Nicolle Flint (Boothby, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Cities, Urban Infrastructure and Population. Will the minister update the House on the progress of the government's City Deals and how they are bringing together local and state governments to unlock the potential of cities around Australia? Are there any alternative opinions that would jeopardise this progress?

Alan Tudge (Aston, Liberal Party, Minister for Cities) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Boothby for her question and also for her commitment to the Adelaide City Deal. Indeed, just last Thursday I was in Adelaide, where I met with the Premier and the local mayors to discuss what the shape of an Adelaide City Deal might look like. We hope to sign that deal within the next few months.

In the four weeks since the last sitting week in parliament we've rapidly progressed the government's City Deals agenda. As members would know, these deals are agreements with all three levels of government to make our cities more livable and to turbocharge local economies. We've already signed three City Deals and indeed are implementing those three. They have been the Townsville City Deal, the Launceston City Deal and the massive Western Sydney City Deal, which is centred around the Western Sydney Airport, which we are building.

In the last four weeks, we've signed two more City Deals. First, the Prime Minister joined me, the member for Corangamite and the member for Wannon in announcing our commitment to the Geelong City Deal, which is a $154 million commitment to support the tourism economy in Geelong and all the way along the Great Ocean Road. Members might not appreciate that, outside of Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road and Geelong is actually the most visited part of Australia from a tourism perspective, but a lot of the infrastructure does need to be upgraded. We have made this huge investment and, consequently, will be completely rebuilding a new visitor-centre precinct at the Twelve Apostles. There will also be a redevelopment of the public spaces in Lorne, Apollo Bay and Skenes Creek; a brand new tourism walk along the Great Ocean Road; a new convention centre in the heart of Geelong; and so many other things . This was a deal that the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said would boost business, boost tourism and boost jobs, and that is exactly right.

We then went up to Darwin, where the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister and the Darwin lord mayor signed the Darwin City Deal, which is a $200 million 10-year commitment to revitalise the CBD of Darwin. Our major commitment there is a huge investment to create a brand new university precinct in the heart of the CBD for 11,000 students to be in the centre of the CBD—to study there and to therefore spill out onto the streets and purchase things at the local restaurants and businesses. There are also green spaces, an Indigenous precinct, a new art gallery, the redevelopment of the harbour foreshore precinct and so many other things. This is a fantastic deal. We'll soon be announcing the Hobart City Deal, too.

I'm asked about alternatives. Of all the work that the Labor Party have done, their main big development in the City Deal precincts is to change the name from City Deal to city partnership. (Time expired)

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.