Julie Collins (Franklin, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Small Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I was recently able to go and visit Australia's southernmost town, Southport, which also happens to be in the great electorate of Franklin that I represent. It was a terrific opportunity to have a cuppa and a bickie with some of my community members and hear about the issues impacting their daily lives. As we all know, no-one is immune to what's happening globally and, indeed, in Australia with cost-of-living pressures—and that includes those in the Southport community and surrounds.

I was able to discuss with them the cost-of-living relief that the Albanese Labor government is delivering right now to those who need it most, including: a tax cut for every taxpayer; energy bill relief for every household and eligible small businesses; a pay rise for some of Tasmania's lowest-paid workers—77,000 of them on minimum wage have received a pay rise; our cheaper-medicines policy and Strengthening Medicare; and our GP rebate increases. This has had a significant impact in my electorate, particularly the tripling of the bulk-bill incentive. It has meant that in Tasmania we've seen some of the highest increases in bulk-billing—which we needed to, frankly, because under the former government it was very difficult to get a bulk-billing appointment anywhere in Tasmania. And we've got four urgent care clinics, with a fifth one on the way.

During this visit down in Southport I was also able to see the good work of the Far South Mobile Community Hub, which is being run by the Geeveston community neighbourhood centre, GeCo. That community centre runs this hub that is fully equipped and versatile, on wheels, and it aims to provide the community with a range of health, wellbeing, social and essential government services. So, it was terrific to be able to partner with them to do the morning tea in the local community. They also provide emergency food relief. They provide a safe space for vulnerable people to seek support and to share their stories and concern. I know that this mobile hub has really been making a difference in the Southport and Dover communities in the south of my electorate. I particularly want to thank Trish and Kathryn for running this important service, which strengthens connections between support services and rural and remote communities as well as providing an overall improvement in people's lives in those communities.

Speaking of improving the lives of those in rural and remote communities—when I was travelling back into town, I stopped into the Geeveston Early Learning and Care Centre. This centre is one of five or six in my electorate that recently received hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Albanese Labor government's Community Child Care Fund. The local mayor, Sally Doyle, came with us. She told me how important this funding is to keep these services open and operating in regional communities. I understand there are 45 services across Tasmania that have received one of the grants. In my electorate, Cygnet, Dover, Geeveston, Huonville and South Arm are in receipt of almost $900,000.