Scott Buchholz (Wright, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Road Safety and Freight Transport) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I move across the electorate of Wright, I am constantly approached by supporters and strangers in the electorate, who come up, whether it be in the Lockyer Valley, the Scenic Rim, Tamborine Mountain, the Gold Coast Hinterland, over further on the Gold Coast where I border up to Robina at Mudgeeraba and down the New South Wales border. They're united when they're saying, 'Tell Morrison, tell the Prime Minister, tell the boss he's doing a good job.' I'd like to put that on the record. As politicians we are very quick to go back and share with our leaders the bad news that travels through our electorates, but in this case I think it's only fair that I place on the public record to the Prime Minister the message that's come from the electorate. They were happy with the leadership during the COVID process. They were happy with his communication and the narrative, and they were happy with the financial assistance that has come out of the budget.

One of the other benefits that's come out of this horrific COVID-19 process has been the establishment of the National Cabinet. Punters in my electorate have also seen that as a great step forward. When people put aside politics and work for the benefit of all the nation, that's when as politicians we are at our best. So please take that on board as we come out of the COVID environment. The National Cabinet has been a vehicle which has been looked on fondly.

Within the budget, particularly within my area of the road safety and freight transport sector, the instant asset write-off, which is extended to $150,000, I want to make the particular point that that includes second-hand equipment. So if you're looking to upgrade trucks, tractors, harvesters, headers, any type of capital equipment—you remember that in earlier days it used to be $25,000, but we have extended it out to $150,000—it includes second-hand equipment. The temporary full expensing is for new equipment. That's the one that's out to an unlimited amount, and it catches 99 per cent of all businesses in the country. The temporary full expenses is a lifesaver for the transport industry. A prime mover is between $350,000 and $450,000. That was just outside the cap of the instant asset write-off. This temporary full expensing has done amazing things as a stimulus. I spoke the other day to Andrew Hadjikakou, the CEO of PACCAR. Not many people know that we build and manufacture Kenworths right here in Australia, in Melbourne, under the current situation. Andrew told me that his order book is as full as it's ever been. That's amazing. In my last couple of seconds, a shout-out to all the year 12 students in the electorate who are sitting their exams. My thoughts and love are with you all.

Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In accordance with standing order 193 the time for constituency statements has concluded.

Sitting suspended from 16:45 to 17:32