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

I want to thank the member for Paterson for her passionate representation of her community in Paterson. I'm thrilled to once again rise and speak in this place about how the Albanese government is delivering for regional Australians, because that is what we're continuing to do. We are delivering. We're delivering on the cost of living, on health and in housing because your postcode should never be a barrier to opportunity, particularly in regional Australia. When it comes to the cost of living in regional Australia, not much bites us harder than the cost of fuel, and there's no doubt regional Australia has been hit hardest by the impacts of the global fuel shortage. That's why our comprehensive $14.8 billion plan to secure more fuel, to strengthen our supply chains, to build resilience and to take the sting out of prices is so incredibly important to regional communities.

Speaking of stings and bites, our Medicare urgent care clinics are the place to be if you need treatment, which is why this government's nearly $580 million investment to keep them open and free matters most, particularly for Australians living in regional and rural communities. There are 137 clinics providing accessible urgent care services across the country, and 47 of those are supporting communities in regional, rural and remote Australia. Then there's our $25 million investment to establish six new bulk-billing clinics across the Central Coast, Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and the Hunter. That's right. We're supporting more GP practices bulk-billing, unlike those opposite, who stood by as GP practices closed in regional Australia under their watch.

This government is committed to addressing the housing challenges faced by regional Australians. That's why $500 million has been dedicated to local enabling infrastructure in regional Australia—the power, the roads, the drains that are needed for new housing. On top of that, our tax changes make sure that 75,000 Australians achieve the dream of homeownership. I want to highlight our commitment of an additional $750 million for further rounds of our flagship programs, the Growing Regions Program and the Thriving Suburbs Program, bringing our total investment since 2022 to $1.7 billion.

Our government is getting on with the job of delivering for regional Australia, which is in stark contrast to those opposite, who paid to hold our fuel reserves in Texas. Last time I checked, that wasn't in the country. It reminds me of a saying—all sizzle and no steak. That's what they have opposite—all statement, no substance. That's why regional Australia relies on this side of the House and a Labor government.

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