some 29,000 square kilometres. That is equivalent to countries the size of Belgium or Wales. It is slightly smaller than the geographic size of China's Hainan province. However that province has 8.5 million people and Eden-Monaro carries a population of some 140,000 people. It is enormously diverse in geography. It contains some of the highest peaks in Australia. Indeed it stretches from the mountains to the Mimosa Rocks in the Tasman sea. In respect of the electorate, people often quote Banjo Paterson's poem The Man from Snowy River where he says:

And down by Kosciusko, where the pine-clad ridges raise

Their torn and rugged battlements on high,

Where the air is clear as crystal, and the white stars fairly blaze

At midnight in the cold and frosty sky—

Indeed, I am probably the only person here that had to campaign during the middle of a snowstorm up in Thredbo a few months ago. But I also think of another poem by Paterson, Clancy of the Overflow, where his description could equally apply to the Monaro plains. He wrote:

And he sees the vision splendid of the sunlit plains extended,

And at night the wondrous glory of the everlasting stars.

Madam Speaker, I first came to this region some 30 years ago and I have lived in Queanbeyan for the past 13 years. However my family first reached Australian shores from England some 160 years ago, in the 1850s. They first went to the Victorian gold rushes but sadly, very sadly, they did not find any gold. They then moved north and settled on the coast of New South Wales, and I believe became dairy farmers. Over the generations my family, including many relations from Ireland, Scotland and Germany, were variously farmers, small business people, and teachers in New South Wales and Queensland. My great grandfather, William Hendy, after whom my father is named and I get my middle name, was one of the founders of the teachers union in Australia and was one of the first state general secretaries. I am very proud of that fact.

There were also citizen soldiers in my family, with Great Uncle Bill a veteran of the Battle of the Somme, amongst other horrors, and the winner of the Military Medal, and Uncle Jack who fought in Bomber Command in World War II and flew as a rear gunner over Nazi Germany and, amazingly, survived that nightmare. Their example and sacrifices inspire me enormously.

In more recent times, two other people who have inspired me enormously are my parents, Bill and May. I am a proud product of a small business family. Both my parents were pharmacists and they owned a series of chemist shops over the years. They did it tough and built a good life for themselves and their three children. I never seemed to escape working in the shop at some stage during my school holidays. What you learn growing up in a small business family is self-reliance, perseverance, and the value of hard work. I hope that I have lived those values in my adult life, those and my beliefs as an equally proud Christian. I have run my own small business and also been honoured to represent other small businesses as the chief executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Madam Speaker, all up, Eden-Monaro represents some 21 major towns and scores of local communities. They are regional communities that depend on their small businesses and rural landholders to sustain their populations and proud histories. At times they can be the classic 'forgotten people' that Robert Menzies talked about in his famous speech from 1942 when he spoke of the:

… salary earners, shopkeepers, skilled artisans, professional men and women, farmers and so on—

and in summary he said:

… they are the backbone of the nation.

But they are not forgotten by my party or by me. As I said in the election campaign, it is vital that we provide the strongest small-business environment in our region so it can provide the job security that is so vitally needed.

I am standing here speaking in the House of Representatives for the very first time. But I am not unfamiliar with the surroundings, having sat in the advisers boxes over there many times in the past. My political journey started when I joined the Young Liberals in 1979—34 years ago. I joined the Liberal Party because I believed it genuinely encourages people to be the best they can be not telling them what to be. I first formally worked in politics for Andrew Peacock, the then member for Kooyong, as a newly-recruited economist from the federal Treasury. Part of the remit was to do a bit of economic tutoring for the then shadow Treasurer. I knew from the very first meeting that I would have a longer road than originally envisioned when Andrew, as the former Minister for Foreign Affairs, better recognised the word NAIRU as being a Pacific Island made up mostly of bird droppings rather than the acronym for the 'non-accelerating inflation rate of unemployment'. Be that as it may, Andrew Peacock's time as shadow Treasurer was a success that eventually led him to return to the leadership of the party. So to the current shadow Treasurer I say: you never know where life will lead, to excuse the pun.

I was also there when the former member for Wentworth, Dr John Hewson, employed a young media adviser and talented wordsmith who later became the member for Warringah. Many of us copped regular tongue lashings from Dr Hewson. I did. So did, as I recall, the now Prime Minister. We were often reminded that 'we would not know if our derrieres were on fire'—although Dr Hewson actually used the much more colourful turn of phrase in the Australian vernacular. That may have been correct with respect to me, but it certainly was not correct with respect to the future Prime Minister. I just thought I should clarify that later point! But we endured and the team collectively produced the Fightback package which set the blueprint for economic reform for Australia in the following 20 years. It is something that the Liberal Party should be very proud of.

