Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) the Federal Government has announced $10 million in funding for an aquatic centre rebuild in Mount Barker, in the federal electorate of Mayo, and

  (ii) this money is the public's, not the Liberal Party's,

(b) recognises that the Turnbull Government will be in a position to deliver this funding regardless of the outcome of the Mayo by-election; and

(c) calls on the government to honour this commitment irrespective of the result of the Mayo by-election.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Georgina Downer's strong advocacy made this announcement possible. This is an important commitment from the government to the people of Mayo. I note when Ms Sharkie was the member for Mayo, she presented a list of budget priorities to the government in which the aquatic centre was not listed. The people of Mayo need a strong and credible voice like Georgina Downer and a strong Liberal-National coalition government in Canberra to deliver projects like this for Mount Barker and for the wider Mayo community. It is a strange alliance we have in Mayo, a Sharkie-Labor-Greens alliance. It raises questions as to what Ms Sharkie will owe the Greens and Labor on the back of this support.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor supports this motion. Across Mayo people are telling the Labor candidate, Reg Coutts, that they feel forgotten by this government. They feel Liberal Party fly-ins offer nothing but empty promises and little action. Reg is a great local candidate who is representing the people of Mayo based on his strong Labor values. He, like many in his community, has asked why the Liberals have waited for a by-election to pledge funds for this upgrade to sport and recreation facilities, an important investment in community health and wellbeing. If their promise is truly about more than just a boost for Georgina Downer's by-election chances, the Liberals shouldn't wait for the vote; they should start delivering funding now so that the community can enjoy this facility next summer.

Stirling Griff (SA, Centre Alliance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a brief statement.

Sue Lines (WA, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Stirling Griff (SA, Centre Alliance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The $10 million secured for this pool actually arose through an application by the Mount Barker council through the Building Better Regions Fund. In fact, the only reason Mount Barker is eligible to receive funding through this fund is because of the lobbying efforts of the current Centre Alliance candidate for Mayo, Rebekha Sharkie. In round 1 of the fund, Mount Barker and Adelaide Hills were not considered regional while cities like the Gold Coast were. Thanks to Ms Sharkie's efforts in advocating on behalf of her community, the government realised its error and the council was able to apply for this funding. Commitments such as this are made to a community; they are not made to guarantee a job and they are not made with the threat of removal should the government's candidate not be successful at the upcoming by-election. We support Senator Hanson-Young's motion and call on the government to honour this commitment irrespective of the result of the upcoming by-election.

Question agreed to.