Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise today to talk about the curious case of an election commitment that never was. The Bulla tennis club in the City of Hume has recently been contacted by the minister for regional development to confirm the government will meet its election commitment of $120,000 to upgrade its courts.

Don't get me wrong: we always appreciate getting money from this government because the opportunities are few and far between. But there is a problem there: it was never an election commitment. They never made it; there is no record of it; there is no visit from a minister to announce it; there is no press release; there is no media story. No-one actually asked for the money in the first place. So what does this curious case say about this government's fiscal management that they are meeting election commitments they never made! What other known cash splashes are happening out there in the community!

I have a suggestion for the government. The Riddells Creek Tennis Club has been lobbying for months—indeed, well before the election for an upgrade of its busy courts. That will cost $245,000. The minister for regional development should retrospectively commit funding to that, as well. I am sure the community of Riddells Creek would be happy to receive it after being ignored for the last 12 months by this Turnbull government.