The study of economics has been a key part of my professional career. As part of that I have spent a lot of my career on taxation policy, industrial relations policy, trade policy and also skills training. With respect to taxation, there does need to be more reform. I was very happy to see a commitment at the last election by the coalition to review the taxation system. When I was at ACCI we drew up a comprehensive blueprint for reforming the taxation system. In 2006 I, together with Dick Warburton, did an independent review for Treasurer Costello and the Howard government on an international comparison of Australia's tax system. In my view it confirmed the need for a number of changes. For example, I believe it remains the case that the Australian system taxes capital gains at too heavy a burden compared with similar countries and that this has impeded vitally needed investment. Reform would particularly help small business and farmers, including in my electorate of Eden-Monaro.

On industrial relations, after the last decade of change there needs to be a re-ordering to the sensible centre. This is always a sensitive topic. This has been an ongoing debate since the beginning of Federation. Most Australians do not know that it was not the Labor side of politics but ironically my side of politics that over 100 years ago originally introduced the unique Australian centralised wage-fixing system. It was at that time an arguable attempt to govern relations between employers and employees, reduce violent conflict and at the same time provide a basic welfare system. It had fundamental flaws. It has been the subject of much debate over the years and I have always agreed that the system needs to be balanced between the participants.

Earlier in my career I helped in a small way the then minister for workplace relations Peter Reith to implement a substantial reform agenda on the waterfront. It was a vital reform and a great achievement, and I am proud that I was part of it. That was sensible reform against the opposition of a large number of left-wing ideologues. Indeed, to paraphrase Winston Churchill, the watchword for my stance on politics is that I am a member of the pragmatic centre.

Despite the importance of issues such as taxation and industrial relations, my economist training tells me that the biggest priority at this stage is to get the budget in order. Good budget management is a short-term, a medium-term and a long-term priority for any government. That is because without strong budget management government cannot deliver on a sustainable basis the services that the Australian people need and want. All strength to the Treasurer and the Minister for Finance in sorting out the mess that the new government has inherited, especially as I am very concerned about the possible global economic developments.

I was also a former Chief of Staff to a Minister for Defence and in recent years was the principal adviser for foreign affairs and trade for the now Minister for Foreign Affairs. In addition, I have had the character-building benefit of working overseas in the Middle East. Let me say a few words about defence and foreign affairs. On 7 October 2001 I was Chief of Staff of the Minister for Defence. That was the day the final order went out for the operation to send Australian troops into Afghanistan after 9/11. In this case I was a small cog in the great military machine, but nonetheless I held an important position as the closest confidant of the minister.

As the order went out it hit me—it physically hit me—that I was part of a decision-making process that would probably see the death and wounding of many brave Australian soldiers. In fact, there have been some 40 operational deaths and 261 wounded in action. As you can appreciate, these matters weigh heavily on a person. It is a salient example of where politics becomes a dreadfully serious endeavour. We all deeply respect the sacrifice of these brave men and women. Indeed, I want to acknowledge the sacrifice and duty of thousands of people from the defence community and veterans' community that now live in Eden-Monaro.

The Afghanistan conflict is also a clear example of much of our international relations bedrock. It partly represents our commitment to our principal ally, the United States; it was a cooperative endeavour—in this case with the United Nations; it has been a clear example of Australia's resolve in the face of international terrorism; and it has helped in significant human rights advancement, especially for women, in that country. These have been cornerstones of international relations in this country for decades and I hope for decades to come as well.

Our relations with our Asian neighbours have been confirmed by the Prime Minister's inaugural foreign policy activity through his attendance at the APEC summit and the East Asia Summit. It is vital to Australia's national interest that we maintain these relationships. The new government has correctly put the Australian-Indonesian relationship as an early priority. Also a priority is our continuing relationship with a range of countries, spanning from the smaller ones like Papua New Guinea to the giants like China, Japan and India. Having referred to China, may I say that I am not one of those starry-eyed analysts who look at that great nation with rose tinted glasses. We must be very pragmatic about China and note that we have differences as well as commonalities. We need to pursue friendship with China but, in my words, it remains a 'wary friendship'.

I want to note that the New Colombo Plan is a very important initiative in terms of soft power diplomacy as well as the obvious educational skills benefits. I commend the Minister for Foreign Affairs on this innovation and, having mentioned her, may I just say that the Minister for Foreign Affairs has been one of the single most important people who have assisted in allowing me to stand here today. I am in her total debt and will never forget that assistance.

I note that I have also been a Director of the Australian Made, Australian Grown Campaign. This is a privately run campaign sponsored by the chamber of commerce movement to promote, both here and abroad, Australian manufacturing and Australian grown produce—that is, agricultural produce. I remain a strong supporter of manufacturing and also of Australian farming.

