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

Today I want to look at and talk about the impact of the Morrison budget on Western Australians, and I feel that I'm in a privileged position to do that because over the last couple of months I've probably travelled more in Western Australia than any other federal WA Senator in the room—perhaps not Senator Smith; we'll give him a bit of leeway. I've been as far as Port Hedland, I've been down to Esperance, I've been out to the central Wheatbelt and I've been as far east as Narembeen—and, Senator Smith, I haven't finished yet. During that visit, I've talked with and had the privilege of listening to Men's Shed participants, First Nations people, farmers, farming groups, shopkeepers and a whole range of people in those regions—people providing services, whether it's not-for-profit drug services or whether it's Bloodwood Tree in Port Hedland, which provides a whole range of services and during the pandemic has opened a shop where people can come and shop after giving a gold coin donation. It's just been a privilege to hear firsthand from those West Australians.

Earlier this year—actually, it's last year now—I had the privilege of attending a women's listening forum in Roebourne, which was also attended by Senator McCarthy and Ms Linda Burney, the member for Barton. We had over 100 First Nations women in the room, and they came to tell us in no uncertain terms what they expected from government and, indeed, from a Labor opposition. I'd particularly like to thank Jolleen Hicks, an amazing woman from Roebourne who really went out of her way to welcome us, to pull people together and to facilitate that big meeting that we had in Roebourne. The women in Roebourne and Port Hedland, and indeed the other women who came from across the Pilbara, are a force to be reckoned with. They demanded that we come back with a draft, which we did in December. Then there was a final presentation meeting that I attended the week before last, which sadly Senator McCarthy and Ms Burney couldn't attend because at that point they were still locked out of our state. But we're hoping they can come again next year. I met with a group of women in Roebourne, and in Port Hedland I had the absolutely privilege of meeting with elders—and I tell you what: those elders say it like it is, and they were very clear about what they expected.

Last week I met with the South West Aboriginal Medical Service, a highly regarded service in Western Australia which does amazing work and delivers way beyond its regional boundaries. It's got a fantastic plan for a one-stop centre. At the moment, it's based in Bunbury, Busselton and all over the place, and it wants to have a one-stop centre. It has lobbied the Morrison government. It wants $15 million. It's got a shovel-ready project. I'm glad that we've got some Western Australians here. It's got a DA-approved, shovel-ready project. It's got land. It's got support. It's got a great group of people behind it. All it wanted from the federal government was $15 million. Sadly, it missed out. Despite making representations to Minister Wyatt, that centre got nothing. Now, I would have thought $15 million was a pretty good ask. Certainly during the election campaign Mr Porter, the member for Pearce, was able to give the City of Swan $20 million towards a pool; but, hey, that came out of the sports rorts area. SWAMS, who have a well-deserving, shovel-ready project, missed out.

They weren't the only ones to miss out. I urge people to listen to the interview this morning with Chris and Jo from Rockingham if they have not already. Chris is a truck driver, and Jo works three jobs, one as a cleaner and two as a swimming teacher. They talked about how the budget impacts on them. They were better than any of the economic analysis that I've heard. They were passionate. They are typical Australians—indeed, very typical Western Australians living in Rockingham. They thought it delivered nothing for them. Jo is an architectural draftsperson by trade and she hasn't been able to get a job in that field but works three jobs, which we know many women do. She lost her job as a swimming teacher when pools were closed during the lockdown period and, of course, because the federal government were not kind enough or generous enough to extend JobKeeper to local government, Jo lost income. So they are very cautious. They're worried. They said any tax cut they might get is going into the bank because they're worried about their future and for them the budget hasn't delivered confidence.

For the patients who use the South West Aboriginal Medical Service it's delivered nothing. For the elders up in Port Hedland who are concerned about their children's aspirations—we've got 12 kids graduating from Port Hedland through the Clontarf program up there. That's a record. But what are their chances of getting to university with the outrageous university bill that Centre Alliance has agreed to in this place? It will stop them. Do you know that in Western Australia we have fewer than 2,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids at university? Most are mature age and most of them take degrees in the humanities areas. And who have we just disadvantaged?

Senator Griff and member for Mayo have sold out for 40 pieces of silver—for a few roads in Mayo. When those Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids in Western Australia ask me why university fees for them have doubled and why it's much harder for them to get to university, I'll know where to point. I'll be pointing directly at the Morrison government and I'll be pointing directly at those senators, including One Nation, who are supporting an outrageous bill that will make it much harder for kids, particularly Indigenous kids, to go to university. We should all hang our heads in shame that in Western Australia we don't even have 2,000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids at university. We have not even reached that milestone. And guess what? That statistic has not changed very much over the last 10 years.

For the farmers that I met with out in Corrigin and Merredin, who really do want to see action on climate change, yes, they are very happy with the battery project, as we all are. That's a McGowan project that, yes, you funded. Tick—they're happy with that. But they've seen nothing else from you on climate change—nothing. We're seeing the effects of climate change. In Esperance we get frosts now where we never used to. That impacts on the crops. In WA most farmers are growing barley, and they absolutely lay the blame for the downturn in barley to China at Mr Morrison's feet. These are not necessarily Labor supporters. That is what they told me.

So it is time that you lifted your game and started to represent Australians like Chris and like Jo, like the elders in Port Hedland, like the farmers in Esperance, like the farmers in Merredin. That's who you should represent.

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

Order! The time for senators' statements has expired.