Libby Coker (Corangamite, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Albanese government has hit the ground running since coming into office. I'm proud that, despite a difficult economic environment, our government has delivered a budget to ease cost-of-living pressures. This budget delivers cheaper child care, cheaper PBS medicines, the expansion of paid parental leave to six months and more affordable housing, and it gets wages moving. We are also delivering on local commitments to people in my electorate—the Bellarine, Surf Coast, Golden Plains and Greater Geelong—with more than $180 million in funded local projects on key issues I've fought for: local roads, health, sporting and community facilities and investment in environment and clean energy. This budget proves that I'm doing just that. There is $125 million for stage 2 of the Barwon Heads Road for the rapidly growing Armstrong Creek. There is funding for Armstrong Creek headspace to ensure young people have a dedicated mental health service. There are environmental projects to address stormwater impacts on the Karaaf Wetlands and the emissions-saving community battery in Torquay. And there is funding for a mobile blackspot in St Leonards. Important sporting, community and health projects are also funded. We're doing all of this while delivering a budget that responsibly delivers cost-of-living relief.