I am an economist by profession but let me emphasise I am not an ivory tower ideologue who simply cares between Right and Left. What is important is between right and wrong. We need to do the right thing by the people of Eden-Monaro and all people who live in regional areas. I hope to be a strong advocate in this parliament who can support both good economic policy and the regions. I certainly believe in economic reform, but let me say that I also believe that what I call the country-city compact, the CCC policy that existed for the best part of 100 years in Australia, was a tragic victim of the reform agenda of the eighties, nineties and 2000s. The country deserves a fair go and the country-city compact needs to be revived—maybe in a different form, but it needs to be revived.

Over the years I have studied the rise and fall of what is called the Australian settlement—that is, the social and economic policy put in place at the time of Federation in 1901. Indeed it was the brainchild of an early liberal Prime Minister, Alfred Deakin. The settlement is most commonly known as an arrangement that saw high tariff protection for manufacturing industry and a trade-off with a centralised wage-fixing system. The bulk of the settlement was rightly dismantled over the course of the last three decades by successive governments. However one aspect of that change was also the dismantling of another part of the Australian settlement—that is, the country-city compact. The compact was a fundamental understanding of Australia's nation builders that the country needed to have its fair share of attention and resources. The country regions need a fair go. The compact recognised that there was an inextricable interdependence between the country and the city. It acknowledged that there was a mutual obligation that recognised the costs of living in the country. This has basically gone, and yet country regions remain vital to the nation. Almost all mining is in rural areas, and it remains the case that agriculture is an important part in the national economy.

Around 93 per cent of the food eaten in this nation is grown in Australia. In addition, some 30 per cent of Australians live outside the major cities and almost 40 per cent of those aged over 65 live outside major cities, but there is clear educational and health disadvantage. In educational terms, retention rates in schools are more than 11 per cent less in rural areas. In very remote areas 30 per cent of children are not hitting the minimal benchmarks for year 3. In health terms, life expectancy is lower by up to seven years, depending on remoteness. People are up to four times more likely to die from accidents. It is up to 2.6 times more likely for men to die from suicides in the bush. Disability rates for rural males are between 20 per cent and 30 per cent higher.

Part of my new job here in parliament is to use the facts about disadvantage to revive the country-city compact. Priorities can be set better; however, we cannot just cry poor. We have been doing that for the last 30 years as our services and infrastructure have been increasingly run down. The intellectual case needs to be built so that we can get that fair share. An intellectual case needs to be built around nation building. I believe that we can further build that intellectual case, and I can help do that.

I believe that the campaign team I put together for the election was able to win despite a sceptical Liberal Party headquarters that strongly doubted we had any real chance of winning. I want to thank in particular Robert Flynn, David Hickman, Andy Heath, Maggie Havu, Wayne Brown, Jon Gaul, Erika Coles, Richard and Maureen Bennetts, John Watson, Jessie Robinson, John and Caryl Haslem, and Lesley Cowan—the core of my campaign team. I would like to particularly thank Tim Beale, and there were many more. Lastly, I want to thank my wife, Bronwyn, and children, Caroline and Patrick. They are my rock, and what I do is also for them. I hope they can be proud of what I will do in public life.

Who knows how my political career will pan out. As Margaret Thatcher used to say, 'The iron law of politics is that the unexpected always happens'. Hopefully the patron saint of politicians—yes, there is one; Saint Thomas More—is watching over me. But what I can say in conclusion is to repeat the sentiments of my remarks at the beginning of my speech: for as long as I am the member for Eden-Monaro I will cherish the honour bestowed on me and I will humbly seek to do the best for the people that I represent. Thank you very much.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Before I call the member for Reid, I would like to advise the House that it is his maiden speech. Would the House extend the same courtesies to him as they have to the other speakers.

Craig Laundy (Reid, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, it is with a mixture of pride and humility that I rise to my feet as the newly elected member for Reid. I am the ninth person entrusted with this responsibility. Previous members include Labor stalwarts like Jack Lang and Tom Uren. Unfortunately for the Labor Party, I am a proud member of the Liberal Party—indeed, the first Liberal to hold this seat since it was formed in 1922.

I would like to begin by thanking my predecessor, the Hon. John Murphy. John is a good man with a good heart, and for 15 years he was my family's member of federal parliament and he represented our electorate faithfully. I would also like to pay tribute to John's wife, Adrianna, who made many sacrifices on our behalf.

From Drummoyne in the east to Auburn in the west, Reid is an amazing place, but for me the people who call Reid home are its greatest asset. It is home to a vast array of people from a huge variety of backgrounds. In fact Reid is one of the most ethnically diverse seats in Australia. Whilst many talk about multiculturalism, in Reid we live it. I am proud to say that is reflected in the gallery here today. Joining me are people who were born in Korea, China, Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Afghanistan, India, South Sudan, Pakistan—I see the Consulate General in here—and Hungary. This is not to mention your run-of-the-mill countries—well, in Reid they are—Italy, Greece, the United Kingdom and of course Australia.

