Bert Van Manen (Forde, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

It is my pleasure to rise in the chamber today to speak about how the 2017 budget, announced by the Treasurer on Tuesday night, will provide benefits to my constituents in Forde in terms of fairness, opportunity and security. This budget guarantees the services Australian families use and need. It guarantees quality education, a first-class health system, a well-equipped Defence Force and police force, improved infrastructure, and more opportunities for families, seniors and small businesses.

Importantly, it will provide more money for schools, including a total of $417 million over the next 10 years for the 41 primary and secondary schools in my electorate of Forde. Our needs based funding model for schools, endorsed by David Gonski, is all about fairness. Schools in every sector in every local community in the electorate of Forde will be receiving significant increases in funding through our needs based funding model. More importantly, our increased funding will be tied to reforms that evidence shows make a real difference to supporting our teachers and schools to improve student outcomes. This is a fair system that is good for students, good for parents and good for teachers.

During the 2016 federal election, those opposite ran a dishonest campaign that the government would privatise Medicare. As usual they were full of hypocrisy, grandstanding and the usual poor form from the Labor Party, scaring voters, particularly vulnerable, older voters, into thinking they would no longer be supported with bulk-billing and other vital services. Our budget assures Australians that Medicare is secure—it always has been under the coalition government and always will be. The coalition will continue to provide record funding for health and Medicare and will guarantee Medicare's future with a dedicated fund which will protect these vital services for this generation and the next. This budget provides $1.2 billion to provide cheaper access to vital medicines. We are listing more drugs on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme to ensure families have access to vital drugs.

Supporting our veterans has always been a priority for the coalition government. There are some 1,163 veterans and their families in my electorate of Forde. I look forward to sharing the budget message with them. Importantly, it is about ensuring that past and present service personnel who undertake at least one day of full-time service have the benefit of easier access to free mental health and support services. Enhanced access to counselling for veterans and their families will provide benefits to the partners and dependants of contemporary veterans and also those currently serving today.

What I consider to be one of the most important measures in the budget is our government's commitment to secure full funding for the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Once finally rolled out, more than 3,400 people in my electorate of Forde will benefit from the NDIS. Under the plan of Labor, those opposite, the NDIS was never fully funded. That caused enormous concern for many in our communities who were hoping to benefit. But I am glad to say that this budget puts those fears to rest. Australians with a disability deserve the best care we can provide, and this budget secures that funding for the National Disability Insurance Scheme into the future.

More than 14,000 small businesses in Forde will benefit from tax relief, as well as the extension of the instant asset write-off. The extra investment in apprenticeships is helping around 2,200 young people in my electorate of Forde. That is critically important because we have a high youth unemployment rate. I have no doubt the 2017 budget is fair and will help the Australian economy grow, create more jobs, provide opportunities and help us deliver a better Australia for future generations.

Question agreed to.

Federation Chamber adjourned at 12:56

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