Sharon Claydon (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This Saturday, the people of New South Wales will head to the polls for the state election. Like all elections, voters will be asking themselves a number of questions when thinking about how to cast their vote. They will be thinking about: who shares their values and priorities? Who has the best plan for growing jobs and education? And who will represent my community's best interests in the parliament?

For the people in the five state electorates that will fall within my federal electorate of Newcastle—the voters of Charlestown, Newcastle, Maitland, Port Stephens and Wallsend—I have no doubt that Labor comes out on top in all questions being asked, and that a Foley-led state Labor government has the best plan for New South Wales.

Importantly, there is also the question of trust to be considered. Who has earned the trust of the community? While every electorate and community has its own story to tell when it comes to trust, in the majority of the five seats that touch my electorate the story is a sordid tale of Liberal betrayal and broken trust. A lot of voters are understandably disenchanted with politics. And the people of Newcastle, and in my region, have every right to feel angry, hurt and betrayed, because of the actions of the former Liberal members elected in 2011.

For some electors in the seat of Newcastle, it will be their fourth trip to the polls in the last six months after being forced to vote in a state by-election, a lord mayoral by-election and a local council by-election—all caused by the actions of the disgraced former Liberal members.

In four seats that Liberal members won in 2011, only one member is now retiring from politics, the member for Maitland—and, I might add, the only Liberal in the Hunter region not disgraced at ICAC. The other three Liberals elected at the last general election could not bear to stand any more public scrutiny, so they will not be standing again. Tim Owen and Andrew Cornwell, the former Liberal members for Newcastle and Charlestown, have already gone after resigning last year in disgrace following shocking revelations uncovered by the Independent Commission Against Corruption. In the seat of Port Stephens the Liberal elected in 2011, Craig Baumann, is not running either—again, following revelations from the ICAC.

Their tales of deceit and mistrust have alienated voters, and the by-elections forced by the snap resignations came at great financial and social cost to the Newcastle community. The damage that the Liberal Party members caused is taking time to repair, but it has started with the election of Labor candidates at both state by-elections held last October.

The now member for Newcastle, Tim Crakanthorp and member for Charlestown, Jodie Harrison, won these by-elections and have been outstanding voices for their communities since elected. I wish them well this Saturday as their seek re-election. They join the formidable and fierce advocate for her community, Sonia Hornery, the Minister for the Hunter and member for Wallsend, who will be standing for re-election. I know the community trusts and respects Sonia and I have every confidence that she will be re-elected to represent her constituents of Wallsend.

In the other two seats within my electorate, the seats of Maitland and Port Stephens, I wholeheartedly support the two fantastic candidates, Jenny Aitchison and Kate Washington, who I am sure will represent their electorates admirably if elected. And, while these Labor candidates will not be facing sitting Liberal members of parliament, they will face Liberal candidates led by the Prime Minister's best mate, Mike Baird.

Let's have a look at what the Liberal's track record is like in Newcastle and the Hunter region. How are they tracking on jobs? Unemployment in Newcastle has more than doubled on their watch. Thousands of jobs have been lost, but the Liberals have no plan for the future and no support for those unemployed today. Shipbuilders and train manufacturers were rallying in Newcastle again this week against the complete lack of support, action and investment in their industries from the Baird and the Abbott Liberal governments.

What about education? How are the Liberals tracking on education? In the last fortnight, more than 800 Novocastrians have written to me about the Abbott-Baird cuts to TAFE and education, and how they are hurting their families and limiting opportunities for Newcastle children.

In health, the Abbott Liberal government has cut more than $150 million from Hunter New England Health over the next four years and another $2 billion earmarked to be cut over the next decade.

Rather than ignore the federal funding cuts, the New South Wales Premier should be standing up to his best mate, the Prime Minister, and demanding a better deal for Newcastle and New South Wales. Labor has got a robust progressive plan for Newcastle and New South Wales. (Time expired)

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

I rise to commend the New South Wales Liberal government for its outstanding commitments for a better future for people on the Central Coast, which is a very strong reason as to why Premier Mike Baird should be re-elected this weekend.