Whilst the seat of Reid is not a Federation seat, its namesake was larger than life in the lead-up to, during and post Federation. George Reid served as the Premier of New South Wales from 1894 to 1899 and the Prime Minister of Australia from 1904 to 1905 and was later an MP in the House of Commons. Reid is the only person in the history of this place to win back his seat at a by-election caused by his own resignation. That is an honour I have no plans to compete for! When George Reid was elected Prime Minister in 1904, he lived in Barker Road, Strathfield. His home was later turned into a teachers college named Mount St Mary's. From 1980 to 1982 I was taught here once a week by student teachers. My school was next door.

Around the corner from Reid's old home is South Street. In South Street you will find my family's home. Strathfield has been home to four generations of my family. The fact we can call this area home is due largely to the work of my grandparents Arthur and Veronica Laundy. Arthur Snr left an orphanage at 15 with just the clothes on his back. He married Veronica and, after 12 years of odd jobs, they backed themselves and bought their first lease of a hotel. They never looked back. They laid the foundations which my family has built upon. Whilst Veronica started this journey with me, she left me to finish it alone. We lost her in May last year at age 97. I know she, along with my grandfather Arthur Snr, would be looking down today as proud as punch. My mother's parents, Harold and Eileen Paul, we lost in my teenage years. They too will be looking down as proud as punch, but I reckon they would be scratching their heads. They were Labor to their bootstraps.

Whilst my grandparents laid the foundations, it was my parents who raised me and shaped me into the man I am today. My mother and father play different roles in my family. Mum is the nurturing love and dad is the tough love. Dad would discipline the children and mum would discipline dad! Growing up with my brother, Stu, and my sisters, Danielle and Justine, was a lot of fun. Like all families, we had good times and bad, but our home was always full of laughter. Mum ran the home and dad ran the business, and they both worked hard.

It was in my young years that my father began training me in how to be business minded. Some of my earliest memories in life include sitting on the bench seat of a Dodge truck whilst driving kegs between hotels on weekends because it saved money. Weekends for us would include rewinding the week's till rolls inside out so that Dad could use them again in the week ahead. By doing this we were halving our use of till rolls—simple, isn't it? This is how my grandfather raised my father and how my father raised me. In fact, if the Treasurer were to make my father an adviser, I reckon we would be back in surplus next week! Over the past 23 years, my father has taught me how to spend his money wisely. I made mistakes—just ask him. He will run you through them one by one. He never forgets! But I learnt from my mistakes. Small and family business people do.

The role that family business plays in our economy is so important that I believe the Minister for Small Business should be the Minister for Small and Family Business. For so many people, not only in Reid but around Australia, their first job is with their family's business. It is where the entrepreneurial spirit is born and fostered. How many maiden speeches in this place since Federation have included stories about the struggles of a member's family and the work that that member did in their parent's business? Mine is no different. I understand it is not governments that create jobs, it is business, because I come from business. Governments create the environment in which business operates and ultimately the environment in which business employs people. We must reduce red tape and regulation and create an environment where risk takers have the confidence to take on bank debt, back themselves and employ people—and, in doing so, they will provide jobs for our children, which will allow them to prosper.

As a proud Liberal, I believe in giving people a hand up, not a handout. This is what excites me most about our Work for the Dole scheme. As a former employer of people, I understand the value of investing in training, but we should aim to design a scheme that is not a way for the unemployed to earn their benefits but is a way they can earn the skills they need to secure their future through employment.

Our country stands at a fiscal crossroads. When Prime Minister John Howard left office, we had 234,000 public servants. Today we have 257,000. Government is bigger than it has ever been, bigger than we can afford. We must act and we must act now. An efficiency dividend can no longer mean using fewer paperclips. It must mean having departments that are lean and efficient. As Robert Menzies once said:

One thing about bureaucrats is that they never swallow their young. Leave them alone and you'll find them increasing every year.

The people of Australia do not owe bureaucrats a living. There is no business I know that has two head offices. With six states, two territories and a federal government, we have nine. Our fiscal circumstances demand we end duplicated bureaucracies, giving the public better services and taxpayers better value. Ministers in this government will need to run departments as you would run a business, work closely with their state counterparts and ensure the trend of the last six years is not only stopped but reversed, for the sake of our children. And we as backbenchers must challenge them to do so.

