Karen McNamara (Dobell, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is wonderful to know that two of these participants have now secured employment. This is a common result that I have seen from our local Work for the Dole projects since Minister Hartsuyker visited Dobell back in May 2014 to launch the government's reinvigorated Work for the Dole scheme. Commonly when I ask participants the question, 'Where would you be if not participating in Work for the Dole?' I receive the answer, 'At home on the couch.' You will find no stronger advocate for the Work for the Dole program than the participants themselves.

I would like to give particular thanks and credit to Mr Andrew Smith, who oversaw the initial rollout of the Work for the Dole program on the Central Coast over the past 12 months. I look forward to seeing the Work for the Dole program continue to grow in Dobell and provide greater opportunities for local job seekers. During the minister's visit we met with Mr Tony Mylan, the CEO of ET Australia. Tony said:

Our recent meeting with Assistant Minister Hartsuyker in Wyong, where the Budget measures were discussed, has provided ET Australia the hope that we can deliver a range of activities for Central Coast young people so they can more successfully transition to work.

This demonstrates that the government's measures will make a positive impact on the Central Coast. In addition to the successful Work for the Dole program, the government is helping Australian small businesses to create more work experience opportunities for Australia's unemployed, particularly young people and maturer workers. Minister Hartsuyker and I visited Donna, who owns and operates Lakes Office Choice at Tuggerah. Donna's small business employs 10 people. She openly shared her previous experiences with engaging young work experience workers and the difficulty it had placed on her as a small business operator.

The government recognises the red tape impost associated with work experience positions and will provide $18 million over four years for approximately 6,000 job seekers to undertake valuable work experience for up to four weeks while they continue to receive income support. As a result of both Work for the Dole and work experience programs, it is our hope that job seekers will gain the confidence and experience to transition into work.

Programs such as these are expanding upon the investment that we have made in the field of apprenticeships. Speaking with the team at Central Coast Group Training, who operate a youth skills and employment centre, we were informed that in the week following the federal budget they had placed the highest number of apprentices in six years. This demonstrates the confidence of local businesses who acknowledge that the government is on the right path, creating prosperity and the opportunity for business operators to host an apprentice or trainee.

Not only is the Central Coast a beautiful place to live, raise a family and work it is also a beautiful place for retirement. This budget is not only supporting Dobell's families and job seekers but also it is delivering certainty for our senior Australians in their retirement. I am pleased to say that as a result of this government's budget measures approximately 90 per cent of Dobell's aged pensioners will see their pensions remain the same or increase to an average of $30 per week. Importantly, this is the support our aged pensioners deserve. And it is fair.

All of this good work is fundamental to building a safe and secure Australia. Keeping Australians safe and secure is the highest responsibility of the government. I recently had the honour of joining Australian Defence personnel in the Middle East as part of the Australian Defence Force Parliamentary Program. My participation in the program reinforced my belief that Australia is the best country in the world. But we should never lose sight of the freedoms and liberties—and the sacrifices made by Australians over our century of war to provide us with the freedoms and values—we enjoy today.

The security threat confronting Australia is real, and it is serious. This is why our national terrorism public-alert level was raised to high last year. All Australians witnessed the horror of the Martin Place siege, the attack on police officers in Melbourne and the foiled terrorist plots in the months since. We have all uttered the words, 'This doesn't happen in Australia.' Unfortunately, times have changed. This government has a strong record in maintaining Australia's national security. This government's success in stopping the boats and securing our borders should not merely be consigned to the history books. The challenge is ongoing. We must remain resolute in our determination to break the trade of people smugglers, to ensure that lives are not lost at sea.

I support the government's commitment to Defence, national security and law enforcement. This is an important element of the budget. There is a substantial commitment of $35 billion in 2015-16 and we have committed $1.2 billion of new funding to address the threat of Daesh, foreign fighters in Syria and Iraq, and the dangers of home-grown terrorism. I support these measures wholeheartedly.

We must continue to strive for a better future, complete with more opportunity and greater reward. I am confident we are on the right path. I hear it every day in my community. There is growing optimism amongst small businesses. I see first-hand our families feeling more secure about their work-life balance. Our pensioners are telling me that their interests and concerns are being addressed, and our community has faith that their government will protect them and their way of life. This is a great budget for a great nation. I look forward to continuing to deliver to the people of Dobell and the Central Coast. I commend the budget to House.

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