Jobs, growth and opportunity are really important for our region, which is why I so strongly support the federal government's commitment of a new purpose-built ATO centre of excellence for the heart of Gosford—600 new jobs for Gosford. People across the Central Coast, wherever I go, tell me every single day how supportive they are of this initiative. Thanks to Premier Mike Baird, if the coalition is re-elected on Saturday, another 300 positions from the New South Wales Office of Finance and Services will also some to Gosford over the next four years. This means nearly 1,000 new jobs for Gosford. I acknowledge and particularly thank Chris Holstein, the Liberal member for Gosford and the Minister for the Central Coast, Rob Stokes, for their tireless advocacy on this issue.

After 16 years of neglect of the Central Coast under the former Labor government, this is a massive boost to jobs, growth and skills that our region desperately needs. It will also help to revitalise Gosford along with other initiatives such as rezoning and reinvigorating the waterfront and a proposal for a performing arts centre. Premier Baird and the member for Gosford, Chris Holstein, have announced a $12 million commitment towards the performing arts centre and conservatorium. It is not just Gosford that is seeing new jobs; Reinforced Concrete Pipes Australia has recently announced that it would locate its $15 million facility at Somersby—creating another 30 jobs or more. Overall, I am advised that over the past four years more than 11,000 jobs have been created on the Central Coast as a result of the New South Wales Liberal government's policies.

This is a game changer for our region, but we simply cannot take it for granted. The future of the Central Coast is too important, and it has been neglected by Labor for too long. You can see this neglect when you drive across our roads on the Central Coast, which is why the New South Wales Liberal government is investing $400 million to boost roads across our region. This includes $126 million to duplicate the Pacific Highway at Lisarow and $100 million to upgrade the Pacific Highway at Ourimbah.

Following consultation with the community there is $174 million to be allocated to projects which could benefit other Central Coast growth road projects such as Manns Road from West Gosford to Narara and Terrigal Drive from Erina to Terrigal. A further $5.5 million will also be invested to tackle congestion and improve safety on Central Coast roads, including $2 million to undertake safety improvements on Brisbane Water Drive at Point Clare. There is also $1 million to ease congestion and improve traffic flow at the busy roundabout where Empire Bay Drive meets The Scenic Road at Kincumber. I really want to pay tribute to our Liberal candidate for Terrigal, Adam Crouch, for his tireless advocacy on this issue. The state Liberal government is also delivering on the $170 million upgrade for the intersection at West Gosford, which will improve traffic flow, travel times and safety for all road users and deliver a vital boost to our local small businesses.

The Baird Liberal government is also pledging a massive $368 million towards the redevelopment of Gosford Hospital and $200 million to upgrade Wyong Hospital. This will give Gosford Hospital, in my electorate, a new emergency department, a new intensive care unit, an expanded high dependency unit and a range of other additional services and facilities, including more inpatient beds for acute and subacute services and, very importantly, extra car parking. This upgrade also includes the potential for a Central Coast medical school. I again welcome the state Liberal government's support for this project which, while in its early stages, could see a globally connected, fully integrated Central Coast health and medical research institute at some stage in the future. This is a unique opportunity to deliver a shared vision for a university in Gosford that will be a world-class centre of excellent which delivers more aspiration, more growth and more opportunity.

There is $345,000 for Central Coast Surf Life Saving for rescue drones, digital radios, portable PA systems and a community education program. As a surf lifesaver, I know the importance of this particular announcement. This will benefit surf lifesaving clubs in my electorate at Avoca Beach, Umina Beach, Ocean Beach, Killcare, McMasters Beach, Copacabana, North Avoca and Terrigal.

The state government is also upgrading Gosford and Terrigal high schools as part of state-wide funding adding up to almost $150 million. And today the Premier visited Lifeline Central Coast to announce $10.5 million to help ensure that people across the state can continue to access vital counselling services around the clock. This is a government that deserves to be re-elected on Saturday. (Time Expired)