Bob Baldwin (Paterson, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak on the appropriation bills for 2015-16. I am pleased to speak on these bills today, as they help provide a road map to aid us in achieving our budgetary measures. When considering these bills, I think about the concerns and funding needs of my own constituents. We are working to produce real outcomes as we continue to build a strong and more prosperous economy for the safety and security of Australia. Our future very much depends on what we do as a nation today. After a disastrous Labor government for six years it is our turn to rebuild this nation. It is our turn to contribute so that generations to come may enjoy a prosperous quality of life.

I want to take this opportunity to update the House and my constituents of Paterson on what action has been recently taken to advance their cause, as we have recently seen some great outcomes in both Paterson and in the wider Hunter region.

I welcome today's release of the defence white paper and what it will mean for national security and, importantly, for the much-needed jobs in our region. This will occur through increased air, naval and land warfare superiority. Whilst RAAF Base Williamtown will continue with its nearly $1 billion upgrade program, in particular for the Joint Strike Fighter, there are issues emanating from the base that are affecting my community. In particular, the issue of firefighting foam contamination of perfluorooctane sulfonate, otherwise known as PFOS, originating from RAAF Base Williamtown has severely impacted on my community and will no doubt have budgetary ramifications in the future. The contamination of PFOS has leached across all the way from the RAAF base through to Fullerton Cove and Tilligerry Creek.

There are PFOS levels reported as 100 times higher the acceptable health risk. The PFOS contaminant originates from the RAAF base. Therefore, the Department of Defence and the Commonwealth are 100 per cent responsible and bear 100 per cent of the responsibility to remedy the situation. The impacts on local industries are not insignificant. There are now reports that the banks are black-listing for bank loans in the red zone investigation area.

I have been meeting with defence ministers and Defence, and my message is simple and clear: tell me what you can do, not what you cannot. Defence's evidence to the Senate committee hearing in October was that it was monitoring rather than containing contaminated surface water leaving the base. The first thing that has to be done is to contain the discharges from RAAF Base Williamtown. If you have a hole in a boat and it is leaking water, you do not just bail the water; you stop the leak—simple logic. The contamination levels need to be contained, not monitored, because in the next storm even more PFOS will be flushed from the base into my local community.

There are a number of issues that need to be addressed and addressed urgently. What need to be addressed are the health issues, water-bore sampling and, importantly, the mental health issues, which are exacerbated for those whose incomes have stopped. Whether they are commercial fishermen or those who produce eggs, chickens or beef, all have been stopped from earning their income by this contamination. I say to the Department of Defence, to the minister and to the government as a whole: listen to what is being said by all sides of politics, because all sides of politics at one time or another have been responsible for this issue. More work needs to be done and there needs to be better coordination, but, more importantly, relieving the stress for those who have lost their income must be a matter of priority for this government, because it is not the fault of those people that they have lost their income due to this contamination. The community needs and deserves a solid plan of action, not just words and intent on this issue.

I am also pleased today to report that around 6,700 more premises on the Tomaree peninsula and 5,500 residences in the Maitland area are a step closer to getting access to the National Broadband Network, with construction on the fixed-line network well underway. This is an important milestone in the area, with greater certainty for homes and businesses as they prepare for super-fast broadband. The message for local residents is clear: super-fast broadband is on its way. Final network designs are now complete, meaning that, in the coming weeks, nbn co contractors will be seen in the streets of Telarah, Shoal Bay, Fingal Bay and Nelson Bay. The work includes laying out optical fibre and building cabinets to house the electronics needed to supply the super-fast broadband. This is a part of the government's ongoing reform of the NBN project, to ensure that super-fast broadband can be rolled out quickly, more cost-effectively and with minimal inconvenience to households. Speeds on the new network will easily support high-definition streaming on multiple devices all at once. The NBN project will provide much needed relief for the region, which in some areas has very poor broadband infrastructure. We have taken steps to get this project on track after so many years of misinformation, frustration and, in particular, poor planning. The NBN will truly revolutionise the way people connect in their homes and their businesses. It is vitally important that our community do not waste another decade or longer waiting for a gold-plated broadband upgrade. What they want is effective, efficient and fast broadband, today and now. Total connections to the NBN's various networks, including the fixed-line and wireless networks and the interim satellite service, now stand at over 700,000. Earlier this year, nbn co released an updated national rollout plan indicating that, by September 2018, three-quarters of all homes and businesses across Australia will be able to connect to the NBN or have construction underway in their neighbourhoods. nbn co will continue to update its online information for residents about when the network will be ready for their service, and people can also register their details to be provided with future updates.

