Sharon Grierson (Newcastle, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It is with great pleasure and pride that I rise tonight to share with the House the fabulous news that funding to my electorate of Newcastle from the federal Labor government now exceeds $2 billion, and we are still counting. This is a truly wonderful investment in a great city, a very special community and a very resilient economy.

Since the election of a federal Labor government in 2007, Newcastle has received significant attention, attention that recognises our importance as a regional capital city, attention that supports the knowledge and innovation agenda we have built to continue the diversification of our economy and attention that acknowledges the importance of the strong community, business, social and welfare organisations that underpin our city.

It is investment that keeps our economy strong and sustains our unique quality of community life. The biggest spend has been for infrastructure, and what a spend that has been. Well over $1.2 billion in total; too much to detail here, but let us look at some of the big-ticket items and the story they tell about Newcastle.

First is the federal investment in the knowledge base of our economy. There is $35 million to build the Hunter Medical Research Institute, $30 million for the Newcastle Institute of Energy and Resources at the University of Newcastle, almost $15 million for infrastructure improvements at Hunter Institute of TAFE and over $31 million to the University of Newcastle. Add to that $20 million for the Clean Energy Innovation Centre and the importance this government places on knowledge and innovation is crystal clear.

These major hubs for medical research and clean energy research reflect a region that strides into the future with confidence. We learnt over a decade ago that relying on a single employer or industry like BHP and steel making had serious limitations in a global economy. We strive to stay ahead through innovation, and that is why our manufacturing sector bucks the national trend and creates more new jobs than it loses. Whilst every job loss is one too many, it is some relief to know that as jobs are lost in our region jobs are created at new manufacturing centres such as Westrac and Sandvik and in long-standing firms like Varleys and Forgacs, completing major defence contracts that exceed $400 million.

To complete the knowledge picture almost $94 million was invested by this government in 21st century school infrastructure, with an additional $30 million invested in trade training centres for 11 high schools in my electorate, and $8.8 million for computers in our secondary schools—almost 9,000 computers that our students never had until a federal Labor government was elected.

The University of Newcastle has excelled with over $197 million for innovation and research grants awarded since we were elected in 2007. Around $64 million has been awarded to the Australian Solar Institute and the CSIRO Energy Centre in Newcastle for their ongoing research into clean energy. It is this research that will underpin commercial enterprise that will be encouraged through our Clean Energy Finance Corporation and that will, we hope, lead to new, greener industry.

And do not think any of this happens by accident. By working with stakeholders and assisting them in building their case with government I have been able to make sure Newcastle was ahead of the game when it came to clean energy. We also host the $100 million Smart Grid, Smart City Project led by Ausgrid—once more building on our strengths in energy distribution and energy research to lead change and innovation that will benefit the nation.

Other regional and community infrastructure spending of $30 million has helped to provide a suite of modern tourism and leisure facilities for Newcastle: $10 million for the Hunter Stadium, $2 million for No. 2 Sportsground, $410,000 for the Empire Park Skate Park, $8.5 million for the Newcastle Museum and $7 million for the Newcastle Art Gallery. These modern facilities mean we can host national and international events like the 2013 Special Olympics Asia Pacific Region Games, the upcoming Qantas Wallabies versus Scotland rugby international match, the Archibald Prize touring to Newcastle, the 13th Australian Transplant Games and further skateboarding competitions such as the Hurley Australian Bowl-Riding Championships, the first national skateboarding competition which was held in Newcastle in January this year. This means, of course, a more vibrant city with increased opportunity for those working in the hospitality, leisure and sport sectors.

We are also a city known for the heavy lifting that we do in industry and freight, so big funding has come our way for roads and rail. There was $51.8 million to complete the Weakleys Drive overpass, $580 million of more than $1 billion to improve the coal chain into the Port of Newcastle, $24 million for the Hexham freight loop and $20 million for the high-speed rail study. Although it is not counted in the $2 billion, $840 million for the North Strathfield to Newcastle freight rail corridor improvements and the $1.3 billion Labor spent on the Hunter Expressway mean big dividends for my city, new investments into the freight and logistics sectors and great savings in time and money from improved efficiency. Add to that over $7 million to fix 25 black spots and almost $6 million for Newcastle City Council roads and it is clear that the federal Labor government has been serious about keeping regional economies and regional communities strong.

Other major employers in our city and major drivers of our regional economy, RAAF Williamtown and Hunter Water, also received major infrastructure grants, $19 million for improvements at our air base but also to support growth at the co-located Newcastle airport, and $8.85 million to Hunter Water for a water recycling project. Newcastle City Council has received around $46.5 million in financial assistance grants to continue its work for the city. Novocastrians are very proud of their natural environment. In fact, we are one of the few cities that can boast an international Ramsar wetlands within our city's boundaries. Across five federal grants the Hunter wetlands has received funding of over $3.24 million. This is a great investment into a great environmental enterprise that brings international researchers, environmentalists and tourists into our city.

Although it is more difficult to break down the massive increase in health funding to the states by each electorate, Newcastle has benefited from specific federal funding for GP after-hours access service, the very service that was the model for the rollout of after hours services around the country. Now funded by the federal Labor government as Hunter Urban Medicare Local and currently piloting the e-health records trials, the HUML is leading primary care in Newcastle. We also funded imaging equipment, facilities and associated Medicare payments at the Mater and John Hunter hospitals, as well as $200,000 for the Hunter Dementia and Memory Resource Centre and almost half a million dollars for upgrades to two GP practices.

As the Labor government we know that keeping our economy strong allows us to spread the nation's wealth more fairly. On the social front in Newcastle over $42 million to economic stimulus payments was paid throughout the GFC. These payments kept money flowing into our retail and other sectors and meant the economy continued to grow. So we drove through the biggest economic downturn in 60 years, with some pain but without the devastation experienced in too many other OECD countries. One standout funding area has been more than $30 million invested in housing projects in Newcastle. For too long the federal government under Howard neglected social and affordable housing. Increased homelessness has been the modern experience and can be linked to too little investment into housing, mental health, disability support, financial counselling, training and employment programs and early intervention programs by welfare organisations for disadvantaged groups in our communities: Indigenous, young mothers, youth, refugees and others. Under federal Labor, community and welfare programs have been given a much-needed boost and Newcastle as a regional hub for special services has been a major recipient of that funding. Let us not overlook the introduction of paid parental leave this year and the increase to the childcare benefit which has benefited families throughout Newcastle and the nation.

In conclusion, an analysis of the funding to Newcastle since the election of the federal Labor government in 2007 shows that our diverse economy means we have picked up considerable funding across a wide range of federal programs. It also reveals a true commitment to building regional Australia through infrastructure spending rather than through regional pork-barrelling that meant very lean times for Newcastle under the previous Howard government. It also reveals that Newcastle stakeholders have been able to work together with me to build clear agendas and advocate strongly for those agendas with me here in Canberra. The benefits of those strong partnerships will continue to flow into our city. The NBN will be rolled out to 94 per cent of households in Newcastle, beginning within the next three years, after some great advocacy by RDA Hunter, Newcastle University and my federal colleagues. The application by the University of Newcastle to expand its CBD campus is under consideration and with payments and tax breaks from the budget and the clean energy household assistance package still on the way, our future indeed looks bright.