Ann Sudmalis (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's not often that you have the opportunity to put on record a great delivery for the electorate that you represent; however, this is just such an occasion. The budget of 2018, due to good economic management and taking strong but sometimes hard decisions, has helped deliver the new Shoalhaven River bridge, an infrastructure investment of $155 million, following the initial $10 million from the federal government, part of my commitment in the 2013 election. Just over 12 months ago I turned the first sod for the mental health research and lifeline hub, MIND the GaP, on UOW Shoalhaven Campus. In July we'll open this great investment of more than $1.2 million, co-funded by the university. There was an extended wait time while an environmental consideration of a not-so-rare orchid destroyed the dream of allocating a federal government co-funded investment of $9.5 million into a motorsports complex at Yerriyong.

I thank my Labor neighbour for asking the minister for infrastructure to keep the investment in Gilmore. This delivered a number of essential projects that were in dire need of government investment for the communities in three local government areas of the electorate. In Eurobodalla the disability sector was the winner, with just under $2 million in total to complete stage 2 of three different sites: the disability respite centre being constructed by Yumaro, the additional consulting and specialist room for Muddy Puddles, and the final stage of the fully inclusive playground at Corrigan's Reserve. In Shoalhaven it was the youth and veterans where investment was needed: $600,00 to complete the Voyager Memorial Park upgrades, $1.9 million to complete the Dunn Lewis Centre, a youth hub in Ulladulla. The council-funded new basketball and sports stadium in Bombaderry had a shortfall of $2.8 million for the fit-out to build the bleachers, bathrooms, kitchens and floors. It would only have been built to lock-up otherwise. South Coast Dairy is also now able to start manufacturing butter. In the Kiama municipality the aged-care facility had almost $2.4 million allocated for its meeting hall and small spaces facility on the old hospital site to help with the investment of this great project.

At the last election we committed to deliver a $20 million investment to create jobs and increase business opportunity. There was a very competitive round of great applications, and these were reviewed by a committee in line with the strategic development guidelines complied by the RDA and approved by the department. The successful projects included the following. Shoalhaven Starches received funding to increase flour milling production and distribution. Cottee Jersey Group were allocated $2.8 million for the installation of a dairy processing plant to double jobs and productivity. Eurobodalla shire will be getting a massive, wonderful oyster and shellfish hatchery. A brand-new community hub with family space and training facilities will built by CareSouth. Cupitt's Winery will be building more accommodation and kitchen amenities with their $1.5 million investment. Milton District Meats can grow with a new chiller and boning room using their $1.1 million. More health bars and healthy beverages will be manufactured by Essence Group. Ultimate Campers will be able to build their brand-new camper line using their investment. Shoalhaven City Council can get their new floating pontoon system at Greenwell Point for all the boaties out there. Friends of The Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Garden will be constructing a community space and expanding their plant species centre. Mussel lines and spats in Jervis Bay can go ahead, with South Coast Mariculture gaining funding. Venus Shell Systems, with Pia Winberg's investment, time and energy, will be steaming ahead with their seaweed production. Partech Systems will be getting into their automated test systems. T&A Consulting will be co-investing for their freshwater aquaculture. Sea Breeze Aviation will expand facilities in their flying school, which is bringing in massive numbers of young people from overseas. Shoalhaven City Council will be building a boat maintenance facility at Woollamia. Climax Air Conditioning will be getting new upgrades for their vehicles. Nowra Chemical Manufacturers will be getting more temperature-controlled tanks for their beautiful, green-produced cosmetics which are going all over the world. Silos Estate is putting in an electric vehicle charger as a base for tourism. Stormtech is going to be getting a new stainless steel manufacturing site. There are just so many things happening, and a thousand jobs will be created in our region because of this very strategic investment.

I want to thank our local RJIP committee for reviewing the applications, because they know how important this investment is. I also want to thank all the businesses who had the confidence to apply and invest in their operations, to grow in our region and to create jobs for our mature people and our youth. Even the butter manufacturing is going to employ people with a disability. I'm so proud of them all.

Question agreed to.

Federation Chamber adjourned at 12:06