Mark Furner (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise this afternoon to contribute to this matter of public importance as well, conversely to Senator Fifield's proposal. As a senator I am really proud of our govern­ment's achievements in this area. The past year has seen many achievements by the Gillard government. Not only did we secure minority government in September last year but we have also delivered policies which have provided tax cuts for our working families. On 1 January 2011 we introduced Australia's first paid parental leave scheme, where parents are able to stay home with their newborns or adopted children for 18 weeks at the minimum wage while retaining ties with their workplaces and easing the financial pressure on working families—a policy the opposition leader never would have implemented.

We began our rollout of the National Broadband Network, which will provide faster internet connections and allow those in rural areas to access high-speed internet—something the opposition left our country behind in. The NBN will bring affordable high-speed broadband to all Australians, no matter where they live. The NBN is creating jobs right here, is already being used in Tasmania and Armidale and will shortly be in other states. A new era of communication is arriving with better services and more competitive prices for Australians and Australian businesses. The NBN will change the way we live and work, ensure our economy keeps up with the rest of the world, give our children access to world-class educational resources and give us access to better health care. It will close the distance between our regions and cities and will give local businesses the opportunity to expand into markets anywhere in the world instantly.

The Prime Minister and Minister Conroy announced a $9 billion agreement with Telstra on the NBN. The agreement provides for the reuse of suitable Telstra infrastructure and for Telstra to progressively structurally separate by decommissioning its copper network and broadband HFC network capability during the NBN fibre rollout. This means less disruption to communities and less use of overhead cables.

We will shortly be introducing bills related to the minerals resource rent tax. The taxes on the enormous profits made by big mining companies will go towards building superannuation savings, allowing the government to increase the superannuation guarantee, which every worker is entitled to, from nine to 12 per cent. This means that a 30-year-old worker earning $65,000 annually today will have an extra $108,000 in superannuation savings at retirement. We have also succeeded in separating Telstra into retail and wholesale telecommunications businesses.

After injecting money into the economy, we stopped Australia from feeling the brunt of the global financial crisis. Madam Acting Deputy President Moore, you would be aware of the numerous ambassadors who appeared before the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade who overwhelmingly acknowledged the fiscal competence of our government compared to what they have experienced globally. We implemented the $42 billion Nation Building and Jobs Plan, which injected money into schools infrastructure and the Australian taxpayer. Today we are seeing the rollout of many of these infrastructure projects, and it is amazing to see what schools, local councils and other organisations would have missed out on if it were not for this government's swift action during the global financial crisis.

Though our strong economic management has kept 200,000 extra Australians in jobs, jobs are important to the Australian Labor Party. Since we took office in 2007 almost 750,000 jobs have been created. Almost 190,000 jobs were created in the last year. Nine out of 10 jobs created in the last 12 months are full-time positions. Our jobless rate is 5.1 per cent, compared with that of the US of 9.1 per cent, Canada on 7.2, the UK on 7.7, Germany on seven and New Zealand on 6.5 per cent. So you can see we have achieved in numerous areas and I will talk further in this discussion about a lot of other areas that we have delivered on as a govern­ment. At the start of the GFC Australia had the same unemployment rate as the US. If that were still the case, an extra 480,000 Australians would be jobless rate now. This government's swift and decisive policy response to the GFC helped safeguard tens of thousands of Australian jobs.

In the past year on one of our projects, Building the Education Revolution—a hallmark, in my opinion—I have been privileged to open over 100 school buildings, whether they were libraries, science centres or halls. It has been a marvellous project and is still delivering and being rolled out throughout our state of Queensland, as you would be aware, Madam Acting Deputy President Moore. I have heard nothing but praise during those openings, whether from principals, parents, P&C presidents, teachers or even the children of those schools. They come up and say, 'We thank the federal government for delivering on its promises.' They are overwhelmed by the new hall, the new library or the new science centre they are standing in and the facilities and the benefits they have got. There is no better benefit than the gift of education. For some schools, it was the first time they had a multipurpose hall and the very first time they were able to fit the whole school in one area. For some, it was the first time they had an actual library and no longer had to share a classroom with a room full of books. I have seen new kitchens to complement participation in the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Program, another fantastic government initiative. I have seen new music rooms and dance studios. For some schools, this was the biggest thing to happen in their school in years. As I said, principals, P&C presidents and students alike have praised the BER project and, on many occasions, have asked me to send my regards and thanks to the Prime Minister and Minister Chris Evans for making sure that the new halls, libraries, classrooms and science centres were completed.

I have a quote from the principal of Mount Mee State School. It says: 'The Building the Education Revolution has provided us many opportunities that we would not have received any other way.' There is no other way that a small school like Mount Mee would have at any point in time achieved a building like their new one or any of the other refurbishments that have taken place over the last 12 months. Another example is from Dr Regan Neumann, the principal of Kelvin Grove State College. It says: 'Thank you to the federal government for contributing the funds to make this happen at Kelvin Grove. We know that our place is a better place because of the financial contribution that was made to our college during 2010-11.' There are other examples, such as from Bronwyn Campbell from Albany Hills State School. It says: 'We thank you very much, Senator Furner, because this sort of opportunity has never come to primary schools in many years in education and it has been a wonderful gift to us. We appreciate that.'

The Gillard government also provided assistance to those who needed it in Queensland during the most devastating time of our lives, during the significant floods and Cyclone Yasi, and also in Victoria. We implemented a one-off levy which will assist in rebuilding our disaster affected areas, and those directly affected are exempt from paying the levy. Despite the injections into our economy and the costs of the natural disasters, the Gillard government has stuck to its promises and will deliver a surplus by 2013.

Not only are we delivering for our working families; we are also delivering effective policy. Despite a hung parliament, the government has secured the passage of 130 bills through the House of Representatives. The opposition leader, Mr Tony Abbott, has not provided a positive contribution to this government since becoming leader. We all know his position when it comes to policy and that is the single word of no. He says no to everything, even good policy. He opposed the stimulus package. He opposed all those school halls, libraries, science centres and areas of important needs for education in our schools around the country for the sake of who knows what. He opposed the flood recovery package to help Australians most in need. At their time of most need, he opposed it. He opposed our health reform package. Instead, while in government, he ripped $1 billion out of the health area. He has opposed our GP superclinics, which are seeing quality health care delivered to areas of need. One of those GP superclinics is just down the road from me and it is delivering marvellous outcomes for the residents in the seat of Dickson. The list goes on. There is a continual list. Time does not allow me to talk about all the achievements of this Gillard government. (Time expired)