Justine Elliot (Richmond, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to talk about the importance of funding for regional areas and would like to highlight some fantastic events of the last week. First of all, we had the official opening of the trades training centre at St Joseph's College, Banora Point. I was very pleased, back in September 2013, to announce $1.5 million from the federal Labor government for St Joseph's College to build this fantastic trade skills centre to ensure that local young people gain the skills they need to compete for the jobs of tomorrow. This is in total contrast to the Liberal-National Party, who later cut funding for these trade skills centres.

The St Joseph's trade skills centre focuses on electrotechnologies, hospitality and construction. There are a whole range of different areas they will be addressing through the new trades training centre, including a range of emerging technologies, which is really important. It was great to see firsthand the wonderful facilities they have there at the trades training centre. I congratulate all of the young people who took us on a tour. It was good to hear from them firsthand what a success it is in making a difference in their lives.

Last week we also had the opening of stage 1 of the Arkinstall Park Regional Sports Centre at Tweed Heads. This redeveloped site is expected to cater for the region's sporting requirements for the next 10 years. I was very proud, as the local MP, to have delivered almost $5 million through the former federal Labor government's Regional Development Australia Fund for this much needed upgrade of Arkinstall Park. The facilities are very important for the local community and as a future training centre for elite athletes. Our former Davis Cup captain and No. 1 ranked doubles player, John Fitzgerald OAM, was on hand for the opening of this wonderful facility that includes netball courts, tennis courts, club rooms, soccer fields and a playground. It is absolutely fantastic. I would like to recognise the great work of Tweed Shire Council. They also contributed $2.6 million. Tennis Australia contributed $100,000 and $30,000 was contributed by the Tweed Netball Association. I would really you like to commend both the Tweed Netball Association and the Tweed District Tennis Association for their great advocacy for this project. We really did work together to make sure that we delivered a world-class sporting facility right in Tweed Heads, which is fantastic with the Commonwealth Games just a few years away, over the border, on the Gold Coast.

In contrast to all of this, yesterday we had announcements in relation to the National Stronger Regions Fund. We are very disappointed that the Liberal-National government have rejected Tweed Shire Council's funding application for the Kingscliff Foreshore master plan. This was a great project that the community got behind. I particularly condemn the National Party for continuing to slash funding for regional areas. The fact is, the National Party have broken most of their election commitments, and their dishonesty and incompetence continues to hurt local families. In contrast, we had a Labor government delivering more than $1.5 billion for our region and now we have the National Party failing to deliver for regional areas for great projects like this one, the Kingscliff Foreshore master plan. The community were behind this, and I condemn the National Party for not funding this remarkable program.