Pat Conroy (Shortland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Industry) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's good to end the year on a positive note, and I'm pleased to update the House on the commitments that the Albanese Labor government has delivered in Shortland since the election. The government has hit the ground running over the past six months, and my constituents are already benefiting from the implementation of our election commitments.

In health, the government has restored funding to the Hunter region's much-cherished GP Access After Hours service, which was cut by the Liberals. This was one of the main commitments of my Hunter colleagues and me. This funding has been reinstated and guaranteed for the next six years. This is the longest funding commitment that the service has ever received. This means the service can return to its normal hours of operation, which have been halved and, in one case, completely cut because of the Liberals. In confirming this funding, my colleague the Minister for Health and Aged Care called GP Access After Hours the best after-hours service in the country, and it is. My constituents know this, and I'm proud that this Labor government is restoring funding cut by the Liberals and Nationals. We discovered during the budget process that, if the last government had stayed in power, the GP Access After Hours service would have disappeared completely. They put aside zero dollars for that service to continue, whereas we have given it six years funding certainty.

Also in health, the government has classified the Central Coast and Hunter regions as distribution priority areas for GPs, and we will fund two Urgent Care Clinics on the Central Coast. The delivery of these commitments means my constituents will have better access to health care and better health outcomes. To complement this, we've cut the cost of medicines, the first cut to PBS since the foundation of the scheme. This is also a very important cost-of-living initiative.

I'm also proud of the $20 million Lake Macquarie Economic Development Package, which includes providing $10 million to Lake Macquarie City Council to purchase a permanent dredge for the Swansea Channel, something the state Liberal government has ignored for 12 years. This is urgently needed. The package also extends the Newcastle Mines Grouting Fund to the Lake Macquarie local government area, which will help drive jobs and economic benefits. The budget also provides funding for mobile phone towers in Lake Munmorah, Eleebana, Budgewoi/Halekulani and Jewells/Redhead, as well as $7 million for a shared pathway from Chain Valley Bay to Mannering Park, which these communities have long campaigned for.

I'll end with an email I received last week from a gentleman in his 80s. Alan wrote:

You're all doing a great job of Government especially the Prime Minister and makes an old bloke proud of Australia again.

I thank Alan for his generous feedback and I agree that we can all be even prouder of Australia heading into 2023, with a government that cares for everyone, particularly the people of Shortland.