Aaron Violi (Casey, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

There is nothing wrong at all with majoring in politics, but I was surprised by that. I was a little concerned that the PhD was actually on the former prime minister Paul Keating. I think every Australian will remember that former prime minister Paul Keating is the man who talked about 'the recession that we had to have'. He did oversee that terrible recession 'that we had to have'. It's a concern that the Treasurer's political idol is Paul Keating.

The Treasurer has also, unfortunately, spent his whole career in this building. He bragged at the budget that he'd been in 17 budget lock-ups—more than anyone in this House. While he thinks that that's a great advantage, I think it's a great concern for the Australian people because I've already seen within six months in Parliament House that you can really lose perspective on what's happening out in the community. So we've got a prime minister and a treasurer who have never worked in business and have spent their whole life as advisers and chiefs of staff. It really does explain why this budget has no solutions for Australians and is full of politics and spin.

Not only is this budget about politics and spin, but it abandons the people of Casey. Two weeks ago I received a phone call from the CEO of the Yarra Ranges council. She was deeply concerned. They'd just received an email saying that the Roads for Community project in Casey—a $150 million project that had bipartisan support in 2019, with $150 million over 10 years—that would seal much needed roads in Casey had been cut by this government.

This government, in 2019, supported this project. Again, the internet is great, because everything is on the record and you can find it. So I went back and had a look. Who was the shadow minister at the time who made the commitment and talked about how important this investment was for the communities of Casey? Anthony Albanese was the shadow minister for infrastructure. He's now the Prime Minister signing off on every decision. In 2019 he supported sealing the roads, but today it's not important. And to make it worse, this is in comparison to the government's decision to support Suburban Rail Loop—a $2.2 billion investment to support his friend Daniel Andrews. It has not gone through Infrastructure Australia as a project. I don't mind the Suburban Rail Loop if it stacks up, but we don't know if it stacks up because the Auditor-General has said there are question marks. Infrastructure Australia has not looked at this project.

The Roads for Communities project in Casey is delivering today. It is a partnership between the federal government, the Yarra Ranges council and the community that co-contribute to sealing these roads. There is already a track record over three years of delivering these projects on time and on budget. In many cases they're actually delivered earlier and under budget, and that's with COVID. So we were here and we heard the minister for infrastructure today talk about projects blowing out. Well, this one's not. It's being delivered and they've supported it. This project, as I said, was bipartisan. It's sealing dirt roads in the Yarra Valley, in the Dandenong Ranges in my electorate, that are much needed. This need has become worse because, like many electorates across the country, we have been significantly impacted by flooding. So those dirt roads that aren't sealed are in even worse condition today than they were when this project was signed.

One of the great honours and privileges that we have in this House is to represent our constituents and be their voice in this House. I could talk more about the Roads for Community project, and I have been inundated with calls and emails from people in my electorate who are deeply concerned. I will read, with his permission, the email I received from Mark from Belgrave Heights about this very issue, and I quote:

We have had federal funding promises to seal roads in my area for several years now. I have recently been told that the promised funding may be rescinded. This is absolutely devastating news for me, my family and all residents in my local area. The unsealed roads are not only damaging on cars but they are hazardous, especially with all the rain we've had recently. Potholes, eroded road edges, corrugations and large 'run-off' chasms routinely appear, with imminent danger that these pose. My youngest child is a P-plater and she almost rolled her car driving down the severely eroded Mt Morton Rd the other day. I am writing this to you with heavy rain (as I type!) hitting my window with the understanding that the recent grading of Mt Morton Rd will be effectively undone now. The only permanent solution is to keep the federal promises of funding for local council roads. I implore you to push for these federal promises to be upheld by the current Labor government. Thank you.

Mark, I'm here fighting for you and fighting for the constituents and residents of Casey, because we have been abandoned by this government. They're prepared to support the Suburban Rail Loop, but they're not prepared to support a project that was needed in 2019 and is needed more now.

It gets worse. The Victorian state government is responsible for delivering road projects, and, unfortunately, the fact is that the Victorian state government is not great at delivering projects. That brings me nicely to the Wellington Road upgrade, which again was committed to, with bipartisan support, in 2019. The Victorian Labor government has done nothing to deliver this project. In three years, the Victorian state Labor government has done nothing to deliver this project.

Government senators interjecting—

The state government is responsible for delivering roads; the federal government funds them—those across the aisle do know that. We provided the funding, and the Victorian Labor state government failed to deliver.

This duplication is much needed for the safety of the residents in the Dandenongs, to get them out when bushfires come and to allow emergency services to get in. The local Country Fire Authority labelled Labor's decision to cancel this project as 'really distressing news for our community'. Our communities know they have been abandoned by the federal Labor government and the Daniel Andrews state Labor government. That's on top of the infrastructure commitments I made to Belgrave, Lilydale and Mooroolbark community centres that are not in this budget, all investments that would have improved women's sport and community safety.

Another project that is important to me and our constituents is the Lilydale Youth Hub. This was funded in 2020 using a $4.1 million grant from the federal government. Funding for this project runs out in December this year. I met with the Lilydale Youth Hub and had the opportunity to see the great work they were doing during the campaign, and I committed $3.5 million at that time to extend the project for another three years. But, in the election, the results were the results, and Labor didn't match that commitment. We're not in government, so it can't be delivered. I'm not going to sit here and pretend that it was bipartisan, because the Labor candidate and Labor opposition at the time clearly had no regard for the mental health of the residents of Casey, even though it was the highest priority on the council's wish list.

What is interesting is that the CEO of the Lilydale Youth Hub wanted to meet with the new minister to discuss the project, explain how important it was to our community and ask them to consider the funding now that they are in government. The minister would not even meet with the CEO. To make it worse, two meetings were arranged and then cancelled. The CEO was prepared to do these meetings over Zoom or in person. Those opposite will sit there and talk about how great this budget is, but the minister has had six months and doesn't even have the courtesy or time for a 15-minute conversation about the importance of mental health in the Lilydale Youth Hub. This is a project that is delivering for our community. I have one quick quote before my time runs out. This is from a parent:

Our beautiful and brave young person is not only still alive because of this wonderful and all encompassing service, but also has many friends that they have met through Pet Therapy, Creative Arts and social connection programs.

This is a program and a community hub that is saving lives in Casey, and the minister does not even have the time, courtesy or respect to meet with the organisation to understand their needs and how they can help. This budget is a disgrace. It does nothing for the residents of Casey. It leaves us abandoned.

See this speech in context