Throughout the campaign, the Prime Minister spoke of the need to build infrastructure. This is nowhere more evident than in Reid. For too long we have put up with more than our fair share of aircraft noise—in fact, in most years nearly double what we are supposed to have under the airport's operating plan. I applaud Prime Minister Abbott and Treasurer Hockey for having the courage to commit to a decision on the second Sydney airport in this term of government.

Reid has also been home to the end of the M4 motorway for far too long. I remember, as a kid playing cricket on my street with the neighbours, pulling the garbage can off the road on the odd occasion that a car passed. But over the last 25 years I have watched Parramatta Road grind to a halt. Drivers rat-run through the back streets of Reid and, I am sad to say, our old cricket pitch is amongst them. I am proud to be part of a government that will finally fix this problem, build the WestConnex and give local roads back to locals.

Australia is a country that has been built on the back of migration. Whilst many use the word 'multiculturalism' not many understand that it is a living, breathing thing. The needs of migrant Australians will vary over time and as a government we must react accordingly. This is definitely the case in Reid. There are two main areas I am particularly concerned about: the way we teach English as a second language and aged-care services.

In listening to the story of young migrant men and women about their experiences whilst at school there is a common theme. Being schooled in the mainstream and removed from class to learn English is producing poor results. Children tell me they find it hard to assimilate, get bullied and their attendance and results suffer. When I challenge them on how we could do it better, they have some wonderful ideas. As politicians we must realise that we do not have all the answers. We must always be prepared to listen and learn from our community. We must teach migrants of all ages English and, where we can, we should do it better.

Families throughout Australia will always agonise over placing their loved ones into aged care. For migrant families this presents unique challenges. As migrant Australians age they often lose what English they have. Many families have told me that it is like placing their loved ones into solitary confinement. Facilities do not cater for their language or their culture and elderly migrants feel isolated and alone. My patron senator and friend, Senator Fierravanti-Wells, faced this issue with her parents. Her idea of engaging directly with local communities and providing them the resources to care for their elderly is a good one and we should work hard to make it a reality.

Like all who come to this House, there are issues that I have a personal passion for. I believe we are having an impact on the planet and for the sake of our children we must do something about it. However, I believe we should attack the problem and not the economy—reduce emissions, not jobs. I am a believer in innovation, in technology and in the enterprise. This is how the world's problems have always been solved. If we are fair dinkum about reducing emissions, let's take homes and businesses off the power grid, not pay them to feed back into it. The problem with early adopters of renewable technology is that they will face a purchase prices that are high and act as a barrier to entry. The role of government should be to work out ways to encourage adoptions and reduce emissions as a result.

My family has been touched by disability and we are a far stronger unit because of it. The NDIS is a program that enjoys bipartisan support. As we move from the launch phase to full implementation the heavy lifting will fall to us in government in these most trying of fiscal times. Our challenge will be to ensure the money flows to the front lines to the people that need it most, not wasted on a bloated bureaucracy that burdens service providers with red tape and ultimately compliance costs. Families throughout Reid and Australia are relying on us and we cannot let them down.

My family has also been touched by mental illness. To this day the best explanation I have had from a doctor about mental illness is that the mind is a complex thing and it does not come with an instruction manual. Unlike a broken arm or leg, where the treatment is the same no matter who you are, treatment of the mind varies by patient. Over the past 35 years I have seen first-hand the workings of our mental health system and I will be a passionate advocate about the need for us as a government and a society to do more.

Throughout the election campaign I had amazing support from Liberal Party ministers, shadow ministers and MPs, both state and federal. A big thanks to the following honourable members and senators—and I was proud to play some part in new learning that title: Joe Hockey, Julie Bishop, Malcolm Turnbull, Scott Morrison, Christopher Pyne, Ian Macfarlane ('Macca'), Bob Baldwin, Bruce Bilson, Michael Keenan, Greg Hunt, Jamie Briggs, Susan Ley, and Senators Concetta Fieravanti-Wells, Marise Payne and Arthur Sinodinos. And, of course to my mentor in all things multicultural, the Father of the House, not to mention my good friend, the Hon. Philip Ruddock. Thank you all for your support, friendship and guidance.

To you, Madam Speaker, I say not only thank you but of course congratulations on your most worthy elevation to the office you now hold. Thank you also to New South Wales Premier Barry O'Farrell, New South Wales Minister Victor Dominello, the state member for Strathfield, Charles Casuscelli along with the state member for Drummoyne, John Sidoti. To the best Premier NSW never had, as well as fellow St Pat's old boy, John Brogden, I say, 'Thanks, mate.' And, of course, to Prime Minister Abbott for his unwavering support, advice and guidance—but, more importantly, his friendship.

