Stephen Jones (Whitlam, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Regional Development and Infrastructure) Share this | Hansard source

It is always a matter of rare enjoyment to cop a lecture on latte sipping and working-class values from the member for Bradfield. I want to talk about a lack of initiatives in the budget that will lead to employment growth and economic growth, particularly in southern New South Wales, the area that I represent and that you also represent, Madam Deputy Speaker Bird. It is a matter of deep disappointment when you look south from Sydney. It is almost as if these ministers do not understand that there are parts of New South Wales that exist South of Sydney. I am talking in particular about some key projects that would make an enormous difference to the region. I have long advocated for them and you have long advocated for them, Madam Deputy Speaker, but there is no funding for them within the budget. I would like to hear from the minister about whether there is a possibility that these projects are going to be funded.

In the Illawarra, I am talking about the Maldon-Dombarton rail link. The member for Grayndler would recall that, when Labor was last in government, $60 million and a line item in the budget were set aside to ensure that this project could get up and running. We knew at that time—as we know today—that there was significant private sector interest in forming a public-private partnership or going into partnership with the government to ensure that this project is built. Those on the other side of the chamber who pretend to represent regional Australia understand that this is an important project not just for the Illawarra and surrounding regions; it is absolutely critical if we are going to have a more efficient and effective way of getting grain and bulk commodities from western New South Wales into one of the best deepwater seaports in Australia. My question to the minister is: is the government going to fund this project? Has the government been working with the New South Wales government to ensure that this project can get up and running?

The second project that I want to talk about is one that we were leading the way on. In fact, we were encouraging the government to match our commitment. Of course, I am talking about the Nowra Bridge project. Before the budget, Labor made a commitment to put $50 million into the Nowra Bridge project to ensure that the bridge is built. We were hoping that this would excite and coerce the government into putting money of their own into the budget to ensure that this project is built. But, once again, the people of Nowra and the people of the Shoalhaven have been let down. I can only assume that they do not have a strong, local advocate in their party room who is going into bat for this project. In fact, if you look at the record of the member for Gilmore over the last term and a half, the biggest capital works project in her electorate has been the upgrade of her electorate office. I am sure that is very good, but the people waiting in queues on the highway as they attempt to cross that bridge want to get the project built. They want to see the bridge built, and we encourage the government. We ask the minister: will the government match Labor's commitment to ensure that this bridge is built?

In the time that I have left I will also ask a question about Regional Development Australia. We know that last year the minister received a review into the structure and operation of Regional Development Australia. We know that the minister has had a copy of the recommendations from Mr Warwick Smith's review for at least five months. We are well beyond the deadline when that review was going to be published. We see that within the budget there is $74 million over the forward estimates for funding of Regional Development Australia. My third question to the minister is: what is the plan for Regional Development Australia? When will the review of Regional Development Australia be published so that RDAs throughout the country can get on with the job of putting together plans for the economic development of their regions and putting bids to government and to the private sector to ensure that those regional development plans can be put into action?

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