Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

This is a budget that delivers the growth, jobs and opportunities that people on the Central Coast deserve. It is a 'have a go' budget that builds on the commitments this government has already made to the people of my electorate, and I am proud to be part of a government that is delivering not only a great plan for our nation but a fantastic plan for the Central Coast in a way that Labor never did over the six years that they represented people in my electorate on the Central Coast.

As I will outline in this speech today, we are standing up for the coast by delivering more jobs, more growth opportunity for small businesses and more opportunities for our community to thrive. This is a budget I am really proud of. It is a budget that has already been well received across the electorate by families, small businesses and indeed my community. It is fair, it is balanced and it is good for the Central Coast because it unlocks the potential of our region. As a passionate 'coastie' I believe we are on track to build a stronger region, thanks to many of the initiatives in this budget.

One of the major highlights of this budget is our Growing Jobs and Small Business package. There are practical measures to help small businesses on Central Coast to invest, to hire, to grow and to thrive. There is the lowest company tax rate for small businesses in almost 50 years. There are tax cuts of 1.5 per cent for incorporated small businesses with an annual turnover of up to $2 million. Unincorporated small businesses will get a five per cent tax discount, up to $1,000 a year. Start-ups will be allowed to immediately deduct professional expenses, providing cash-flow benefits. We are also expanding tax concessions for employee share schemes.

In some of the best news from this budget, small businesses with a turnover of less than $2 million can claim an immediate tax deduction for each and every asset purchase of up to $20,000, up to 30 June 2017. For many businesses on the Central Coast, this means they can now buy machinery or equipment costing up to $20,000 for their businesses and deduct the full amount immediately from their taxable income. This is about creating an environment where people with real ambition and enterprise are out there creating jobs, because we know it is not government that creates jobs; it is business that creates jobs. Our small businesses, who are the engine room, the backbone, of our economy, can have a go and can grow, thrive, prosper and succeed.

Labor claims that they had a scheme as well. But Labor linked it to a failed mining tax which did not actually raise any money, whereas we have integrated it into our responsible long-term economic plan which also involves us getting back to surplus in a credible way. Labor put something on the table that was not funded and which was designed to distract people, but our budget engages our local businesses and encourages them to help boost our economy. I spoke with the regional manager of the New South Wales Central Coast Business Chamber, Dan Farmer. He said that five years ago the small business community was not even mentioned on budget night, but now it is front and centre of the budget commentary. He described this budget as a 'small business budget.' He said that the cut in company tax rate and the asset purchase reduction is a massive boost and that this may allow the small business owner to employ that extra apprentice, or extend the hours of a current employee.

I spoke with Logan, Erika and Peter, the owners of a very popular cafe called Fahrenheit Cafe in East Gosford. It is a great cafe. They actually taught me how to make a coffee a couple of weeks ago! They said they are actually thinking of buying a new fridge to get their cafe up and running in the local community. Edgar Adams, the editor of the Central Coast Business Review—a very esteemed business publication on the Central Coast—said, 'At last, a budget that recognises small business. Accolades to Minister Billson.' Accolades to Minister Billson indeed, and to this coalition government led by Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

This budget is also a jobs budget for the Central Coast. We have committed to locating a Commonwealth agency in a purpose-built building in Gosford CBD. There will be 600 new jobs for the region—600 new jobs that will be a game changer for the Central Coast. This will be the catalyst for an economic multiplier effect of hundreds of more jobs. There are 500 coming from the Australian Tax Office and 100 from complementary agencies run through our region.

As I have said in this place many times before, we originally promised 300 new jobs and we have now doubled that and this budget confirms that we are working with the ATO to have this centre of excellence up and running by the end of 2017. I am pleased to say that the ATO has advised that they have received an extremely positive response to the expressions of interest, with significant interest in building this in Gosford. This is great news, because it helps to drive innovation and competition, and it attracts serious investors to our region. John Mouland, the CEO of Regional Development Australia Central Coast told me that for so long in our region we have had plans and strategies but now we are finally moving forward as a region. He said that we are getting smarter, that we are using really good data and that we are getting results.

Residents from across the Central Coast are welcoming this budget. Raymond Field from Umina Beach was one of the first to respond on my Facebook page, saying 'It's nice to see the Central Coast being taken seriously as its own region.' The budget also revealed a $10 million funding injection to Somersby Industrial Park as part of the National Stronger Regions Fund, which is part of a $28 million project being driven by Gosford City Council. I do commend them for this initiative. Economic modelling demonstrates that this upgrade is set to create more than 3,000 new jobs on the Central Coast and to bring a $267 million boost to the local economy. It will do this by helping to transform the industrial park in Somersby, with significant upgrades to roads, stormwater drainage and sewerage pipes, making it business-ready and making it easier and cheaper for businesses to locate in the Somersby Industrial Park. It is believed that this will see over 960 jobs coming directly from the upgrade, with new businesses locating there, and another 2,100 across the Central Coast once the project is complete as part of an economic multiplier effect.

These 3,000 jobs are another important way that this budget delivers for our region. But, sadly, Labor opposes the National Stronger Regions Fund. I have previously said in this House that by opposing it they are actually opposing the more than 3,000 jobs that the economic modelling indicates could be created by this $10 million investment in the Central Coast. Recently, I called on Labor's representative for the Central Coast, Senator O'Neill, to explain why Labor opposes the National Stronger Regions Fund. And while the Senator responded with a media release, she ducked and avoided the question. Senator O'Neill's media release said, 'There is not one Coastie who has a single one of these jobs because they only exist on Lucy's Christmas wish list.' She said, 'I'll believe this government can deliver jobs for the Coasties when it happens.'