Without the support of my local campaign team, the New South Wales Liberal Party campaign team, Liberal Party members, The Young Liberals and friends I would never have been elected. To them all I say, 'Thank you.' In particular I would like to thank Neil Harley, who has and continues to believe in me. I would like to thank Eugenia, his wife, who was prepared to become a campaign widow, and has now become a political widow. Of course, it is not possible to name everybody who has helped me on the journey, but volunteers like Victor Tan, Alexander Lucas, Giovanni Graziano, and Stephanie Moss deserve a special mention. To my conference president, Sandra Blackmore, who is only ever a phone call away, and to my friends, be it from school, university, sport, children's schools, or having met in my travels through life—thank you.

To Suzie's family, the Crowes, who have always been there for us both. To Paul and Mike, who are here today, her mother, Pam, and her brothers and sisters, thanks for the love and support. Put all these together and you get an army some 700 strong that worked with me on, before and during election day. And I am thrilled to have 200 to 300 of them in the gallery to support me yet again today.

And then there is my immediate family—up in the gallery watching their husband and their dad. My son Charlie, or, as I know him, 'Chicka', who, at 15, is now a young man. My daughter Sophie, or, as I know her, 'Munnie Mun', who is 14 going on 35! And my daughter Analise, or, as I know her, the 'Rabbit'. No matter what I have achieved in life up to now or will achieve in life from here, all will pale into insignificance compared to my three beautiful children. They have and will always be my three greatest achievements. I am just blessed that they not only take after their mother, they look like her too.

The last but in no way least of my thankyous is to my beautiful wife Suzie. Suz grew up not far from here at a place cooled Coolac. Her family settled there in 1834. She is a country girl at heart; she is my best friend, the mother of my children and the glue that keeps my family together. Thank you Suzie for allowing me to follow my dream.

At the beginning of this, my maiden speech, I mentioned the honour and privilege it is to be given a chance to represent the people of Reid in this great place. But with that comes great responsibility. The difficulty of being a candidate contesting a federal election is that you are competing against an incumbent with a track record whilst you are untried and untested. You are asking your community to take you on trust. The difficulty of making a maiden speech is much the same. You explain where you come from, what you believe, and what you hope to achieve in the time you are here, but you cannot yet point to any achievements.

That said, I can assure the people of Reid that the blood of my grandfather, who left an orphanage at 15 with nothing and rose to the heights of business success, runs strongly through my veins. That same spirit will be shown as I fight for the people of Reid.

We are all ultimately a product of our upbringing and education, and I have been blessed to attend three magnificent schools. The mottos of these three schools have always been a guide to the way I have lived my life. They best capture the way I will work to repay the faith that the people of Reid have shown in me. At Santa Maria Del Monte in Strathfield it was 'Veritas', which means 'truth'. At St Patrick's College in Strathfield it was 'Luceat Lux Vestra', which means 'let your light shine'. And at St Joseph's College at Hunters Hill it was 'In Meliora Contende', which means 'strive for better things'.

In representing the people of Reid I will search out and speak the truth. I will let my light shine strongly for my constituents. And I will strive for better things for all within my community. Madam Speaker, I thank you for your indulgence.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you to the gallery for giving us a little quiet so that we can now hear from the member for Cunningham who kindly gave way so that the member for Reid could give his speech at that period of time. I call the honourable member for Cunningham.

Sharon Bird (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Vocational Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Madam Speaker, and it is my first opportunity on my feet to also extend my congratulations to you on arising to that position as well. I know it is a challenging one. I have occasionally sat in that chair so I wish you all the best with it.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you very much.

Sharon Bird (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Vocational Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I appreciate the opportunity, as we do when we come back to this parliament, to deliver an Address in Reply speech. It is one of the great pleasures at the beginning of each term to be able to listen to your colleagues deliver their first speeches to this chamber. It was a more fulsome pleasure in past years than this year, I have to admit, having to observe that from the opposite side of the chamber. There is a really encouraging group of MPs across both sides of this chamber delivering their first speeches to the parliament. I look forward to engaging with all of them over the coming parliamentary term.

I take the opportunity today to, first of all, extend my own thanks. It is an enormous privilege and responsibility to return to this place on behalf of the electorate that you represent and it is the case that I have had the great privilege of the support and faith of my own local area since I arrived at this place in 2004. I thank them for their ongoing commitment to the task of the nation and their belief that I am the right person to achieve that for them in this place. I only wish that more electorates had the foresight and wisdom of those in my electorate but that was not to be the case on this occasion.

I want to outline some of the issues that have arisen in the electorate of Cunningham over the previous term and some of the issues that I hope to pursue during this term of the parliament, particularly in light of the contents of the address provided by the Governor-General to all of us.

