Gabriel Ng (Menzies, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise today to speak about how the Albanese government is delivering for my community of Menzies. Unfortunately, parts of my community have been taken for granted for too long because Menzies was a safe Liberal seat. This led to underinvestment in public transport and underinvestment in local community groups and businesses. Having grown up in the area, in Doncaster, and raised my family in Donvale, I understand this underinvestment all too well. Since having had the great privilege of being elected last year, I've spoken to so many community groups and people who've been calling out for better infrastructure and support for local services and projects. That's why I've been working hard every single day to deliver for the community that put me here.

Today, I want to speak about two things that are going to make a real difference for locals in my community of Menzies: the Albanese government's investment in the Suburban Rail Loop and the community grants. The Suburban Rail Loop East is one of the most significant infrastructure investments in Melbourne's history. It will fundamentally reshape how people move across our city, and make sure that people can get home sooner and with more options. It will connect communities that have long been underserviced by public transport. It will ease congestion, reduce emissions and create tens of thousands of jobs. The Albanese Labor government is investing an additional $3.8 billion towards the SRL East as part of the 2020 627 federal budget, bringing its total federal funding commitment to $6 billion. Box Hill will become a major part of the SRL hub—better connections, more economic opportunities, more choices in where people live and work.

Education is particularly important for people in my electorate. We're lucky to have a lot of wonderful schools, our public schools are some of the best in Victoria, and SRL will mean that young people will be better able to access universities like Deakin and Monash in Clayton. That is what long-term planning looks like, and that is what delivery looks like for Melbourne's east.

But infrastructure is only part of the picture, because, while we build the train lines, we'll also be building the social fabric, the organisations and the people that hold our community together. That is exactly what the SRL community grants program is doing. I'm proud to acknowledge every organisation that has received funding through this program, because each grant tells a story about what our community is and what it can become. In sport, the Blackburn Bowls Club will receive $80,000 for a new synthetic playing surface. Box Hill Indoor Sports will receive $61,000 for multipurpose indoor courts. The Box Hill United Pythagoras Soccer Club will receive $59,000 for training equipment. Surrey Hills Cricket Club will receive over $39,000 to honour 136 years of history while preparing for the next generation. The Laburnum Cricket Club will receive over $43,000 for a digital scoreboard. The NYP Dragons Water Polo Club will receive over $13,000 to run a junior invitational series along the SRL corridor, getting children aged eight to 13 involved in sport, building friendships and connecting communities. For Tennis ATC in Mont Albert North, three grants totalling over $176,000 will resurface courts, upgrade lighting and renovate the clubrooms.

In disability inclusion, Alkira Disability Services, who I was fortunate to visit recently, will receive over $75,000 to explore transforming their Thurston Street site into a purpose-designed community hub, co-designed with people with disabilities and with their families, and it will also receive over $31,000 for accessibility improvements at AlkiraBiz Cafe, where people with disabilities build hospitality skills and confidence.

Our multicultural community is also reflected across these grants. The Asian Business Association of Whitehorse received $60,000 for the Bloom and Nourish wellbeing program, targeting social isolation. The Australian reading club received $70,000 for a year-long multicultural and intergenerational reading program. The Melbourne Hua Yu Home, the Melbourne Chinese opera, the Whitehorse Chinese Senior 'You Yi' Friendship Association, the Youth of Zhangzhou Association Victoria and the Seniors Happy Life Club each received grants to celebrate culture, reduce isolation and build belonging across our community.

Health is a key focus in Melbourne's east, with Eastern Health receiving $75,000 for a First Nations health education hub. In business, the Whitehorse Business Group will receive $75,000 as well for a business forum and jobs expo.

Question agreed to.

Federation Chamber adjourned at 13:30

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