Cathy O'Toole (Herbert, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise in this place to stand up for my community and to say loudly and clearly to the Turnbull government: 'Enough is enough when it comes to your mistreatment of regional, rural and remote Queensland.' As someone who was born and bred in the regional community of Townsville, I will not sit idly by whilst this government tries to rip my community apart. If I have said this once I will probably say it another 100 or 1,000 times: this government is lagging and dragging its feet on action in rural, regional and remote Queensland. Promises have been made to Herbert and they have been broken. Vital regional programs have been announced and yet Townsville has been left out.

This government promised that Townsville would have the first City Deal, which would be connected to the Townsville stadium, yet the Prime Minister has seen fit to give it to his city mates in Sydney. I know that the Prime Minister and the government were dragged kicking and screaming to the table by Labor to deliver the Townsville stadium—a commitment that was made the day before pre-poll opened—but to renege on this promise is a true slap in the face to the Townsville community. Then there is the cooperative research centre. We were promised that the CRC would be up and running in Townsville by mid 2016—but there is no CRC. Over a year ago the government announced the Northern Australia white paper and the NAIF, and still not one project has been announced. There have been massive cuts to Herbert schools, with this government cutting $48 million from Townsville schools in 2018-19.

The health inequality in regional and remote areas compared to the major cities is disgraceful. This government lacks action in addressing it, and this is clearly obvious. The average yearly Medicare spend per individual in rural and remote areas is $536 a year, compared to $910 in major cities. The health of our First Nations people is in a parlous state and the gap is growing, not closing.

Then we have the NBN rollout disaster. Labor's vision for the NBN was for all communities to have access to fast, high-speed internet—opening up education and communication for regional, rural and remote Queensland and Australia. The NBN has rolled out in Townsville, but they have missed the largest Indigenous community in all of Australia—Palm Island. The objectives and purpose of the NBN have been completely ignored by this government, and their lack of action in rolling out the NBN on Palm Island and other remote Indigenous communities is sadly lacking.

Townsville is a great and wonderful place; however, we are facing some tough challenges at the moment. We have over 13 per cent unemployment—youth unemployment is at around 20 per cent—and one of the highest insolvency rates in the nation. Yet, knowing these incredibly dreadful statistics, the Turnbull government announces its Regional Jobs and Investment Package for nine other areas, and not Townsville. This shows a complete lack of understanding of regional Townsville and our needs.

I have actually written a letter to the Prime Minister; the Minister for Employment, Michaelia Cash; and Minister for Regional Development, Fiona Nash, asking for clarification as to why Townsville was not considered and to ask them to please reconsider Townsville for this vital investment. As reported in the Townsville Bulletin, the Townsville community is basically being told by this government: 'Be happy with what you've got and cut your whingeing.' This government is failing to act and support the Townsville community. We are disheartened and frustrated with this government. I will work every hour of every day to ensure this government delivers on its commitments to Townsville.

Townsville also has a large aged-care population, and the savage cuts to aged care have left many of our elderly without adequate community services, to keep them living safely in their homes, or access to aged-care facilities. This government's track record of failings is long, and it is not good enough for my community, which deserves so much more.

Townsville needs action, and we needed it yesterday. The people of Townsville are fed up with being taken for granted. And when you take rural, regional and remote Queensland for granted, you do so at your own peril.

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