Jess Teesdale (Bass, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Two weeks ago, almost to the minute, I sat in this chamber for my first budget as the member for Bass. I remember sitting here thinking about the people back home in Northern Tasmania and what this budget would mean for them—the young family trying to save for a first home, the apprentice wondering what opportunities might be there when they finish training, the person who may have been putting off a trip to the doctor in regional Tasmania because money is tight, perhaps a small-business owner trying to attract workers while dealing with housing shortages and rising costs in our remote communities. Budgets are full of numbers, but those numbers only matter if they make a difference to people's lives. This budget is about doing exactly that.

Housing is one of the biggest challenges facing Northern Tasmania; I hear it constantly. People are working hard and saving carefully, and many are still wondering whether they'll ever be able to buy a house in the community they grew up in—the community where their family is, where their friends are. That matters because housing is more important than bricks and mortar. It's security. It's stability. It's putting down roots and building a future, and having the confidence that you can plan for a family in that place. This budget takes practical steps to make that easier for them. It continues support for first home buyers through the five per cent deposit scheme, it invests in the roads, water and infrastructure that allows more homes to be built and it continues work to increase supply—because if we want housing to become more affordable we must have more homes.

Housing is also an economic issue. The businesses across Dorset continuously tell me that they struggle to attract and retain workers. The Flinders Council can't find people because they have nowhere to put them; there is nowhere to house them because people simply cannot find somewhere affordable to live. When people cannot live where they work, the whole community is impacted by it.

Health care is another area where this budget makes important investments. People in Northern Tasmania deserve access to quality health care close to home. We know that too many Tasmanians have had to travel interstate for treatment, spending time away from their families—or they might sit on waiting lists, wondering when help will come. That's why these investments in Medicare that we continue to make are important for Tasmania. It's why continuing to strengthen bulk-billing matters. We had three bulk-billing clinics across Bass when I first started; now, we have 13. That is changing lives. That's why these investments in our local health care matter. Our Launceston urgent care clinic is the busiest in the country. It's seen over 60,000 people. Half of those 60,000 people have identified that they would have gone to the emergency department if their urgent care clinic hadn't been there. They've walked through those doors and they've received exceptional and free care, and they've done that without adding pressure to our emergency departments—which, in Tasmania, are really struggling.

The budget continues to support projects like the Northern Heart Centre. For families in Tasmania it will mean better access to specialist care closer to home. They will not have to travel to the mainland; that is huge. It will provide less stress, better health outcomes and mental health support for those people. Mental health is something that remains equally important to us. Access to support should not depend on your postcode, and we know that this is key particularly in regional communities.

We'll also continue investment in skills and training through programs like free TAFE, because we know that our communities need skilled workers. Skilled workers create stronger communities. We're investing in local facilities and community infrastructure, too. It's those places where families meet and children can play sport, make friends and grow together. Strong communities don't happen by accident; they're built over time.

Bass is a region with enormous potential. We have resilient communities, we have skilled workers, we have strong industries and we have people who care deeply about where they live. This budget backs that potential. It provides cost-of-living relief, strengthens health care and gives more young people a fair chance of homeownership. It invests in the future of Northern Tasmania. More importantly, it recognises something that I believe in strongly: regional communities cannot be left behind. They must be supported, strengthened and given every opportunity to thrive.