John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to my fearless leader in the Senate and Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Senator Scullion. Can the minister outline how the coalition government's recently announced regional jobs and investment package for the North Coast region of New South Wales is unlocking jobs and economic opportunity for the communities across regional New South Wales?

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Williams for his question. Can I say, with a great deal of confidence, that there is no greater advocate for regional New South Wales than Senator Williams. Like myself, he's focused on delivering more secure jobs and greater opportunities for all those who call regional Australia home.

It was fantastic to recently see the Minister for Regional Development, Territories and Local Government join the members for Page and Cowper, both valued National Party colleagues of both Senator Williams and myself, to announce the successful recipients of the coalition government's regional jobs and investment package for the North Coast region of New South Wales. Each successful project will help to generate more jobs and more opportunities. After an extensive assessment process, involving strong community input and more than 70 applications, 23 projects totalling $25 million will be delivered across the North Coast of New South Wales, providing residents with a range of employment and investment opportunities.

The success of this program is that it's built on partnerships with local communities and businesses, which are matching the support they are receiving from the coalition. This means that, across the New South Wales North Coast, a total investment pool of almost $53 million will flow through the shops and the main streets of the North Coast. This includes transformational projects like $4.7 million to deliver a new 23-bed wing at the Kyogle aged-care centre, $2 million to upgrade manufacturing capacity at a local air conditioning manufacturer in Coffs Harbour, and over $1 million for a blueberry cooperative near Woolgoolga to help streamlining and updating the equipment to increase processing capacity.

This upgrade will actually increase their competitiveness and their efficiency, because they are actually competing with places like South-East Asia and Canada. They're a local example of the projects delivered by the coalition. These projects are the types that have helped 403,000 more Australians into jobs in just a year, with around three-quarters of them being full-time jobs.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Williams, a supplementary question?

John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister for that answer and I ask: how is this announcement supporting local jobs across northern New South Wales?

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The coalition is committed to supporting regional Australia. As part of that commitment, it is absolutely essential that we help regions like the North Coast unlock their potential, by investing in key projects that support their economic future. We are supporting transitioning economies to help them seize immense opportunities that exist in regional Australia. More than 500 new jobs will be generated through the construction phase, and a further 500 ongoing jobs will be created, thanks to the North Coast Regional Jobs and Investment Package. That means 500 families confidently spending more, and local businesses investing more across the local communities of Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Lismore, Kyogle and many other communities in between.

Over the last 12 months, the coalition has delivered over 100,000 jobs in regional Australia. Some 42,000 have been, in fact, in regional New South Wales. That's the equivalent of the entire population of Lismore, Grafton and Kyogle, and they've all been getting more jobs in the last 12 months.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Williams, a final supplementary question?

John Williams (NSW, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the minister and I ask: how does this link into the coalition's broader commitment to deliver jobs, investment and economic security for all those who live, work and invest in regional New South Wales?

Nigel Scullion (NT, Country Liberal Party, Minister for Indigenous Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This effort builds on previous support for important local projects delivered by the coalition across northern New South Wales. They include the Taree roads and bridges program, the Port Macquarie indoor sports stadium, the Oakes Oval upgrade in Lismore, the Casino saleyards upgrade, the Clarence Valley Regional Airport upgrade, the Maclean river precinct, and a significant investment in the clinical and allied health building at Southern Cross University in Coffs Harbour.

The coalition is the only party that can be trusted to, and does, deliver for regional Australia. The coalition party room is full of regional champions who fight every day to deliver for those who work and invest in rural, regional and remote Australia. I continue to look forward to working with Senator Williams and all those regional senators, who, like me, are committed to making regional Australia an even greater place to call home.