Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Small Business) Share this | Hansard source

After the 2022 election the federal Labor government ripped $100 million of infrastructure funding out of the Goldstein community for worthy and important projects, particularly those to promote our use of public transport and to green our community. It was devastating because that money then had to be filled by councils—who simply don't have the resources—when federal Labor came after Bayside and Glen Eira's cash. As a consequence, we have less community infrastructure in Goldstein than we need, particularly a lot of sporting facilities that simply don't have the changing room facilities for women to be able to play games like sport and cricket. I can't believe that a federal Labor government, with a choice between its priorities chooses to take back money from the community, from women's cricket and women's footy and other important social infrastructure.

Despite $100 million being ripped out of the Goldstein community, the then member simply waved it through. Well, in the 2025 election the community made a different choice, which was to make sure they had a member who stood here in Canberra and fought for the community and for the infrastructure. That's why we submitted a community budget submission to the budget process. I implore the federal Treasurer to start to return some of the $100 million for the community that we desperately need, because our community budget submission steps through some really basic information.

The federal Labor government provided an MRI licence to Sandringham Hospital, but what they haven't got at Sandringham Hospital is an MRI machine. In fact, from freedom of information documents, the community has been engaged in a hoax by this federal Labor government, claiming that services would be available to them which were not delivered, because they didn't have the equipment to do so. The first thing we ask for is around three million bucks so we have an MRI machine for a community hospital.

We know of the rise of antisemitism over the past couple of years. How about we get the community safety grants our community needs for Moorabbin Hebrew Congregation, L'Chaim Chabad youth centre and the South Caulfield Hebrew Congregation. For women's sporting facilities, as I said already, there's Peterson Reserve, Brighton Beach Oval Pavillion and Dendy Park Pavilion—so women can have toilets and change rooms. We need them in Highett, we need them at Brighton Beach, and we need them at Dendy Park. We need other important facilities, like for victims of sexual violence and those on low incomes who need support, like the redevelopment of BayCISS community support centre, as well as many other important pieces of infrastructure, like the EMC Fox Pavilion in McKinnon, which also needs women's change room facilities, park lighting upgrades at Allnutt Park and Hodgson Reserve and, of course, an open amenity in Glen Huntly. We should be able to support important infrastructure like Moorabbin Bowls Club. These are simple requests. Treasurer: deliver, because Goldstein is depending on it.

See this speech in context