I say to Senator O'Neill and I say to the Labor Party: believe it. Believe it, because it is already happening. There have already been around 250,000 more jobs created since September 2013, when we came to government. Locally, as I have indicated, the economic modelling suggested around 3,000 jobs could be created in addition to the 600 new jobs that are coming to Gosford. I say to Senator O'Neill, please stop complaining about our plan for the Central Coast just because it is not your plan. Get behind our plan and start supporting it to make the Coasties Christmas wish list not just Lucy's Christmas wish list come true. I know so many people on the Central Coast want to see more local jobs for Gosford, more local jobs for the Central Coast, more jobs for our young people so they can have a go and get ahead.

This budget also demonstrates that we are delivering on the $7 million we committed to the Kibbleplex Centre in the Gosford Centre in the Gosford CBD. As it stands, the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development is working with the council so a final funding agreement can be prepared. The department and Gosford City Council are working with the State Library of New South Wales, who is producing a final report on the fit-out. We have also committed to other projects in the growth plan for the Central Coast, including $3.5 million for the upgrade of Woy Woy oval. This upgrade is well under way, and I was out there just the other week to see Gosford council demolishing the grandstand and commencing to build a structure that will be a fantastic civic centrepiece for the peninsula and a great home ground to our local sporting clubs like the Woy Woy Roosters and the Woy Woy Lions.

We are also building the roads infrastructure the Central Coast needs—$675,000 to help fix the black spot at Langford Drive and Woy Woy Road at Kariong has been confirmed in this budget. The budget also delivers $1.6 million of roads funding for the Central Coast for black spots in my electorate of Robertson at places like East Gosford, Green Point, Umina Beach, Gosford and Woy Woy. On top of that, we have also seen a doubling of funds for the Roads to Recovery program, which also helps our local councils meet local priorities.

A division having been called in the House of Representatives—

Sitting suspended from 10:21 to 10:37

As I was saying, in relation to roads we have also doubled the Roads to Recovery investment for the next financial year, which means that Gosford City Council will receive $1.9 million next financial year to direct local road funding to where it is most needed. Importantly, we are also delivering NorthConnex, the M1/M2 missing link. Funding of $405 million has been committed and construction is underway. This means that there are around 8,700 jobs on the way as well.

This is a government that is also determined to help job seekers, especially young job seekers, to find and to keep a job. There is the $18 million national work experience program that provides job seekers on the Central Coast with the opportunity to undertake work experience in businesses for up to 25 hours per week for four weeks. There is a new $1.5 billion wage subsidy pool so that more job seekers are eligible for wage subsidies sooner. It also helps employers to access wage subsidies earlier to help with the up-front costs of hiring and training. This budget provides a new $212 million transition to work service to help young job seekers most at risk of long-term unemployment improve their chances of finding and keeping a job, and we announced $106 million for new pilot programs to help young job seekers, such as those with a mental illness or those from a refugee or migrant background, to move from welfare to work.

This budget also delivers for families through our $4.4 billion Jobs for Families package. This is about giving Central Coast parents more choice and more opportunity to work. I have spoken about this in the House before, and I intend to continue doing so, because it is fantastic news for the Central Coast. As part of a consultation process in relation to balancing work and family responsibilities, I have consulted with thousands of families from my electorate. The feedback I have received from people who live in Kariong, Kincumber, Woy Woy and many other suburbs in my electorate is that so many Central Coast families are faced with significant costs when parents want to return to work, and this budget helps to make it easier for families to be able to juggle and to be able to access child care. I commend the government for their initiative.

The response to the budget measures for pensioners has also been very, very positive. Importantly, pensions will continue to rise twice a year, just as they always have. More than 90 per cent of pensioners will have no change to their pension and will receive a higher pension. Because of this budget, more than 170,000 pensioners with modest assets will have their pensions increased by an average of $30 a fortnight. We are also reversing our proposals on indexation and, unlike Labor, we will not increase taxes on superannuation.

Local organisations on the Central Coast could also receive a significant boost in the 2015 budget through the stronger communities program. This program will provide $45 million over two years across Australia to fund small capital projects in local communities, which is great news for my electorate of Robertson. Our community in the Robertson electorate will receive funding of $150,000 per year over two years to support projects that deliver social benefits. This is a great initiative. I already know of several local projects that could really benefit from this. There are several local community organisations who I am sure will really welcome the opportunity to apply for this grant program. I will certainly consult widely with local community organisations across the Central Coast in Killcare, Springfield on the peninsula, Evocca, Terrigal and Gosford to identify high priority projects. Under this program between $1,000 and $20,000 will be made available to not-for-profit organisations like Rotary groups or progress associations that reflect and truly represent the lifeblood of our community on the Central Coast. Grants will fund projects that will yield significant social benefits and that can be delivered within the two-year life span of the program and that will help them get ahead. I look forward to seeing new local projects for a stronger community and also to the people of the Central Coast being able to benefit from this program.

Time does not permit me to speak on the many other positive aspects of this budget, including national security and our measures to assist with domestic violence. I hope to be able to do so in the House at another time in the near future, but may I just say that this budget, which I have been able to respond to today, is the next step in the government's responsible long-term economic plan to build a strong, safe and prosperous future. (Time expired)

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