During the last term of the parliament, as many members would be well aware, my area had a fairly difficult and traumatic period of time with a major announcement by BlueScope Steel about a restructure that had the result of a significant number of local people losing their jobs. It was the case that the federal Labor government under the leadership of Prime Minister Julia Gillard took a very active role in helping our region address the challenge that we faced as a result of that restructure. It was not new. We are a region that has been going through a transformation since probably the mid-1980s. We have been through a number of mining crises that that industry sector tends to experience—the ups and downs that go along with that—and indeed some of my uncles in the mining industry reckon they have had more experience writing CVs than mining because that is the reality of that industry. Obviously, major manufacturers like the steel industry also are undergoing the challenges of the modern international economy.

I am an optimist about the manufacturing sector. Having lived in a region that has gone through those sorts of transformations since the mid-1980s, I know that there is a great legacy in the Australian character that, in particular in the manufacturing sector—and others may have experienced it in other industry sectors that are predominant in their region—there is a characteristic that has innovation at its heart. The original tradesmen would put together a new piece of equipment just to solve a problem that they saw in the workplace and create a whole new level of innovation productivity as a result of that.

That ethos where you see a problem, apply your mind to it, pull together whatever it is that you can find and create a solution is profoundly reflected in the trade history in Australia. It is certainly the reason I am so passionate about skills development in this nation. It has been a comparative advantage for our nation for a long time. It has driven the fact that we punch above our weight. It has been transformed over recent decades in the experience of the university sector where we see a lot of innovation. But I believe that at its heart it grew out of the men and women on the tools from previous generations. Indeed, it is reflected in the culture and traditions of the early settlers and the farming sector. It is a part of our character that has driven an innovative spirit and it is reflected in our manufacturing industry. That is why I am optimistic about its future. It will be a different type of manufacturing. We will compete in a value-added chain. We will compete in an innovative, problem solving sector of the manufacturing international challenge. It is something where I think we will do well.

In our region, we have also diversified and it is no surprise, as is often the story, that the service sectors, education, health and aged care, are the growth sectors that are providing far more employment than was previously the case. Indeed, places like the University of Wollongong and TAFE Illawarra are major contributors to that. Given all that, in the last term of government we identified some things that the region could particularly benefit from in terms of government support to progress that transformation, particularly around creating jobs for the future so that families have security and the support of regular work and a decent wage with safe conditions. I think that should be the foundation of every family and every community.

In response to those challenges and in support of our region, the federal government took some decisions about some significant investments in our region. The first one I want to touch on is the National Broadband Network. Our region was targeted as an early rollout site in order to support the diversification of businesses. In our region, the National Broadband Network became a major transformative piece of infrastructure. A lot of work was done across the government and the private sectors to look at how we could take up this new infrastructure and transform our economy and our society.

We are an hour south of Sydney. We are a beautiful place to live. There are lovely people there, and the minister at the table, Minister Billson, quite rightly identifies that. We are well serviced with university and TAFE facilities. It is increasingly the case that people want to relocate out of Sydney and live in our region for the great lifestyle and the proximity to the major capital city and the airport. Part of making that real and therefore creating new businesses and jobs around that is to have a lifeline out of the region into the capital city, into the neighbouring regions and, increasingly in the modern world, to the rest of the nation and internationally.

The National Broadband Network had the capacity to completely transform regions, to make the tyranny of distance meaningless between regions, capital cities and the world. It provided the capacity for businesses to be based outside capital cities and participate in the international economy. To me, that was the most significant effect of the rollout of the National Broadband Network. Not only should it be a national broadband network; it should be a network that takes fibre to the premises.

The reality of the future is the delivery of services by small and micro businesses such as those that support the aged in their homes, and by the 'mumpreneurs' who are trying to establish themselves. And I am sure the Minister for Small Business would be well aware of this. I know my colleague the member for Ryan did some work on the committee where we met many examples of this. Home based businesses where people are being very creative and establishing their own small businesses rely on fibre to the premises. It is not just about broadband download delivery. That will not be a model to build a business upon in the long term. It is about upload as well. This is why it is so significant to have fibre to the premises and why it is so disappointing that the government has walked away from that. I obviously await the outcome of the review with great interest. There was outstanding evidence to say to the government that fibre to the premises is more than a luxury; it is actually a need of a modern economy, particularly for our regions and for emerging small and micro businesses across the country.

As the former Minister for Regional Communications, I follow some wonderful Twitter feeds from people who are real advocates of the importance of fibre to the premises. Many of them are home based businesses. Many put up information and run blogs talking about why that technology and infrastructure was so critical for them, and it was critical for our region. My colleague the member for Throsby and I were very disappointed to discover overnight that whole suburbs across the Illawarra had simply disappeared off the NBN map. It seems, as I have reflected to others, that the new version of transparency from the Minister for Communications is invisibility. I think someone should explain to him that invisibility is not the ultimate form of transparency; it is exactly the opposite of transparency.

