Andrew Hastie (Canning, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Earlier this year,    I made a commitment to the people of Canning that I would hold a community meeting in every major town and suburb in my electorate before Christmas. In the past four weeks I have visited the communities of Waroona, Preston Beach, Pinjarra, Coolup and North Dandalup to hear their feedback about the things that matter to them. The people of Canning have engaged, and I have heard them loud and clear. Despite the variety of people I have met with, their message has been consistent: the people of Canning want cultural, national and economic security.

Like me, the people of Canning are proud of their country, proud of their flag and proud of their way of life. This was evident at the Anzac Day ceremonies I attended alongside thousands of locals in Coolup, Mandurah, Byford, Pinjarra and San Remo. Canning wants a government that preserves Australia's freedoms. The government's recent changes to citizenship requirements are a timely reminder that anyone wishing to become an Australian citizen must play by our rules. This idea extends to foreign investment. We recognise that Australia needs foreign capital, but the people of Canning want our critical infrastructure—ports, poles and wires, and gas pipelines—to be owned by Australians so we can be sure of their security.

There is widespread anxiety about the uncertain state of our world. Canning's rural communities have international concerns. They watch the unfolding situation in North Korea very closely. Many people have also raised the ongoing fight against ISIS and the threat of fighters returning to our shores. We must do everything in our power to stop that happening. The government's announcement to bolster the AFP's security and intelligence operations with an additional $321 million will be very well received in Canning.

Everywhere I go, people want to see local jobs for local people. Again, the government have taken a step in the right direction with the 457 visa changes, which will make it easier for Australians to get Australian jobs. Government are responsible for setting the right conditions so that businesses and individuals can flourish. We are doing this by reducing company tax for small and medium businesses and making it easier for employees to train and employ jobseekers with the rollout of the PaTH program. Last night's announcement of the instant asset write-off extension, and our ongoing commitment to cut red tape are, indeed, sensible measures.

But, ultimately, when it comes to economic security, the No. 1issue I have heard about is the GST. Western Australians want their GST money invested in Western Australia. They are outraged, as I am, when they look around the Peel region—which Canning takes in—and see critical infrastructure shortages in rail and roads and know that their hard-earned money is instead going to places like South Australia and not coming back to us. I am disappointed that WA state Labor secured nothing from the $2.3 billion infrastructure package for the Peel region. This is a wrong that I will seek to right.