Craig Thomson (Dobell, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

) ( ): I come to speak on this appropriation bill with a degree of independence that I perhaps did not have in previous contributions, so I think people should listen much more closely to what I have to say in relation to this particular budget. I want to start by saying that budgets in themselves should not be seen in isolation. This budget needs to be seen as part of a series of budgets that the Labor government has brought in since it was elected in 2007. What is important is to look at the economic conditions that were there when Labor was elected in the good times before the global financial crisis had occurred and look at how the budgets had to alter and adapt to the changing global conditions that the government was faced with during that period of time and look at where they are now in relation to this particular budget.

I say with a degree of independence, as I said, that this is a very good budget and it is a very good story that can be told in relation to a succession of Labor budgets. When Labor came into office the cash rate was 6.75 per cent. It is now 3.75 per cent. Inflation was tending towards the high side. There were some comments about the inflation genie being out of the bottle when Labor first came in; it is now around the two per cent mark. The unemployment rate before Labor came in had a four in front of it—and it does again now. So when we look at where Australia was and where Australia is now, we are, on any objective comparison, at least as well off economically as when we were elected.

But the great story is how this Labor government charted its way through the global financial crisis—and how, while doing so, it made sure that Australian jobs, Australian families and Australian households were always put first. On the back of a resources boom, the economy was in good shape when we started. But now, compared to any other country in the world and compared to how things were in 2007, the economy is in great shape. The story of successive Labor budgets has been about the skill, the care and the concern shown in making sure that the Australian community got through one of the greatest challenges the world has faced since the Great Depression—and achieving Australia's current sound economic position.

Those on the coalition side mock the size of it, but the Labor government is returning the budget to surplus. How can they—how dare they?—mock that when you consider what had to be done? The Labor government had to make sure that there were jobs—jobs in areas like my electorate and the member for Shortland's electorate. Our areas are always among the first affected when unemployment starts to rise. The Labor government had to make sure that families were able to get through those periods when we saw unemployment in Spain reach 20 per cent and when we saw riots right around the world, as countries struggled to come to terms with a global financial crisis. We still see those problems in Europe today and the resulting social dislocation, yet in this country there has been barely a ripple—because of the sound economic leadership of the Labor Party. We made sure this country was able to get through those periods and, at the end of it, we are in a position comparable with the position we were in when we started—low unemployment, low inflation and low interest rates. These are the key things for making sure that families—people living in our communities—are able to continue to do the things they want to do.

I will come back and say something else about interest rates at the end of my contribution, but now I will talk about the sorts of things these budgets have enabled in my electorate. We have been able, in some cases for the very first time, to make really good investments in infrastructure and the environment. Tuggerah Lakes, one of the most beautiful places in Australia, was able to take advantage of the Caring for our Country program. The first investment from Caring for our Country was a $20 million grant to Tuggerah Lakes. The 2012-13 budget has continued this program, allocating another $2.2 billion for the period 2013 through to 2017.

Caring for our Country has been a tremendous program and the Tuggerah Lakes project in my electorate has been superbly managed by Wyong Shire Council. It is not always the case that a federal politician can come in here and say what a good job their local council has done in managing money, but Wyong Shire Council did such a good job in managing their $20 million that they actually returned some money. I do not think many councils have ever said: 'We have underspent. Here you go; here is a couple of million dollars you can have back.' But that is in fact what Wyong Shire Council did. It is, again, a measure of this government that we said, 'Let's do some more work. There is more work to be done and we will re-allocate that money.' So congratulations to Wyong Shire Council.

We have been able to start construction at Tuggerah on a $10 million centre of sports excellence, the home of the mighty Central Coast Mariners, the most successful team in the A-League competition. It is a great community asset with swimming pools and a medical centre. It is a superb asset that is much needed in the Tuggerah area—and it was the Labor government that put it in place. One of the things that those in the coalition always complain about, and their foot soldiers on the Central Coast have picked up this same mantra, is the GP Super Clinics. The GP Super Clinic that is close to being completed in my electorate has been nothing but an outstanding success from the moment it was announced.

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