Kristy McBain (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories) Share this | Hansard source

There's a lot I can say about this MPI, but I'm going to start with one simple thing: is this a joke? For the last 10 years, those opposite have been traipsing around the country announcing infrastructure projects and not delivering a lot. They had 10 years without a decent change to rural aged care, 10 years without understanding that investment in schools delivers skills, 10 years without dealing with the housing crisis that every regional community is now facing and 10 years to make sure that we had GPs in regional areas.

Grant programs deliver things for communities—absolutely—but we need services. We need investments in our people. We need understanding that it is more than a grant program. Those opposite complain about a whole list of things. They say they've delivered projects, but so many of them are undercooked, are underinvested, are poorly thought through, had no delivery partners, weren't done in consultation with state or territory governments and had zero consultation with local councils. We need to make sure that our three levels of government are working together to deliver for our communities. Throwing press releases around doesn't build a road, and you cannot show up for a photo op and not follow through with communities. From day one, this side of the House has been getting on with the job of delivering for regional Australia.

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