Steve Georganas (Hindmarsh, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the chamber for the opportunity to continue my speech on the Appropriation Bill (No. 1) 2008-2009 and cognate bills from where I left off last week. I will not go for the full 10 minutes; I will start where I left off last week. At that point, I was speaking about the benefits of the different funding to seniors—whether it be through the internet or through the bonus payment—and the government’s commitment of $50 million to introduce a national seniors transport concession scheme for seniors card holders by 1 January 2009.

On this note, I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate someone in my electorate, Mr Kevin Hamilton, the former member for Albert Park, who has been campaigning on this particular issue from the days when he was a state member—from the eighties right through to the early nineties. One of the first people to see me when I was elected was Kevin Hamilton, who came to lobby me on this issue. I am very pleased that the Rudd Labor government has delivered, after many years of many governments discussing this issue. We have committed $50 million to introduce the national seniors transport concession scheme for seniors card holders by 1 January 2009. It is very important for seniors who are travelling interstate to visit families, friends or grandchildren. Previously, their discounts were not acknowledged, and sometimes you would think we needed a visa to cross a border in this country. It is about time we conform things across all states. I am a very big believer of that.

We are also committed to reintroducing the Commonwealth dental scheme to aid those who are young—teenagers—and those who are older to access affordable dental care. There are hundreds of elderly residents within my electorate who are currently languishing on dental waiting lists, and have been for many years, who are in need of care. I have supported and will continue to adamantly support the reintroduction of this scheme. We are going to end the blame game. The government has also reached an agreement with the states to provide $150 million to help 25,000 patients get the elective surgery they need. Too many people are currently waiting too long to get that surgery. This $150 million commitment will help slash the number of people waiting longer than clinically recommended for elective surgery, and $13.6 million of that will go to South Australia to deliver an additional 2,262 procedures.

I was also pleased to see in the budget announcement that the Glenelg Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is in my electorate, has had $31 million committed to it. This will ensure that there is a pipeline that takes water treated at the wastewater treatment plant at Glenelg to pump it through the electorate of Hindmarsh into the CBD, ensuring that along the way industry, schools, governments and local councils use the water that would normally be pumped out into the sea into the Gulf of St Vincent.

This government is aware that we need to address the needs of everyone—including the aged and those on fixed incomes, such as the disability support pensioners and carers—within our society. We have a commitment to assist those in need to help them make ends meet. I have listened to and will continue to listen to the concerns and questions of all residents of Hindmarsh and I commend the appropriation bills to this House.

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