Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Cer-tainly, Senator Nash, very successful indeed. Over the last two years, I have had the opportunity to represent the Deputy Prime Minister at various openings of Regional Partnerships projects that were made possible through the assistance of the federal government. I am very pleased to say that in the Illawarra we have had quite a number of very successful Regional Partnerships projects.

For example, in January this year I announced funding of $1.3 million for the Southern Gateway Centre at Bulli Tops in Wollongong. This project will establish a landmark, state-of-the-art visitors centre which will include a restaurant and an Aboriginal interpretative centre. I think it will be a very important gateway to the Illawarra. This project will bring significant benefits to the Illawarra and deliver benefits to communities well into the future, not only from program funding but also from the high levels of economic activity and improved social amenity which the centre will generate. This is just one example of the many sorts of projects that have been made possible through the Regional Partnerships program. This is why the government has committed an additional $105.2 million in the 2007-08 budget for this successful and important program.

I would now like to focus on the absolutely fantastic announcements that have been made in relation to tertiary education. As Senator Brandis told us earlier, in question time today, the government’s commitment to higher education through the Higher Education Endowment Fund’s $5 billion has been well received by universities. Professor Gerard Sutton, President of the Australian Vice-Chancellors Committee, said on the AM program this morning:

The university sector is thrilled with the budget, because it met each of the three requests that we made—student support, dollars per student and the establishment of that endowment fund ensures that the capital works of universities is taken care of forever.

Professor Sutton has reason indeed to be pleased with this budget.

Another great initiative that I know will very much benefit the Illawarra is the Rural Clinical Schools Program, which is helping us meet the challenges in recruiting health professionals to rural areas. An example of this is the announcement that the University of Wollongong will receive $16.3 million over four years. This will be used to establish a rural clinical school which will allow 60 medical students each year to undertake long-term rural clinical placements in regional areas of New South Wales. These are just some examples of how we are helping regional and rural areas.

I would like to mention briefly in closing that this budget contains wonderful initiatives to support Australian families: a further $2 billion in additional support will provide families with increased and timely childcare assistance; childcare benefit will be increased; families will receive the childcare tax rebate as a direct payment shortly after the year they incur the cost; more health care funding which will provide $124 million over four years for the Active After-school Communities program; our initiatives in relation to dental health; and other initiatives which will help combat use of illegal drugs in order to protect our children from drugs like ice. As I said in opening, responsible and disciplined economic management has enabled the coalition government to deliver another successful budget which will lock in the gains that we have made and prepare for our future. (Time expired)