The argument was that more accurate information was going to be put up, that the information was indeed going to be more reliable. There are a few very small spots in our area and all that tells us is what has actually commenced. Previously we could hold government to account. Across the map, there was an indication of what building was going to commence in 12 months and what building was going to commence in three years. You could, as I regularly did, have local constituents contact you and say: where am I on the map; what is the time frame; what happens if I am in that time frame—and hold you to account for those things. Now you cannot do that. It is not more transparent, it does not deliver greater responsibility by government and it does not deliver more information. Indeed it is quite devastating because a significant number of those homes were actually on the schedule for construction to commence within the current 12 months and people were very much looking forward to having that new technology available. So we have started a campaign: 'put us back on the map, Malcolm'. I am very much determined with my colleague, the member for Throsby, to continue to pursue on behalf of our residents and businesses some updated information on what is actually going to happen with those suburbs.

One of the purposes of developing the national broadband network in the format we put it forward in was to cut down on the digital divide. There was an emerging divide between capital city services and those in regional and rural Australia. Most members here, I am sure, were lobbied. I have got whole black spots in my own area and we are only an hour south of Sydney. We were lobbied about people who could not get decent broadband. Now you are going to have areas where one half of the street is going to have fibre to the premise and the other half will not. I think this is going to become a real equity issue for suburbs, for regions and between different individuals in our community by the fact that they are not going to have that equal foundation for their infrastructure.

Also, sadly, after the election there were two other major commitments the Labor government made that the new government has walked away from. Clearly, we have the new infrastructure for the future in broadband but we need traditional infrastructure, in particular, road and rail infrastructure, because our region is a coastal strip with an escarpment at the side. The topography in itself creates real challenges. Road and rail services are not cheap to build in that environment.

We have been lobbying for quite a long time to have improved access in and out of our region. In particular, there was a $42-million commitment by the Gillard and Rudd governments for the Mount Ousley Road upgrade listed as a line item in the last budget. It was a joint project between the federal government and the O'Farrell state government—so no ideology could be blamed for this particular piece of road infrastructure. It is the major road in and out of the Illawarra to Sydney. It was an $84-million upgrade to that road which the federal government, under Labor, was delivering $42 million towards. We have been advised: no guarantees.

The Maldon to Dombarton rail link is the No. 1 important infrastructure issue for our region. It comes up regularly when people are surveyed about what they would like to see make a difference to our region, and is something I have been campaigning for since I first joined Paul Neville, former member for Hinkler, who was the chair of the transport committee, when I first came into this place. I had great the pleasure of being on that committee with him. The committee produced a report called The great freight task: is Australia's transport network up to the challenge. The inquiry looked at all the ports around the nation and what infrastructure was needed to connect the ports to the hinterland to maximise their efficiency. The Maldon to Dombarton railway was one of those projects we talked about which became very obvious and important to me as the local member. Construction had commenced on this rail link.

The current Premier was an adviser to Nick Greiner at the time when they decided to not continue with Maldon to Dombarton railway in the mid 80s. The coal industry had turned down, they thought there would not be a need for the rail line so they bought out the contract. Sadly, with hindsight, you could see that if they had not bought out the contract and simply let the construction be completed, it would have been a long-term positive investment. But they stopped the project. I am sure, Acting Deputy Speaker Kelly, you would be aware that it has quite a visual impact. You can see it because it is a bridge across a significant gorge. It goes about a third of the way across and stops. People see that and think, 'Why would you build that much of the piece of infrastructure and stop?' I think many members of the Liberal Party in this state and federal arena around New South Wales, around our region also now agree that it is worthwhile seeing that project continue to completion. Indeed, we had provided $25 million to the state government to do the preparatory work to recommence building that line, with design, planning and environmental work currently underway.

To find some private investment opportunities, which we understand there are, for completing that line—it is not a cheap task, as I said—Labor had put $50 million on the table. The member for Grayndler, as the minister, announced that we were willing to go out and have a talk with private money to see what could be built on that seed funding to commence and complete that line. It is a critical life link for us, for our port of Kembla. We want to see it grow, see it diversify and see the new jobs that will be created. Again, sadly, post election, we discover that this is also 'not guaranteed'.

I have raised these issues with the minister casually but we will continue to follow up. I think they are projects that stand on their own. They are viable and important to the region. They are well supported across party lines in our region. And they are important opportunities for our region to create the jobs that we need, particularly for our young people. Like many coastal areas, we persist with a youth unemployment.

It is the case that Labor, over six years in government, delivered significantly to our region because it understood the need for support in the transformation process and the need to create jobs. It was very disappointing to see all of those projects knocked on the head so quickly after the election, and I can only say that I am sure the new government will see the error of their ways and decide to recommit to those very important projects for the benefit of our local region.

Debate adjourned.