Susan Templeman (Macquarie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm very proud of the work I did in two terms in opposition as the member for Macquarie, getting issues on the agenda and highlighting the needs of the Blue Mountains and the Hawkesbury. But, now, in our second term of government, I'm even more proud of the work Labor is doing to deliver solutions to many of the issues that were unaddressed for a decade under the Liberals. Much of what we've done has delivered to Australians across the country, like cheaper medicines and more bulk-billing, urgent care and endo clinics, Medicare mental health clinics and headspace. I know these also benefit people right across my communities, but I want to focus on some of the specifics delivered in Macquarie.

We're delivering solar batteries to homes, businesses and community organisations. Already 587 batteries have been installed under the Cheaper Home Batteries Program, which puts us in the top 10 in the country. We're helping local first homebuyers with Labor's five per cent home deposits, and so far 997 people in Macquarie have been able to buy their first home with a five per cent deposit, or less, thanks to Labor's expanded Home Guarantee Scheme. Our skilled construction workforce has been supported with more than 545 construction trades apprentices in Macquarie benefiting from more than $5,000 incentive payments, and I have no doubt that the $10,000 incentive payment to apprentices commencing their careers in housing construction, from July, will also have a big take-up in Macquarie.

Working with the New South Wales government, we're also delivering seven new and refurbished social homes in the Penrith local government area. We've delivered back-to-back increases to the maximum rates of Commonwealth rent assistance, which is supporting more than 7,350 people in Macquarie. There are two new homes in the Blue Mountains through the Albanese government's crisis accommodation program, providing transitional accommodation for women and children experiencing family and domestic violence. These will make a real difference.

Our road funding, with extra to our region because we've been so badly affected by disasters, has meant our local councils have had the opportunity to upgrade and improve many more local roads, and that work continues. The latest list of roads under the ever-growing Roads to Recovery Program has the go-ahead in Nichols Parade in Mount Riverview and Percival Street in Clarendon. They're part of five years of funding for the Blue Mountains, worth more than $7.6 million, and more than $9.5 million for the Hawkesbury. The bottom line is that there's more funding for councils to look after your roads under Labor.