Leon Rebello (McPherson, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise in this grievance debate to speak in relation to a number of issues. My home on the Gold Coast is defined by its natural beauty, its unmatched coastal lifestyle and its incredible sense of community. It's no wonder our region is one of the fastest growing regions in Australia. But with that growth come some very real challenges—challenges that cannot be ignored, delayed or dismissed. Our infrastructure, our housing supply and essential services must keep pace with the people who call the southern Gold Coast home.

During my very first day in this parliament I sat down with the Leader of the Opposition and the CEO of Experience Gold Coast, Mr John Warn, to ensure that our city is front and centre of the national conversation. I'm pleased to say that the Liberal leader was receptive, engaged and committed to working with us on practical solutions for our city's future. It's important that our city has a long-term vision, a plan that manages population growth and tourism by planning smarter and investing strategically. And, as we look to the future of public transport in our city, interconnectivity is key. The southern Gold Coast cannot be an afterthought in the government's infrastructure map. We must be better connected to the rest of South-East Queensland.

I've spoken many times before about the extension of the heavy rail from Varsity Lakes all the way to Coolangatta, with stops at Burleigh Heads and Elanora and going down towards the airport. That's a commonsense project that would absolutely transform our region. I think about the many southern Gold Coast locals who commute on a daily basis up to Brisbane. At the moment they have to get in their cars, drive to either Varsity Lakes Station or Robina Station, park their cars and then get on the heavy rail to Brisbane. This project would remove that congestion on our roads, in particular on the M1. It would not only support those Brisbane commuters but also provide direct access to the Gold Coast Airport, which is one of the nation's fastest growing gateways. That means we would finally have a situation where people can land on the Gold Coast and be able to commute directly to Brisbane.

This extension would take cars off the road, it would connect people to jobs and tourism, and it would make the southern Gold Coast a stronger, more liveable community. Daily congestion continues to choke our roads and frustrate many residents. It affects tradies heading to worksites, parents on school runs and visitors travelling to our beaches and local businesses. I really want to see upgrades that ease that congestion, that improve safety and that support our growing community.

In a similar vein, another priority of mine is to see a solution to Exit 82 on the M1, the notorious double roundabouts in front of the Robina Town Centre. It's an absolute traffic bottleneck and a single choke point that wastes thousands of hours in lost productivity each and every year. It creates gridlock every day that affects local residents and businesses alike. The people of the southern Gold Coast deserve infrastructure investment and infrastructure that is based on need, not postcode politics.

Another issue I would like to touch on in this grievance debate is in relation to Medicare. Locals are currently telling me that access to a doctor, affordable medical care and the strain on our health system are top-level issues that face them and their families. Over the past year, bulk-billing rates in my seat of McPherson on the southern Gold Coast have fallen by 12 per cent, making it harder for many people to see a GP without facing significant out-of-pocket costs. This decline is placing real pressure on households—particularly on older Australians, young families and those managing chronic health conditions. It's disappointing to have a situation where we have people who've worked very hard and contributed to our economy and to our country, and they're now in a situation where they're having to choose between meals and medical care. That's not the Australian way.

Local GPs are telling me that the current funding arrangements are not keeping up with the rising costs of providing quality health care. As a result, we're seeing more doctors being forced to stop bulk-billing or limit the number of patients that they can see without fees. I recall a time where the Prime Minister said that all you need to be able to see a doctor is your Medicare card. That's not the experience that we are seeing on the southern Gold Coast. Locals need their credit card. What this means is that we are seeing longer wait times, higher fees and more people putting off getting important medical treatment. Affordable and accessible health care has always been a fundamental part of the Australian way of life. Every individual deserves proper health care, and no-one should have to choose between paying household bills and getting the help they need.

In the time I have left, I'd like to touch on another issue that is not only important to people in my electorate of McPherson but something that I get correspondence on and have interactions with members of the broader Australian community in relation to. This is the concept of government expenditure—even, dare I say it, government waste.

We are experiencing a significant cost-of-living crisis in Australia. When I am out in my community—and I have had the opportunity to continue doing a number of listening posts at shopping centres, at the Burleigh Heads markets and at the beaches—people come up to me and speak about the issues that matter to them. There is no doubt that individuals and businesses are struggling at the moment, whether it's with the increased costs of housing, the increased costs of renting a shopfront or the increases to prices at grocery stores. People are struggling, and cost of living remains their No. 1 concern.

Now, at a time when we in parliament and the government, I guess, are trying to manage this, we are seeing government expenditure blow out of proportion. There are a number of different instances that we have seen which form a broader pattern of government waste. This week, it's quite timely for me to speak about this. We've seen the revelation of what's been happening with the BOM website, with over $96 million for a website that we have received terrible user feedback on. That's one example of something that the government has done which is wasting the hard-earned taxpayer dime. Everyday Australians, including those in my electorate, are, frankly, sick and tired of this kind of government waste. They work absolutely bloody hard, and the last thing they need is for the government or bureaucrats in Canberra to be wasting their money.

One of the biggest frustration points for people in my community is in relation to the energy costs that they're experiencing at the moment. We've had a conversation through my office and I've had the opportunity to go and meet with a number of small businesses. There's one in particular, in my electorate, where they've seen electricity prices go as high as $7,000 a month. Now, that is something that is absolutely unconscionable, and I don't know how long businesses can deal with that. While that is happening, Chris Bowen's climate change and energy department has spent $350,000 of taxpayer money on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in the last three years alone, including $61,000 on an inclusion strategy and action plan. That's telling about Chris Bowen's priorities, at a time when energy costs—

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