The Australian government recently announced that the application deadline for round 2 of the Safer Streets Program has been extended by two weeks to 2 pm, Wednesday, 2 March 2016. The closing date has been extended to ensure all local government organisations and eligible incorporated not-for-profit organisations have the opportunity to support their local communities by implementing new safety and crime prevention initiatives. Under round 2 of the program, the government will invest $29.4 million in individual grants to help reduce the fear of crime and contribute to greater community safety and resilience. This investment will build on the more than $19 million in funding the government has already awarded under round 1 for projects across 150 locations to deliver security enhancements such as better lighting and CCTV in retail, entertainment and commercial precincts. I have encouraged all potential applicants to submit their project applications as soon as possible, to ensure the area has the best chance of receiving funding from this vital community safety initiative. The program is already working to improve community safety across Australia by preventing, deterring and detecting crime and antisocial behaviour. Round 2 funding will help boost these efforts in my electorate in particular. Importantly, the Safer Streets Program uses the proceeds of crime, confiscated from criminals, to fund these local crime prevention programs. It means that the crimes of yesterday can help prevent the crimes of tomorrow.

In last year's budget, the coalition government announced the Stronger Communities Program to fund small capital projects in local communities across the country. The aim of the Stronger Communities Program is to fund small projects which will deliver social benefit for local communities and help contribute to more vibrant and viable communities. Local government and incorporated not-for-profit organisations are eligible to apply for a grant of $5,000 up to a maximum of $20,000, matched, of course, on an in-kind or contributory, dollar-for-dollar basis. Each electorate has $150,000 of funding allocated to it. The independent community consultation group that I formed for round 1 will again shortly consider the expressions of interest and determine priority projects of the most merit to proceed to the formal grant application.

In this House, people have heard me talk endlessly about digital television reception. Since the switch to full digital television services in 2012, many of my communities have been struggling to get decent television reception. The co-channel interference from out-of-area signals affects viewers who receive their broadcast from the Mount Sugarloaf site. This interference can range from annoying minor signal video and audio break-up to complete signal loss. Always worse in hot weather, it has made for three years of very long, hot summers for those who have been affected. Regional Broadcasters Australia has been working to upgrade the problem following my continued and consistent lobbying to secure federal government funding. I am beyond delighted that the upgrade to Gan Gan tower and the new Wallaroo digital television towers are now up and running. This will help residents on the Tomaree and Tilligerry peninsulas as well as in Medowie and Salt Ash to gain improved television reception.

Green Army projects continue to thrive in my electorate. New projects include the one to be undertaken on the Worimi Conservation Lands, located at Stockton Bight, Port Stephens, and will build on a previous stage. The lands form an important coastal link within a network of protected areas. Human induced impacts are causing fragmentation of native vegetation in the foredune system, wetland swales and hind-dune vegetation, limiting pathways for dispersion of flora and fauna, including threatened species. The project will improve the condition, extent and connectivity of native vegetation through on-ground works, including dune stabilisation, management of four-wheel drive access, weed control and revegetation. Recruitment strategies will target Worimi youth and other Indigenous Australians to build the team. These participants have not only generated real environment and conservation benefits for our community but also gained valuable practical training and experience to help them prepare for the workforce, pursue further training or improve their career opportunities.

As the Green Army grows so do the opportunities for young people around Australia to be involved in these worthwhile projects. The Green Army is a key government commitment with more than $700 million budgeted over four years. The program encourages practical, hands-on action to support local environment and conservation projects across Australia and will have provided training to 15,000 young Australians by 2018.

Road infrastructure is critical. It is the pathway to success. I am excited that the New South Wales government is finally providing $3 million in 2015-16 to continue the planning for the future extensions of the M1 Pacific Motorway to the Pacific Highway at Raymond Terrace, eliminating the bottleneck that occurs at John Renshaw Drive. I remember back to around 2000 when the then roads minister in the New South Wales government, Michael Costa, put forward this proposal. It has always required the state government to prioritise this project so that the Commonwealth can contribute and we can finalise this Pacific link road.

The community has had a chance to comment once again on the design and the new report is expected to be published soon. The M1 Pacific Motorway and the Pacific Highway are critical links in the National Land Transport Network and are amongst the busiest transport corridors in Australia. Planning for the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to the Pacific Highway at Raymond Terrace began in October 2004 and has involved an extensive community consultation program to identify preferred routes and to develop a concept design. A design was displayed for community comment in 2008 with feedback considered to develop a refined design which was finally announced in 2010. The route was reserved in the Newcastle and Port Stephens local environmental plans. Roads and Maritime Services has since reviewed the 2010 design to ensure the proposal provides the best outcome for road users, for the environment and for our community as a whole. The revised concept design includes major improvements for connectivity to surrounding road networks and minimises the environmental impacts.

The New South Wales government has committed $200 million under Rebuilding NSW to get the project ready for construction. Timing for construction is not yet confirmed and would depend on planning approval, future traffic needs and funding availability. I urge the New South Wales government to move forward as quickly as possible with this link project. Federal funding will be a matter of course as there is an agreement between the state and federal governments to fund these projects, but make no bones about it: this project is critical in stopping the bottleneck that occurs when you leave Sydney on your way to Brisbane on the Pacific Highway. I urge people to move forward with speed to deliver this project so we get real, beneficial outcomes not only to my constituents but also to all Australians, and in particular the heavy transport industry, as they use this vital road infrastructure. I commend these appropriation bills to the House.

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