Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to congratulate the Treasurer on last night's budget announcements, which will support our Australian families, our most disadvantaged, our senior Australians and those who, like me in my former life, took a chance and invested their money and time into establishing a small business. It is these things that will ensure our country is best placed to ride the world economic downturn and drop in mining commodities we are currently faced with, while continuing to be on the front foot in designing and implementing policy measures that will generate growth and economic prosperity in our future.

One key way we are achieving this across Australia, particularly in my electorate of Swan, is through investments in 21st century infrastructure. That is why in last night's budget I was pleased to welcome more than $6 million in funding under this coalition government's recently established National Stronger Regions Fund for the Belmont Business Park transport infrastructure project in the city of Belmont in my electorate of Swan. This project will see transport infrastructure upgraded in and around the Belmont Business Park and will be utilised to help resolve traffic problems, allow for more sustainable public transport and create a more functional main thoroughfare.

I am pleased my federal colleagues heard my call to fund this important infrastructure initiative, which will complement the work of other government investments in the area, including the Gateway WA project, the Perth Freight Link and the Great Eastern Highway upgrade, which was completed a couple of years ago. Like these projects, this infrastructure investment will create new local employment opportunities and will ensure the area continues to develop as a vibrant hub for businesses to invest and operate in. My thanks to the Australian government.