Mark Coulton (Parkes, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I appreciate the contribution by the ornamental member for Moreton, who truly could be endangered—but we will see how we go. I would like to speak about something far more grounded and important to the people of Parkes and, indeed, of Australia, and that is a program of the federal government that has opened up now, the Stronger Communities Program. I am very pleased that my government has decided to roll out this $45 million program over the two years to fund small capital projects in local communities in each of the 150 federal electorates around Australia. It is not a lot of money, but this program is designed to improve community participation and encourage that large number of unsung heroes in our community, the volunteer sector. In the Parkes electorate, close to 50 per cent of my constituents are volunteers, in one way or another. Many of these groups are involved in maintaining local parks, in running local shows and football clubs, or in volunteering at golf courses and tennis courts—a whole range of facilities like that which just a few thousand dollars would help, whether it buys a net for the tennis court or an upgrade of equipment in the local park that the community maintains. These grants are between $5,000 and $20,000. They must be matched not only by cash but in kind, so the contribution of labour and other equipment that might go towards these programs will be taken into account. They must not be a state government owned organisation and they have to have an ABN or be involved as a subcommittee or part of a local council or not-for-profit—but it cannot be state owned.

These programs are designed to improve community participation. The New South Wales government has had a program very similar to this for a couple of years. I might just use an example of how this program may work. Last year, my hometown of Gravesend—a magnificent village on the Gwydir Highway in north-west New South Wales—had a project involving a park. Indeed, that part is the same park I played in as a child while I was waiting for my father to attend farmers' meetings in the local hall, and maybe a bit later on while he was catching up with a few mates at the pub. My children always saw this as a special treat on a Sunday—to go to Gravesend and play in the park. But it was very tired and it was full of burrs and the equipment was old and shabby. So the local community there, led by Dan Van Velthuizen and his wife Jodie, with the help of a state government community grant and other assistance, with Gwydir Shire Council renovated this park, and we now have something that is a focal point for that community.

That is the sort of project that the Stronger Communities Program is designed for. I have heard of some members of parliament who are reluctant to take this up because it might be too much work or they see it as a problem. I think this is a wonderful opportunity for members of parliament to connect with their local communities and with their local volunteer organisations across a whole range of issues.

What is different about this program from what we have seen from the previous government is that this one is completely bipartisan. It has the same conditions for every electorate, regardless of who or which party represents that seat. I believe that is something that should be embraced by all.

I am very proud to be part of a government that thinks of the community and understands that, while the things that go on in this beltway that we work in might seem terribly important to us, to the people out in the community a few thousand dollars to help them upgrade a local facility that is important to them probably means more than some of the issues that we may deal with in this place.